Focus on Affordability
Former PlayStation boss Shawn Layden said he thinks innovation at Sony shouldn't come from making a PS6 for $1,200 but from making another PS5 for $300.
As tech costs rise and rumors of pricey gaming consoles swirl, the former president and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment America discussed on a podcast why the PlayStation 6 simply leaning on more ray tracing and more teraflops might not be the best idea.
As Layden put it, I think we have enough power in the machine.
The innovation needs to come not from making PS6 for $1,200. It's to make another PS5 for $300, he added. Now, that would be true innovation. This is the first platform that I've seen that has gone up in price over time.
Rising Console Prices
The PS5 launched with two primary options: a base version with a disc drive for $499, and a Digital Edition for $399. Following recent price increases, buying a base PS5 directly from PlayStation costs $649, a Digital Edition costs $599, and a Pro costs $899.
Sony has blamed continued pressures in the global economic landscape for the hikes. As console sales for major manufacturers face challenges, Layden argues that Sony should look for ways to reduce costs rather than pursue an expensive future.
I think if I were in their shoes, that's what I'd be doing. I'd be trying to find a way to get the cost down on the 5, he added.
What the company needs to do is do what it's never done, which is, don't iterate the console. Make it smaller, make it cheaper, do all the things you can around that, but the silicon's fine, the OS is fine.
The Future of PlayStation
In May, Sony stated it was still trying to decide when its next console should launch, following reports that the company was considering pushing the device to 2028 or 2029.
Relatively little is known about the PS6 officially. Hardware pricing and component costs remain a major talking point as the industry awaits official word on Sony's next-generation plans.
