In a recent interview, Hideaki Nishino, the CEO of PlayStation, reaffirmed his potentially inflammatory belief about the traditional concept of a games console. In his words, the existence of a games console is necessary for playing games, but the embodiment of a games console might be somewhat open to interpretation.
I say that because Nishino then went on to praise the PlayStation Portal, saying how it allowed gamers to enjoy titles from other areas and not just from the living room, in front of a television. Do you agree with Nishino’s belief?
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Is a Console a Must-Have For Today’s Gamers?
Up above, I said that Nishino’s belief might seem inflammatory to some. It’s a classic ‘hot take’, if you will. In a world where PC gaming is becoming increasingly popular and mobile gaming is the most valuable and widespread vertical in the business, it might seem bold for a gaming CEO to suggest that you need a console to enjoy today’s top titles.
Of course, he’d be in hot water if he said that a console isn’t exactly needed to enjoy games. This isn’t XBOX, right?
Here’s the full quote, which surfaced recently in a special interview with Famitsu, a Japanese outlet:
My belief that a game console is necessary for playing games remains unchanged. I think we can create something interesting by utilizing technologies that can be used in various forms and locations to develop new game console experiences.
For example, while PlayStation is strongly associated with playing on a TV in the living room, we developed the PlayStation Portal to enable comfortable gameplay in other locations as well. We want to constantly take on new challenges so that we can provide gaming experiences that fit diverse lifestyles.
In one paragraph, Nishino effectively put console gaming, the worst-performing slice of the wider business, on a pedestal, praised the PlayStation Portal, a divisive device at best, and suggested that other, similar innovations might be in store.
He mentions how PlayStation wants to take on new challenges to provide gaming experiences that fit diverse lifestyles. Perhaps there’s another handheld avenue in Sony’s future? I’d consider buying a PlayStation Vita 2, that’s for sure.
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Nishino, who accepted a dual role as President and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment last year, also addressed the recent drama around PlayStation pulling first-party games away from PC platforms. This was a huge point of debate last month, when Hermen Hulst, another PlayStation CEO, confirmed the strategy.
Nishino said:
If releasing a title on PC would maximize the gaming experience, we’ll continue to consider that option. Our current main policy is that, for single-player games developed in-house, we will further refine the value of the gaming experience that PlayStation can offer.
At the same time, we believe it is important for live-service games to reach a wider audience through online multiplayer, so we continue to view releases on both PS5 and PC as the standard.
What do you want to see from the future of PlayStation when it comes to both hardware and software? Let us know your thoughts on the Insider Gaming Discord server.
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Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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