PlayStation boss Shawn Layden may not be too keen on allowing his platform to play with the other consoles, but it does seem like he respects them nonetheless. Speaking during his opening keynote at DICE 2019, Layden acknowledged what both of PlayStation’s competitors have brought to the table, highlighting Nintendo’s ability to return from the failure of the Wii U, and make a bestselling console with the Switch, as well as to make the Game of the Year in 2017 with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
“The best-selling console of 2018 in the U.S. was the Nintendo Switch,” Layden said (via IGN). “Nintendo took a massive risk when they brought this to the market. People thought Nintendo might one day be out of the hardware business. People would say things like ‘kids play games on mobile phones and tablets, dedicated portable gaming is dead and gone.’ But as I’ve said before: never underestimate Nintendo. All of us are better for their efforts.”
Nintendo wasn’t the only competitor Layden praised, either. He also lavished praise on Xbox for their Adaptive Controller, and how that has expanded the potential audience for video games as a medium.
“It is our responsibility to continue to broaden the tent, to continue to ensure that everyone can play, all are welcome here,” said Layden. “We must keep striving to make games more accessible, as Xbox has done with its adaptive controller, and we have had the privilege to do with our software titles.”
It’s good to see that Layden recognizes that the gaming industry is one that benefits from all the players within it, and that it is not just about Sony and PlayStation. I also hope that soon, moving forward, Sony will put its money where its mouth is, and also act on this sentiment.
