Cliff Notes – Sony dismisses Switch 2 because PS5 is a ‘great experience on big screens’
- Sony remains confident in the PS5’s unique offering, emphasising its immersive gaming experience and advanced features, despite the Switch 2’s increased power and sales success.
- The Switch 2’s improved third-party support and performance could potentially attract some PlayStation users, particularly those still on last-gen hardware, raising concerns for Sony.
- Sony acknowledges competition as a catalyst for innovation but maintains that its strategy remains focused on delivering the best gaming experience, without an urgent need to pivot in response to rivals.
Sony dismisses Switch 2 because PS5 is a ‘great experience on big screens’
Despite the Nintendo Switch 2’s increase in power, Sony bosses believe the PS5 still provides a ‘unique offering’ to players.
The Switch 2 has achieved record-breaking sales following its launch last week, but it seems Sony isn’t phased by the console’s appearance on the market.
Should Sony be worried? (Nintendo/Sony)
While the original Switch was far behind the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 in terms of power, the Switch 2 has closed the gap – with the console now running third-party titles like Cyberpunk 2077 to a level comparable to a PlayStation 4 and an Xbox Series S.
The Switch 2 is still behind the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X in the graphical arms race, but coupled with its greater third party support, when compared to the original Switch, there’s a stronger chance Nintendo’s new console could eat into the PlayStation userbase.
This is especially true when you consider many PlayStation players are still playing on last gen hardware. According to a new Sony presentation, there are 124 million monthly active users across PlayStation consoles, and only now, five years after the console launched, has the PlayStation 5 taken the lion’s share – with the split last year being 50/50.
There are no specific numbers of PlayStation 4 players now, but based on a graph shown in the presentation, it equates to around a third.
Concerns around the Switch 2 were raised during an accompanying Q&A, where Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Hideaki Nishino answered questions from Sony investors.
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‘We closely monitor the overall gaming industry, including the actions of other market participants,’ Nishino said. “Additionally, catalysts in the market are great for the industry as a whole, as they invigorate the excitement and demand more broadly. So it’s great to have people launching new things.
‘However, as I mentioned previously, we have a differentiated strategy. PlayStation 5 is designed for an immersive gaming experience, and this includes the innovative DualSense controller features as well. We believe PS5-level performance is required to achieve a great experience on big screens. And in this way, we have provided a unique offering for players and creators in this current console generation.’
Along with the ‘big screen’ experience, Sony is hoping the PlayStation 5 will remain the ‘best place to play’ games as more publishers go multi-platform.
He added: ‘However, publisher strategies are increasingly shifting towards being multi-platform, so more platforms can run the same game, which is great from a creator’s perspective. Among those platforms, our mission is that we will continue to be the best place to play and publish.
‘As such, we have empowered our creators to leverage our offering and services to create amazing, unique experiences for players with high engagement and great monetization opportunities.
‘We have done this consistently as the industry and competitive dynamics have evolved. And of course, PlayStation Studios, our franchises, have a special role in showcasing the PlayStation experience and then strengthening the player’s vision with us.’
The Switch 2 has been a huge hit at launch
In the same Q&A, Nishino was asked if Sony is concerned about Nintendo’s appeal to the younger generation, and if that could have a negative impact if these younger players don’t ‘graduate’ to PlayStation consoles.
‘The PlayStation brand has resonated with a wide range of players over three decades now,’ Nishino replied. ‘And the number of users engaged on the platform continues to grow. By supporting such a large number of creators, we’re able to provide the largest range of content available, catering to all demographics, geographics, and playstyles, etc.
‘So we believe that by constantly investing in player’s relationship with the brand, and our relationship with creators, we will ensure we stay close to all player’s hearts through their lifetime.’
Additionally, Hermen Hulst, the CEO of PlayStation Studios, pointed towards titles like Spider-Man, Astro Bot, and Horizon as examples of games with broad appeal, along with their efforts to bring ‘franchises to new formats’, citing film, TV, and anime.
However, the original Switch has outsold both the PlayStation 4 and 5, and while the Switch 2’s overall success may be limited by its higher price, compared to the Switch 1, its superior power may end up being even more of a danger to Sony’s business.
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Nintendo wasn’t the only rival brought up during the presentation. Nishino was also asked about Xbox’s pivot in strategy away from just home consoles, and whether this is a positive or a negative for PlayStation.
‘So I think competition in the business is healthy and it pushes us to innovate,’ Nishino replied. ‘There are multiple participants who together drive the overall gaming industry, and while there are new engagement models being explored, we ultimately think this is a good thing.
‘However, as I mentioned earlier, we are confident and committed on our current strategy. There isn’t an urgent need for us to pivot, but we will continue to monitor play patterns, and invest appropriately as required.’
While Sony is likely unperturbed by Microsoft’s shift, the Switch 2’s impact could pose a significant threat down the line – especially as Sony will likely have a difficult task in convincing players to migrate to the inevitable PlayStation 6.