PlayStation Exec Stresses the Value of Consoles for the Brand

Despite the backlash over the outlandish price of the PlayStation 5 Pro and a lack of exclusive titles, the co-CEO of PlayStation stresses that consoles remain at the core of its business going forward. In an interview with the Japanese publication Nikkei, co-CEO and head of Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Platform Business Group Hideaki Nishino gave his thoughts on the value of consoles in today’s market.

“I think that with mobile devices, there are many games that show advertisements, and PCs are difficult to set up, but with PlayStation, once you turn it on, you can experience the content you bought straight away,” he explained, stressing the power of convenience that a console brings.

“The store where you purchase software also offers an intuitive experience because the products are laid out in an easy-to-understand manner.”

The PlayStation 5 Pro will be released on November 7 and will cost a staggering $699.99. Similar in style to the ‘slim’ PlayStation 5, the console will not include a disc drive, though one can be purchased separately.

Although many fans remain frustrated over the console’s price, the Pro promises a number of impressive features, including support for 60Hz and 120Hz displays, advanced ray tracing, and 4K output. Compatible games can be played at up to 120 FPS via AI upscaling.

“We are trying to increase our share of the overall game market by developing content for PCs as well,” Nishino continued. “There is no doubt that consoles will be at the core of our business, but by offering titles for platforms other than consoles, we will reach a wider range of customers.

Console is a technology stack that we continue to develop from the bottom up so that we can provide an excellent experience to the consumer. The value of the console remains and our mission is to continue polishing that going forward.”