No.5 Save Up and Adopt Early

Let’s get the obvious out of the way first. You have got to save up. With buffed up specs and a hand full on new gimmicks, the hardware is going to pinch your wallet. And now that we have a release window from Sony, we can be sure that Microsoft wouldn’t want to be playing catch up. Hence, we can expect a close release window for both consoles. So, whatever be your choice, you now have a timeframe to plan your budget accordingly. Because it is really important that you get the consoles as early as you can.

Being an early adopter not only prolongs your time with the console within its life cycle but also gives you the satisfaction of the money being well spent for obvious reasons. Granted they tend to get cheaper a couple of years after launch, but in the pursuit of saving some cash you may end up losing precious years in the already short life cycle of game consoles. I still regret getting an Xbox 360 in 2011, only to have the Xbox One launch two years later. So, if you want to make the most of a console, adopt early. Luckily there are a few things you can do to help you do that and save cash, which we will look at, further down in the list.

No.4 Resist the Hype

Choosing a console can be tricky, especially at launch. Every console generation brings a handful of features, gimmicks and, more importantly, promises that can cloud an individual’s judgement regardless of how hardcore of a gamer they are. Looking back at the motion-sensing Sixasis controller on the PS3 or the ‘new and better’ Kinect 2.0 on the Xbox One, it is evident that judging the implementation of such features in games in such an early stage is quite difficult. And if history is any proof, most of these features or gimmicks become redundant very quickly.

But the truth is that the companies don’t realise this until after launch and aggressively market these features which naturally generates hype. It is important that you look through the hype-fog and identify what kind of experience you want the most out of the new hardware. Because, in the end, the lightbar and touch panel on the Dualshock 4 did not make the PS4 one of the best consoles ever. The games did. So, tread carefully.

No.3 Subscription Is the Way to Go

One of the trends that I thought would fail, to which I eventually warmed up to, and am thankful it exists, is subscription services. While questions about the choice of games and long-term availability are valid, there is no denying that most of these services provide immense value for money. Perks like getting the full package of each game without the necessity of additional purchases only sweeten the deal further.

Depending on the platform you choose, this could help you cut a lot of expenses on games when you save up to invest on that new console, if you are smart about which of the various services you subscribe to. Not to mention this also extends to after you have got the new console so you could get the best versions of all the launch titles, once again, subject to which service you choose.

No.2 Older Catalogues Can Be A Good Thing

More than any generation in the past, Backward Compatibility has risen to become one of the top priorities within the Big 2 of the industry. Playing a vital role in the resurgence of the Xbox One, back-compat has proven that it is far more valuable in the eye of the consumer now, more than ever. So, although no official statements have been made, we can safely assume that most of the games, if not all, from the PS4 and Xbox One catalogue will be playable on their respective successors.

This means that you can wait on a few games which are yet to release and move those funds towards your new console and play it on them a few months later (think subscription services) unless you have the urge to play it on the very night of its release. It would also help you save up to…

No.1 Buy a 4K TV

At this point, chances are that you already have a 4K TV. But if you have been holding off on upgrading your regular HDTV to 4K, this would be the time. 4K TVs are now more consumer accessible than ever before, and this will only get better in a year when the new consoles arrive. Although PS4 Pro and Xbox One X support 4K, games are rarely rendered in 4K and the performance takes a hit more often than not when they do.

But with the next-gen consoles, 4K would not be an issue, as they made with native 4K in mind with 8K aspirations. There is no point in investing a sizeable amount on a console, only to not get the best output from it. So, invest in a TV that does justice to those gorgeous visuals the new machine will no doubt throw at you. The bigger the display the better. But always 4K.

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Sony and Microsoft are serious about this

The notion that cloud gaming is the future has been floating around since the PS3/360 era. Several analysts have predicted it and some companies like OnLive actually took a shot at it way back in 2010. But thanks to barriers in technology and hesitancy from the consumer towards adopting the platform at the time resulted in cloud gaming never taking off. Fast forward nine years and not much has changed since. Cloud gaming still feels like a far-fetched concept to consumers. But the difference this time around is that companies like Sony and Microsoft have had experience in this area for a good portion of a decade now and they have a renewed focus in offering cloud-based gaming, now that a major entity like Google has entered the gaming landscape. For better or worse Google has shown the world that the technology available today could cater to cloud gaming much better than it did in 2010. And the fact that Sony and Microsoft are coming together despite their individual stance in the market only cements it even further. The only real questions are – Is the customer ready? And, Is the internet infrastructure good enough to handle it?

Internet infrastructure is getting better by the day

At least one of the two questions is easy to answer. The customer will be ready as long as he is provided with value for money. While the monetization method of Stadia is still a mystery, anything that sounds like an incredible value is sure to be appealing to customers. So, the real question is about bandwidth and the availability of it. To be fair, the internet today is far better than what it was a couple of years ago. Whether it is cable-based or wireless, things have been on an upward trajectory. And with 5G on the horizon, it is only going to get better. If Stadia could keep its promise of getting the games to run with a 25mbps connection, then things are looking much better than they did some time ago.

Games Games Games

What about the games then? Well, Google has stated that there are numerous games being developed for its platform. The platform has been portrayed as developer-friendly and seems to aim squarely at the indie development community. Throw in third-party developer support and a good library of games does not seem impossible on Stadia. It would all come down to the quality of games that would be available exclusively on Stadia. Here’s hoping that they emulate Sony in this case and not end up turning into the next Google Play.

What about games that don’t need internet?

But when all things are said and done, there are still a couple of looming factors that would make or break Stadia and cloud gaming in general. Convenience. And there are two ways to look at it. While getting to play your games when you want and where you want is a convenience in itself, it does need a constant internet connection. That isn’t the case with playing a disc-based game on a console. Especially the ones which do not have any multiplayer aspect. Story driven games which have its own chunk of the audience never did need a mandatory internet connection. And cloud limits that convenience. Yes, data shows that sales of digital games have been on the rise year on year, every year, but so has the number of people that play games. And the ones that prefer disc-based games still represent a good chunk of that population.

Then there is the question of owning what you purchase. This is a risk that is inherent with any game that is not in physical form. Several games have been pulled off online storefronts for various reasons. And the prospect of these games being run on cloud only amplifies this risk.

Moral of the Story

As with any new product or service, we will have to wait and see. Google seems to have entered the cloud gaming scene at the right moment and it might come right down to how it is all executed and handled. Google definitely has the resources to pull it off, and here’s hoping that they succeed, as at least some, if not many, are going to find some kind of value in the service. How this is going to play against Sony and Microsoft will also be interesting to see. Whatever the case, it will be an interesting next few years.

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Their Best Foot Forward

Microsoft certainly seemed to have known what this year E3 meant for them and in retrospect, they did seem to pull no punches. From the announcement of adding Double Fine Studios to their group of internal studios to the announcement of Project Scarlett and the promise of Halo Infinite releasing alongside their next console, Microsoft has been very clear in their message. That they are focused on games and only games.

This is always a good thing. Add to it moments like Keanu Reeves’ appearance and showcases on big games like Gears 5 and Halo Infinite, the show was pretty crowd pleasing. However, despite featuring sixty games on the show something did seem missing.

Punching Above Their Weight Class

For as much as Microsoft have been touting their support for games, one thing was clear, about an hour into the show. Not much new was ready to be shown in terms of exclusives. Despite the acquisition of multiple studios, it was too early to reveal any of the games that the new group of studios have been working on. Ninja Theory’s Bleeding Edge was an exception here as it has been in development for a few years now, as per the studio executives.

The same goes for the reveal of Project Scarlett. I was left confused when the Xbox One X was revealed as Project Scorpio. It felt rushed and need not have been announced when it was, so early before release. Microsoft found itself in a similar position with their next console. The occasion was too important to miss announcing the console, so we had a reveal similar to that of Project Scorpio. A few specs were discussed, and some obvious jabs were thrown at Sony’s console, talking about load times and that their console would eat ‘Monsters’ for breakfast. This was fun to watch and all, but the reveal itself felt unnecessary for something that is to be released in holiday 2020.

Commitment To Games Saves The Day

Despite the shortcomings though, Microsoft still managed to put on a good show with what they had. While their two main games, Gears 5 and Halo Infinite were titles that had already been revealed, Microsoft still managed to sell them well to the crowd. This was perhaps due to their constant emphasis on their commitment towards games and consumer-friendly practices and services. And they made it evident with doubling down on the Xbox Game Pass. The service now offers more value than ever before by covering PC games and bundling in Xbox Live Gold.

This, in my opinion, went a long way in keeping the show, and the audiences’ spirit afloat. And, to be honest the value proposition is quite incredible. Combine this with services like Project X Cloud and Microsoft may be sitting on a recipe that is going to win them the next round of the console wars.

So…How Did They Fair

All things said and done, Microsoft did make the best of what they had and managed to put on a good show, albeit not without its cringe moments. But, did they make the best use of this year’s event. Probably not. And that’s probably because it was too early to show any significant exclusive games. The end result though is that Sony does not seem to have been affected by Microsoft’s show this year. They could still come back next year and blow the competition away. And in retrospect E3 2019 could be the calm before the storm. E3 2020 is already shaping up to be a great event and the wait will only be that much more excruciating. Regardless, my videogame loving heart is ready for it.

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1. Gaming service/console will be announced

It is no secret that Google has been investing in gaming and looking to penetrate the ever growing market. But what they have been working on has been a mystery. GDC 2019 seems to be the perfect place to reveal it all. The way I see this, there are three possibilities here and one of them is likely to materialize. First is what most would anticipate but, in my opinion,, the least probable, Google unveiling a fully realized console much like Sony and Microsoft. The reason this is unlikely is due to the fact that streaming services are gaining traction and advances in technology are pointing towards consoles being irrelevant in the near future. That said Sony and Microsoft seem to think otherwise, at least for one more generation as they are currently working on their next generation of consoles. The second possibility and the most likely one is that Google will integrate their gaming service by streaming them through smaller multimedia-centric devices like Chromecast, Google home or something like Apple TV. Google seems to have the resources and tools to combine the capabilities of these devices with cloud computing to deliver a unique gaming experience. The third and the most ambitious possibility, at least in my opinion, is that Google’s gaming service could be entirely cloud-based and all one needs to play their games would be a Chrome browser in a modest PC or a decent Android phone. While this was pretty much conceived on the PC back in October last year with ‘Project Stream’ making Assassin’s Creed Odyssey playable on a Chrome browser, I am not sure if the same can be applied on a larger scale with millions of users accessing games at the same time. Whatever the case is, just the idea that any of the above (or none of it) can happen is just enough to keep the anticipation meter at peak. We’ll just have to wait and watch. All this only brings us to the second point which is……

Read our blog on “A Peek into the Next Generation of Consoles” to know more about the future of gaming.

2. 2019 will be spicier than we anticipated

I did not see this coming. While news of Google ‘investing heavily’ in gaming has been whispered here and there for a while now, seeing them actually make their move in 2019 is something that I did not anticipate. This year was already shaping up to be one of the best years for gaming, thanks to much-anticipated titles releasing this year and the possibility of new console announcements from two of the industry juggernauts. Google joining the fray only makes things that much more exciting. Looking back, we have seen various companies try entering the industry with their consoles and services, only to fail. But there is one important aspect of Google that makes it not only a competent competitor but a force to be reckoned with. And that is……

3. This is Google

Google is one of the largest entities on Earth. As mentioned in point 1, they have the resources and tools to properly conduct R&D and make a splash in any industry. So, them wanting to enter the ever-expanding gaming market should not be taken lightly. The gaming industry dwarfs Hollywood in revenue and challenges technological limits constantly, and Google would certainly be aware of this fact. So it is reasonable to expect nothing short of revolutionary or mind-blowing from them. If they do exactly that, then they have a greater chance of success and in the process prove to be a formidable rival for Sony and Microsoft. In my opinion, if they reveal something unimpressive and lacklustre, they are just letting go of a golden goose.

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4. Sony and Microsoft will have to keep their guard up

Assuming Google does impress and also assuming that they would likely take the streaming route, it raises a question of what type of content will be supported. If we strictly talk games, we have already seen Ubisoft (AC Odyssey) involved in their project, and can only assume that they would support whatever platform Google creates. If this is the case many other third party developers and publishers could likely join. This would only mean that there is one more platform where a Call of Duty or FIFA can be played. So, Sony and Microsoft will have to come up with new strategies to one-up Google, if not strengthen their existing ones. Not to mention work on a shift in focus towards a streaming oriented generation if Google succeeds in it.

5. Gaming as we know it could change entirely

I may sound like I am getting ahead of myself here, but if the above speculation turns true then we could see games streaming and cloud computing enter the mainstream a lot sooner than we thought. This could make gaming consoles dormant and gaming will suddenly be more accessible and more appealing to a much larger audience. The exciting thing in all of this is that there is a very good chance that all of this could actually happen. Microsoft is rumoured to already be working on a streaming based console alongside a more traditional successor to the Xbox One. Amazon is also rumoured to be investing in gaming and is likely to take advantage of its Echo and Firestick install base to stream their games. All of this paint a completely different picture than the usual couch, console and TV that are associated with games. In an industry that evolves as rapidly as it grows, this does not seem out of the question at all.

Of course, all of the above is just speculation and the whole thing could turn out to be something entirely different. But to see a behemoth like Google cast its eye on gaming and to show up at GDC is proof enough that the industry is a lucrative business opportunity for the ones who are up for the challenge. Apart from a few missteps (remember Google glasses) in its storied history, Google has been known to deliver the goods when it comes to technology and innovation and gaming seems to be right up their alley. Only time will tell how everything will pan out. The good news is that we don’t have to wait long. Google will hold its keynote at GDC on March 19, 10 AM PST. Here’s hoping for an early E3.

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First, let’s just get the elephant out of the room. This is a patent. And patents are made all the time by companies whenever they see an opportunity in a concept in order to protect the said concept. And the patented concept may or may not see the day of light. More often than not they don’t. So the whole thing needs to be taken with a grain of salt. But, be an optimist for a while and try to piece the events of the past few years together and it all makes sense.

Microsoft

To begin with, we have Sony’s rival Microsoft holding the torch for backcompat (yes, that’s a term). And it keeps stressing on the value-add it brings to its current line-up of consoles. In fact, backward compatibility was one of the features that Phil Spencer pushed to help Xbox One gain some momentum against the PS4 after its tumultuous launch. This did help turn some heads and managed to gain interest on the Xbox One in the PS4 dominated first couple of years. In a recent event at CES 2019, Phil Spencer explained that they went to great lengths to achieve this and that it “required work at the silicon level” to get it working. So yes, Microsoft does see value in backward compatibility and it has factored in on their rather successful run in 2018.

Sony has been listening….kinda

Companies seem to throw in the term “We are listening” a lot towards their customers. And the amount of truth that lies in that statement largely depends on where these companies see themselves commercially and what financial prospects they’re looking at. But, in the past 5 years, Sony has time and again proved that they have made improvements for the better. While the pursued goal may still be market dominance and, as a result, a lucrative business model as with any corporation, Sony has created a much more satisfied customer base and development community in the process. The changes from the PS3 to PS4 have primarily been based on what the customer and the developers want. That said, Sony has been noticeably avoiding backward compatibility and cross play on the PS4. From what I can gather these may not have been the priority for Sony when they were making the move towards the then next-gen PS4. But 2 years later in the PS4 cycle backcompat seemed to have hit its stride once again and Sony has been interested in it since. The recently revealed patent actually dates back to two years which indicates that this may have been originally planned for the PS4 in some way or form. But given the PS4s success, it seems that Sony has gone with the “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” approach. So the backcompat feature could be carried over and applied to their next console.

Sony has learnt

Naturally, Sony would not want to miss on any feature that would give them an upper hand. In the case of the patent in question, it aims much higher than Xbox by leaping back four generations. All of this may seem too ambitious but it makes sense when we look at it from Sony’s perspective. In last week’s DICE keynote Sony executive Shawn Layden reflected back on the PS3’s rough launch. “The PS3 was our Icarus Moment” he said, “We didn’t listen to our customers. We created a devilish development environment. We reacted too slowly and our network was underdeveloped. And worst of all was the price point”. He later explained about their decision “to transform the company into what they are today” and highlighted their efforts towards making good games and maintaining healthy relationships with developers to help the next generation. To me, this felt sincere and all of what he said makes sense given what the PlayStation brands means today compared to 2008. So it makes a whole lot of sense that they apply whatever features or improvements were missed in the PS4 over to the PS5.
 

It is tough competition ahead

Sony may have hit a home run with the PS4, but in the ever-evolving gaming industry they need to keep up with, if not telegraph what lies ahead. With subscription services like Xbox game pass and PS now gaining traction, the future leaning more towards streaming, more than one console expected from a company in the same generation, emphasis on crossplay, and prospects of hybrid consoles, there are so many things happening in the industry right now. And amidst all of this Microsoft seems poised to go all guns blazing next generation with multiple studio acquisitions and a renewed focus on exclusive titles. While Sony has this covered with its own studios and exclusive IPs, it is what else Microsoft brings to the table that they need to focus on. Backcompat is a viable and strong value-add that will instantly gratify a large user base. Personally, I would pre-order a PS5 in a heartbeat if they just bring the whole PS4 library to the PS5. And if it can play PS3, PS2 and PS1 games as the patent suggests, then that is a bonus. Given what the company has learnt over the years, the prospect of this happening seems more real. Although I do hope that they don’t restrict it behind a paywall or a mandatory PS plus subscription. I guess we would have to wait until PSX this year to find it out. Here’s hoping that Sony gives us what we want, yet again.

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Beastly Nature

This one is the most obvious and needs to be addressed off the gate. The next wave of consoles will no doubt be a significant improvement in specs over their current-gen counterparts. Games like Cyberpunk 2077 and The Last of Us 2 have shown where the industry is heading in terms of cutting-edge graphics and these machines will be equipped with the power to run such graphics heavy games all the way into the next 6 -7 years. Of course, these boxes aren’t going to rival an RTX 2080 but we can expect to get the best bang for our buck in potential $400 we spend on them.

Physical Discs still a thing?

The death of physical game discs has been discussed since the PS3/X360 era. And the technology and internet services of today may finally make that happen. There are already rumours cooking up about a disc-less Xbox One, let alone a next-gen console. And the removal of a disc drive could potentially make the console cheaper, assuming the bigger hard disk requirement does not increase the cost. And if this model succeeds, chances are that this approach will seep into the next-gen consoles from both parties. Whether this will succeed, or the degree of success will also determine the availability of disc-based consoles. Personally, I love my game discs. I like my games to a have physical tangible form. It adds to the emotional attachment one may to a title like say God of War.

Streaming is the Future Present

Further, in the lines of disc-less consoles, subscription services like PS Now and Xbox game pass will be more prominent next generation. With both companies butting heads on offering the best value proposition things may come down to streaming services playing a major role in the success of either console. Sony may not tout the PS Now this generation due to its strong library of exclusive games driving their sales of the PS4. But Microsoft seems to have fixed the issue of exclusive games for next gen. So heading into a potentially even playfield in the next generation, Microsoft’s card of “Better value with subscription services” may be a make or break factor for both companies in the next round. Sony has already evolved its PS Now service mimicking Microsoft by adding the option to download games directly to the console. Chances are both will go the distance to check the depths of streaming services.

Cross Play Galore

With Microsoft, Nintendo, and Gamers being so vocal about crossplay, Sony will be following suit by offering crossplay for third-party multiplayer games on the next PlayStation. I mean they have to, right? This is another point that may seem super obvious but we have seen corporations make a bad decision based on statistics. However cross play seems like a no-brainer and it is something that I fully expect to see it in PS5, but then again, Sony!.

NextGen is All Gen

Backward Compatibility has been another weapon in Microsoft’s arsenal to make up for the lack of games this gen. Backward compatibility is one of the popular practices in the industry. The amount of success it brought to the Xbox one is a different topic altogether, but the appeal of Backward Compatibility is no doubt a force to be reckoned with. With the complicated architecture of the PS3 and therefore the way PS3s games were made, Sony had struggled in this department with the PS4. But recent rumours strongly hint at backward compatibility on the PS5. There was the one suggesting that the PS5 is very similar to the PS4 on how it works, and then another focusing on a patent Sony had made towards backward compatibility. These indicate that the PS5 could potentially play all of the PS4s libraries. As pointed out in my last article about 5 Reason Why Microsoft May Win Next Gen, if this happens Sony would have already won next gen. I hope this happens and, more importantly, not locked behind a paywall as PS4 games are too good to be ignored.

VR still a thing?

The last batch of rumours suggested better integration of PSVR on Sony’s next system. Whether we like it or not VR has been a novelty that has done better than the novelties of the past like Motion Control and 3D. And, if these rumours are true, Sony seems to be embracing VR more strongly next generation. Whether VR will become stronger or will next gen be the end of the VR run will be an interesting thing to see and experience through the life cycle of next-gen consoles.

Super Awesome Games. Or are they?

With every generation, the games we play get more and more advanced with more systems and gameplay nuances integrated within. Games have come from humble beginnings in the PS1 era like Crash Bandicoot, to awesome experiences like God of War 2 on the PS2, to complex story experiences like Mass Effect and Skyrim on the X360, to magnum opuses like Horizon: Zero Dawn and Red Dead Redemption 2 on the PS4. And this upward trajectory is only going to soar towards the sky next generation. If games like Ghost of Tsushima are any indication on where we are headed, then we gamers are in for a treat with our new machines. That said, questionable business practices like loot boxes and unfair implementation of microtransactions will still be an issue from big third party developers. New gaming trends may topple today’s trends like battle royale prompting these companies to apply new ways to make money. But, with every good comes the bad and it is up to us to choose what we want and what we encourage. So let’s be excited for the good and wonderful that is sure to come our way.

And there you have it. My trip to 2021 showed me these visions. How many of these will stand truly is something that time will answer. One thing is for sure though. There has never been a better time to be a Gamer. And you know it is true.

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This is a no-brainer. As the catalogue of games grows by the thousands every year, the games themselves become redundant after a few years. However, unlike other entertainment medium, games are more emotionally connected to people and these redundant games start feeling relevant again. Hence the demand for these old games is higher than ever. Thanks to the misstep that was the architecture of the PS3, Sony was not able to implement Backward Compatibility in the PS4. But with the next iteration of the PlayStation hinted to be very similar to the PS4, architecture-wise, and hints at backward compatibility being thrown in by Sony executives, this may well be a possibility on the PS5.

Having the entire catalogue of PS4 games playable on the PS5 on day one will be one hell of a feature to overlook. And this may be the make or break feature for many (me included) on deciding whether to stick with Sony or move to Xbox. And the best part, in my opinion, is that it all looks possible and could very well happen. Unless Sony decides to put this behind a paywall and start charging money. Chances for which are equally as good, given the popularity and demand for Backward Compatibility. Let’s just hope for now that this would not happen.

“So the Xbox has a game pass. The PlayStation has PS Now”. This would not be a winning argument as of now. PS now is service that launched much before the Xbox game pass and has not been a resounding success that Sony probably hoped for. Microsoft, on the other hand, took the same idea and made a better, more appealing product with the Xbox game pass. With the option to download the games to the Xbox One, the user did not have to rely on streaming the games real time, unlike with PS Now. Sony has since added this option but limited to PS2 classics and PS4 games, and not PS3 titles, possibly due to the aforementioned architecture of the PS3. That said even with the option to download whatever is available, the value proposition does not match to that of the robust service offered by Microsoft.

The solution to this…… Merge PS Now with PS Plus and have the library of games as part of the PS plus subscription, along with the 2 monthly permanent additions as offered now. To be fair this does seem a bit farfetched as executives may see this as potential money down the drain. But keeping in mind that this was not that much money, to begin with (considering the lacklustre success of PS Now), plus the incredible value this will bring to PS Plus in direct comparison to the Game Pass and Xbox Live Gold, this options makes a whole lot of sense.

Watching Sony stick to the PSVR is both delightful and disturbing at the same time. Considering its track record Sony does not seem to support a device unless it is a big success (Remember PSP Go?). But things have been different with the PSVR. Two years into its release, Sony has been supporting VR, and the strongest line-up of VR games have only emerged in the last few months making a stronger case for VR as a whole in the future. Rumours have hinted that the PS5 will have better PSVR integration and will be made with PSVR in mind. While this is encouraging and all, Sony still needs to consider the people who haven’t bought into VR Yet. The non VR crowd (me included) who prefer traditional games playable with their DualShock controllers.

Sony’s stance on VR is worrying not because there is a small risk of them abandoning VR, but because they may get carried away and shoehorn PSVR to every PS5 console. Much like what Microsoft did with the Xbox and Kinect. This is a big NO. Also with the Nintendo’s Switch being the success that it is, and Sony’s recent announcement that the PS Vita has stopped production, there is also a worry among fans that Sony may attempt (and fail) to recreate the Switch. While chances of this are far less than the shoehorning of the PSVR, it is still a big NO. Sony’s strength has always been in making great home consoles and making great games for those consoles. That’s what makes them money. I’d say Sony needs to stick with it and do it better than anyone. Invest in the research of your consoles. Invest on your Console Game Testing and Game Functionality Testing, and keep churning out excellent quality, bug-free and micro-transaction free first party games throughout the console’s lifecycle. That will give you the Win.

Like point No.1, this too is a no-brainer. The gaming community is the most vibrant and outspoken ever. We gamers are spoilt for choice when it comes to games to play or opinions to share. So Sony needs to listen to the community rather than the boardroom executives and start to adopt customer favouring policies like crossplay. The fortnite debacle gave Microsoft a launch pad to troll Sony and the public perception that Sony managed to maintain for years sure took a dent. So Sony needs to understand the importance of this and be more flexible towards the community. This may sound cliché but it is more vital than one could imagine.

The most important of the lot, and one that I honestly believe Sony will get right. The Price. $399 has been the sweet spot and Sony is more or less sure to stay on that price (The absurdly overpriced Indian SKUs are a topic for another day). That said, the cost of R&D and the unpredictability of the events to transpire from now until the release of the PS5 (Predicting Holiday of 2020) are factors to consider. Sony will have to overcome all of this and execute a competitive price at launch. What Sony also needs to do is avoid having a mid-cycle refresh like the PS4 pro. I intend to purchase any one of the consoles that win me over in the next gen, whether it’s the PS5 or the Xbox Scarlet.

What I do not intend to do is invest a similar amount two years down the line. The PS4 Pro was a tough proposition and pretty much a grudge purchase for anyone wanting the “best experience”. This was thanks to Microsoft’s move out of desperation to gain footing in the form of the launch of the Xbox One X. With Microsoft looking confident than ever before, I feel that a mid-cycle refresh is unnecessary. Yes, Microsoft hinted at next generation of Consoles, and not a Console. And if Sony was to mimic Microsoft, I’d rather prefer both options (base and pro models) at launch and decide for myself on which variant to invest on for the next 5-7 years and not have these variant pop up 2-3 years down the line. But whether that will happen is something that we will have to wait and see.

Ah, the DualShock controller. Every PlayStation gamer, fan or not, will have a love-hate relationship with his/her console, thanks to the DualShock controller. While the DualShock 4 is much better than the DualShock 3 for the PS3, in terms of build quality and the overall feel, it is still nowhere close to the ruggedness and reliability of an Xbox One controller. I own and use both controllers and prefer the Xbox One controller when I play on a PC, while my preferred console as of now is no doubt the PS4. Sony needs to put some thought and make the DualShock 5 more convenient, reliable and appealing.

It needs to avoid redundant features like the touchpad and motion control and focus on what makes sense. Hell, throw in an OLED screen on it, if it can contribute to the gameplay experience in a way that it feels cohesive and part of the experience. I don’t mind. But do not do so just for some gimmicky features to push the consoles early. As a brand, PlayStation does not need it at this point. Just focus on making DualShock better.

So there you have it. Some words of wisdom from a consumer standpoint to his beloved brand. Only time will tell if these will ever be considered or implemented. One thing’s for certain though, next gen is coming and it is more intriguing than ever before. If you have been playing games since the age of 8 bit Mario as a little kid, you know you are living in the best of times. And the most exciting is yet to come.

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