In a recent interview with Famitsu, Sony Interactive Entertainment Platform Business Group CEO Hideaki Nishino spoke about the future of PlayStation, and reveals that the release timetable for the PS6 won’t be affected by the lifecycle of the PS5.
Nishino believes the PS5 will be around as long as the PS4. He doesn’t, however, think that it makes sense for the company to push future console releases back because of the success of its current line-up.
“We believe that PS5 will have a long lifecycle, just like PS4,” said Nishino. “However, I don’t think it is right to delay the timing of the launch of the next product that incorporates new technology because of the long time it will take.”
“The timing for the launch of new hardware is related to the time frame in which technology evolves and the time frame in which we can implement that technology,” he said. “Therefore, I think it is important to offer new products while people play those currently being used and to expand the total number of games we offer.”
According to Nishino, the launch of the next console depends on the progress made in figuring out new hardware that could justifiably be referred to as next-generation. He also states that, even though a new console will eventually come out, the previous one will continue to be available for players, pointing to the PS4 being available throughout the PS5’s lifecycle.
“For example, PS4 has been in the process of automated production, and the quality of the hardware is high. That is why it can be used for a long time. Of course, PS5 will be produced automatically from the beginning. From now on, we would like to expand our business by combining the longevity of long-lasting products with new technologies.”
When alluding to next-gen hardware potentially being in development (with the PS4 Pro cited as taking four years), Nishino mentions that the company tries to balance technology, price, and timing with the release of its consoles. “We are always considering when we will hit the spot we think we will hit.”
In the same interview, Nishino also spoke about the future of the gaming console market. Pointing to products like the PlayStation Portal, Nishino said that, even though some players already use cloud gaming options, there will still be a demand for dedicated gaming hardware. This means that we don’t have to worry about consoles disappearing any time soon, according to Nishino.
As for future consoles, Sony’s research and development teams are undoubtedly already working on next-generation hardware. Console makers traditionally start research on next-gen hardware quite early into a console’s life cycle, and the PlayStation 6 has likely been in development in some form or another for quite some time (especially since development on the PS5 Pro began before the PS5’s launch).
Considering the pace of hardware developments in the PC gaming space, Sony is also likely looking into the ideal combination of hardware that would make for a good console upgrade while being available at an affordable price tag.
