Nintendo and Microsoft are hogging the headlines recently thanks respectively to the Switch and the upcoming Xbox Scorpio. Sony will not have any of that.
Despite the lack of new news on the PlayStation front, Sony is still enjoying a banner year. In fact, according to Shawn Layden, Sony global game development chief, the PlayStation 4 has sold around 60 million units all over the world since its release in 2013. It's selling fast enough to be on track to better the sales of the PlayStation 2 which holds the record in the industry.
While the present of the PlayStation line is in good hands thanks to the PS4 and the PS4 Pro, the future of the gaming console should not be taken lightly. In fact, Sony has already envisioned the future for the PlayStation and it looks great.
For starters, Layden expressed that the company will not be launching three new devices in a span of two months like what they did with the PlayStation 4 Pro, PlayStation VR, and the PlayStation 4 Slim. Sony is intent on letting its consumers enjoy games on both the PS4 and the PS4 Pro. As Layden put, "there can't be a radical departure between the two experiences." That said, Sony will, for now, let developers enjoy the freedom to create games for the different PS4 variants.
As TIME noted, Sony is also aware of portable gaming. The company saw how the Nintendo Switch is thriving so far and it reminded them of how successful its own PlayStation Portable (PSP) was along with the PS Vita to some extent. Layden stressed that the PlayStation and the Switch are two different platforms that can live harmoniously in a household. This may mean that Sony will still be looking at developing a follow-up to the Vita especially after Layden said that the handheld console is still a viable platform.
Business Insider also got to talk to Layden and PlayStation global sales and marketing boss Jim Ryan. In their interview, Ryan expressed his delight for the competition provided by Nintendo and Microsoft, particularly the highly anticipated Xbox Project Scorpio. He pointed out, however, that Sony has already laid the foundation because of its early sales and because the company has the edge when it comes to games. Ryan said that a "vast majority" of Xbox One games can be played on the PlayStation 4. Add to that the fact that many of PS4-exclusive games are greatly received by gamers all over.
Despite being at the forefront of the industry, Sony is still looking at ways to stay on top and this includes coming up with "new segments" and "new genres." Along with this line, Sony started marketing games not only "as a game" but a whole different experience. The PlayStation VR will play a major part in this goal of Sony.
