PlayStation may be headed towards a version of its own “this is an Xbox” phase, if a recent Q&A session is to be taken at face value. With the surprising success of the PS Portal, Sony Interactive Entertainment may be looking at a future where it tries to “broaden usage scenarios”. This is part of its strategy to “break away from the fixed perception that ‘PlayStation equals the living room’”.
This comes from the published summarised transcript of a Q&A session held earlier in the month with PlayStation higher ups. Providing answers were the President and CEO Hideaki Nishino, CEO of Studio Business Hermen Hulst and SVP of Finance and Corporate Development Lynn Azar. That being said, neither the people asking nor providing answers were specified in the transcript.
With that out of the way, answering a question about bringing back gamers who have migrated to PC during the COVID period, PlayStation has been “selling peripherals such as monitors and speakers” to break free from the living room console stereotype. Then it says “for the next-generation platform, rather than simply serving as an alternative to PCs, we aim to deliver value that’s unique to PlayStation. This includes not only technological advancements but also an expansion of usage styles, enabling a seamless experience that can be enjoyed naturally beyond the living room.
The company also notes that the PS Portal is “an increasingly attractive low-cost thin client device” that “requires minimal memory”. Which is fair, considering streaming requires less of that than on-device processing. But this only works in markets where the company runs its cloud streaming service, formerly known as PS Now. Elsewhere, considering that it still needs a memory-equipped PS5 to function, that point is kind of moot.
Speaking of which, SIE also says that “it is not realistic for us to absorb all component cost increases”, which resulted in the recent console price hikes. It also adds that “as a principle, we do not intend to sell hardware at significant losses. At the same time, we are carefully monitoring the market and continue to evaluate our approach”. Which may affect the way the PS6 will be priced, when it does eventually get announced and released. From the current rumoured material cost alone, it’s going to be pretty ugly.
(Source: Sony [PDF])
