Has Sony given Microsoft the opportunity it needed? (Picture: Metro.co.uk)
A reader is frustrated by Sony’s current attitude towards the PS5 and thinks Xbox is perfectly poised to take advantage of their missteps.
As a PlayStation 5 owner from day one it won’t come as a surprise to find out I was disappointed by the PlayStation Showcase last week. One of the worst things about it is I just don’t understand the logic behind it, especially as there are suggestions that Sony was purposefully holding some games back. Why? What possible purpose could that serve? Didn’t they know how people would react to such a disappointing show and that the damage would already be done no matter what they did afterwards?
I’m aware of the theory that they’re revealing as little as possible so that they don’t influence the Activision Blizzard acquisition but since I’m not a lawyer I have no idea whether that’s likely to be true or not. What I do know is that Microsoft doesn’t seem to be making the same restrictions for itself. Maybe they were in the past, but they’ve clearly signalled that their showcase will have Starfield and Fable, at least. And if those will be there, I imagine many others will be too.
Before the PlayStation Showcase the Xbox was at its lowest point since the launch of the Xbox Series X and yet now Sony is in its worst position since its launch. I don’t know what they’re going to do next, but I do know that Microsoft is going to pull out all the stops to win people over with the Xbox showcase, and that has the potential to upset the entire power balance of the current console generation.
I’m not a PlayStation zealot. If Microsoft outdo them then good on them. I’ve never liked Xbox exclusives and don’t feel the console lines up with my personal tastes but it’s not them I’m upset with, it’s Sony. This is only happening because of Sony’s arrogance and their absolute refusal to talk about anything they’re doing or explain themselves in any way.
Complaining about Sony arrogance has become a bit of a cliché, but I really don’t know what else you would call it. They had to know how important this showcase was, especially given how little they’ve said about anything over the last year and how little they have on their schedules at the moment.
They must also know that people are not at all convinced about all this live service stuff and they really need to sell it as a good idea. But what did we get? Three pre-rendered trailers, all of which seemed to be for different variations of online shooters. I’m so un-thrilled by that I just don’t know what to say, expect to ask once again what response did Sony think they were going to get from all this?
The Xbox Games Showcase already sounds more exciting (pic: Microsoft)
Yes, the PlayStation 5 is ahead at the moment but so was the Xbox 360 a few generations past and that got overtaken by the PlayStation 3, thanks to Microsoft’s complacency. Something similar could easily happen to Sony this time.
If the Xbox showcase is good then I can easily imagine a scenario where Sony quickly announce one or more new games just after it. That may even have been their plan all along ,but I’ll tell you it’s a stupid plan. It’s going to make them look indecisive and desperate and that is not a good look.
Sony’s problem is that they’ve been number one for too long and they’re starting to feel they deserve that position without having to do anything to earn it, or at least only the bare minimum. Maybe it’d be better for everyone if Microsoft did one-up them with their showcase and get to buy Activision Blizzard.
Something has to happen to get Sony to change their attitude because it’s very clear that they’re not going to change on their own, their arrogance won’t allow them to admit they have to change their ways or make an effort.
By reader Garmond
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A reader is frustrated by Sony’s current attitude towards the PS5 and thinks Xbox is perfectly poised to take advantage of their missteps.