Sony’s recently appointed joint CEO Hideaki Nishino says consoles will remain at the “core” of the company’s business going forward, but it will still continue to offer titles on other platforms as well.
Nishino – who serves as CEO of the company’s Platform Business Group – recently took part in an interview with Japanese publication Nikkei. Here, the company executive was asked to summarise the value of PlayStation consoles within Sony.
In response, Nishino said: “I think that with mobile devices, there are many games that show advertisements, and PCs are difficult to set up, but with PlayStation, once you turn it on, you can experience the content you bought straight away” (translated by VGC
“The store where you purchase software also offers an intuitive experience because the products are laid out in an easy-to-understand manner,” Nishino continued, adding Sony is increasing its “share of the overall game market by developing content for PCs” as well.
“There is no doubt that consoles will be at the core of our business, but by offering titles for platforms other than consoles, we will reach a wider range of customers,” Nishino closed.
Earlier this year, fellow Sony CEO Hermen Hulst stated the company was releasing its live-service games such as Helldivers 2 and the short-lived Concord day and date on PC and PlayStation consoles. However, its single player, narrative-driven “tentpole” games will be released on console first. This, Hulst said in May, is a strategy the company hopes will encourage more players to purchase a PlayStation console.
“We introduce our great franchises to new audiences, and we’re finding new audiences that are potentially going to be very interested in playing, for example, sequels on the PlayStation platform,” Hulst said, adding the company had “high hopes” this approach will “bring new players into PlayStation at large, but into PlayStation platforms specifically”.
As for what is next, last week, Sony announced the long-rumoured PlayStation 5 Pro. The digital-only PS5 Pro is set to arrive on 7th November, with a price tag of £699.99/$699.99. Preorders will begin later this month, on 26th September.