Between price war and identity crisis
The next generation of consoles has not yet been officially announced, but the rumor mill has been buzzing for some time. While Microsoft is reportedly focusing on a high-end device with PC freedoms, Sony’s PS6 is said to be taking a completely different path – at least if you believe an insider and a former PlayStation boss.
According to a well-known industry leaker who goes by the name KeplerL2, the PlayStation 6 could be only half as expensive as Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox. His estimate: $600 to $1,200. He justifies this with the massive hardware costs of the new Xbox, which are expected to arise from more complex components, more memory, and a more open system without store ties.
Microsoft does indeed seem to be planning a change of course. According to Xbox president Sarah Bond, the upcoming console will offer a “first-class experience” – and be more PC-oriented. Rumor has it that the new Xbox could even support games from Steam, GOG, or the Epic Games Store. This would be a radical departure from the classic console model and could explain the price.
“Even I can barely tell the difference”
While Microsoft appears to be focusing on pure technology and openness, Shuhei Yoshida, former president of Sony Worldwide Studios, sees the future in a completely different direction. In an interview on the Friends per Second podcast, he warns that pure performance improvements are no longer enough to excite gamers.
“Graphics have now reached a level where even I can hardly tell whether ray tracing is enabled or not,” says Yoshida. Sony therefore needs to come up with something new, because “more and more power” now only appeals to a niche audience.
Yoshida has high hopes for the new management team led by Hideaki Nishino and Hermen Hulst, whom he describes as “younger and bolder.” They have the opportunity to redefine PlayStation – not just with more pixels, but with fresh ideas and bold concepts. “Maybe they have something up their sleeve that will surprise us all,” Yoshida continues.
So how big the leap from PS5 to PS6 will really be depends less on processors and graphics cards – and more on whether Sony dares to reinvent the game.
