Sony has suggested its next-gen console — widely assumed to be the PlayStation 6 — could work like the Nintendo Switch by enabling “a seamless experience that can be enjoyed naturally beyond the living room.”
The comments come from a recent Q&A with Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO, Hideaki Nishino, published in English by Sony itself. In it, the executive was asked how Sony plans to reingage with users PlayStation lost to PC gaming during Covid lockdowns, and how it will make significant changes with the next-generation platform.
Nishino replied to point to how Sony is trying to change the perception that “PlayStation equals the living room” with the release of PlayStation monitors and speakers people would typically use as part of a PC setup.
“PlayStation has long been strongly associated with the idea of playing in the living room,” Nishino began. “However, in recent years, more users globally have been using personal monitors. In response, we are selling peripherals such as monitors and speakers to break away from the fixed perception that ‘PlayStation equals the living room’ and to broaden usage scenarios.”
At this point, Nishino discussed Sony’s next-generation platform, without naming it or offering any concrete details.
“For the next-generation platform, rather than simply serving as an alternative to PCs, we aim to deliver value that is unique to PlayStation,” he said. “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.”
It’s that last part that has people wondering if Sony plans to release a PlayStation hybrid console like the Nintendo Switch. A console that offers a “seamless experience that can be enjoyed naturally beyond the living room” sure does sound like something that could be taken on the go, like the Switch. But what could that look like?
There are a number of options. Sony is heavily rumored to be working on a dedicated PS6 handheld. Could this double as a PS6 console / controller hybrid that could be docked, as Switch is? Or perhaps Sony is working on a PS6 that’s little more than a next-gen PlayStation Portal, which Nishino said had seen strong sales.
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Either way, Nishino pointed to cloud gaming as a potential solve for the trouble Sony is having with the ongoing RAMpocalypse.
“With regard to cloud gaming, our priority since our service launch in 2013 has been to ensure a high-quality user experience from the first time they use the service, as performance is highly dependent on network conditions and poor quality can quickly erode trust,” Nishino explained.
“For this reason, we designed PS Portal as a dedicated device to reliably deliver the PlayStation gaming experience, which is predicated on controller-based gameplay and a large screen. Because it is difficult to provide a sufficiently high-quality experience through smartphone touch controls or a PC’s keyboard and mouse, our cloud strategy is not to rapidly expand to smartphones and PCs, but rather to focus on environments where quality can be assured.
“While we do not disclose unit sales figures, PS Portal has seen strong demand across North America, Europe, and Japan, with servers reaching full capacity during the latest holiday season. Cloud streaming also requires minimal memory, making it an increasingly attractive low-cost thin client device in the current market environment where memory prices are rising. Looking ahead, we aim to expand cloud gaming experience while maintaining the quality cultivated to date.”
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My take is that Sony is working on a number of PS6 options, each of varying price. I’m sure there will be a traditional home console version of the PS6, one that provides the most horsepower but also commands a premium price. But then I wouldn’t be surprised to see Sony offer a cheaper, less powerful PS6, as Microsoft has done with the Xbox Series S. On top of this, I suspect Sony is indeed working on a PS6 handheld that may work like the Switch. And then there’s a potential cloud gaming-powered next-gen PlayStation Portal, which is potentially the cheapest option of the lot.
Microsoft has promised an ultra powerful next-gen console in the form of Project Helix, which will also play PC games, but it may also have similar plans to offer a range of options. Earlier this month, Xbox boss Asha Sharma said the spiralling cost of new and existing consoles would require “radically different business models” over the coming generation.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
