Sony wont abandon PS4 once PS5 arrives
Will support the console for years to come
In a week, PlayStation 5 will launch in North America, and by months end, be available throughout most of the world. Seeing how the console is going to be the shiny new kid on the block, literally, with its white finish, a stark contrast to its predecessor, it wouldn’t be crazy to think that Sony will shift all of its attention to its next-gen console.
But with 110+ million units sold, it’s hard to ignore such a large community, and that’s exactly the case, according to SIE president and CEO Jim Ryan. Speaking with The Washington Post:
The PS4 community will continue to be incredibly important to us for three or four years. Many will transition to PS5, we hope if we do our job well, but tens of millions will still be engaged with the PS4.
Like in so many scenarios, it’s possible to intertwine the right thing to do with good business. PlayStation 4, in many ways, helped Sony survive while nearly all of its other divisions were doing poorly. To ignore those customers in the wake of PS5 is a terrible message to send to a community that’s supported the company through thick and thin. But with over 110 million units sold and counting, there’s still plenty of money to be made off of PS4 as well. To let that community wither away while they build up PS5 from zero would be a terrible business decision.
That said, I would take the state from Jim with a grain of salt. While PS4 isn’t going anywhere, Sony has said as much that all of their internal studios have shifted focus towards PS5, and while in the first year we might see some cross-platform games, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them entirely shift their attention towards the more powerful console by year two.
I also wouldn’t expect much of new features via firmware updates or accessories coming to the now seven-year-old console. Those will likely be exclusive to PS5. Still, with an expansive library and a price drop that’s surely around the corner, the PS4 is a fantastic console for anyone and will be for years to come. Though PlayStation Studios (formerly Worldwide Studios) will shift its attention towards PS5, there’s no way third-party companies will stop catering to such a massive install base, which means there will be new games on the console for years to come and likely well beyond the three or four years that Sony plans to support the console.
So if you’re planning on getting a PS4 for yourself or someone else, while it’s not the new kid on the block, it’s still going to be a great console to own for years to come.
Any guesses what PS4 prices will drop to this year?
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