You didnt mention what physical format Ps6 could use for physical games? I assume they might just stick with Blue ray again to make it easy for those with physical ps5 copies to be used on the ps6. But will it still be 4k blue rays, which may not be enough in terms of space seeing as ps6 games would be much bigger. Could 8k Blue rays be a thing by then?
Yeah, the physical media component IMO is just going to be more of the same, and I don't think the home video market is lucrative enough to warrant creating an 8K Blu-Ray disc with more capacity and drives with faster speeds (IIRC the current limit is 144 Mb/s or 18 MB/s).
I figure compression techniques will get better to squeeze more data on a single disc, otherwise it'll just be more of the same. The convenience of having a physical copy of your game may be somewhat offset by slow (compared to SSDs) read speeds, but that's a tradeoff most who prefer physical are willing to take.
Hardware specs and accesories
- Way better visuals thanks to highly better RT, real time global illumination and propietary better version of DLSS up to 8K 240Hz fom a native 1080p 60fps code
- 64 GB of RAM
- 2TB SSD, faster than the PS5 one
- Wifi 8 (100Gbps, reduced latency of hopefully way under 25 ms, hopefully longer reach)
- This time the optional disc reader also reads quadruple layer bluray discs (up to 128GB), dvds, cds and has UMD and Vita Cards reader to allow full BC inluding to run original PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4, PS5, PSP, Vita games plus their memory cards
- Once you install a physical disc don't need to put the disc again to play the game. All bought PS6 games can also be played via streaming, not only in PS6 but also in PS Portal, PC, mobile or smart tvs
- Dual Sense 2 now also emits smells and it's splittable to attach it to the sides of any phone or tablet. Features improved haptics and battery time
- All PS6 games available in both PS6 and the PSN PC or mobile stores are fully cross-buy, cross-play and cross-save
- PS Portal 2: DualSense 2 version of PS Portal with a 4K OLED display and wifi8, features remote play, PS cloud gaming and PSN Android store and Sony Android games
- Wireless PSVR3 with AR, full hand and body tracking, 8K resolution, some stuff to feel inertia/acceleration (like in racing games)
Not much I'd add here vs. what you mentioned in the GAF post, outside of, again, I don't see 64 GB of RAM being possible, or maybe even necessary. Compression and decompression tech will get better for the SSD I/O, and the GPUs will be better at decompressing GPU-format data themselves, so they probably only really need to double the RAM capacity but get something closer to effectively 3x current gen in practical usage.
Maybe the only other thing I'd see happening differently is the use of PS6 games purchased across all device types. I can't see Sony letting users do that without still having a PS6 in some capacity, so something where user root privileges are tied to the console in some hidden partition synced with the cloud over their network. Only then can a user stream their purchased game to any of those other devices.
Tho, assuming it's local streaming via Remote Play the way PS Portal does it, I guess the method where the console is still required would be obvious. Still not seeing how the smell-o-vision stuff would work xD, but I'd be down for it if they could pull it off affordably.
PS6 launch window games
- Firesprite arcade racer that merges Wipeout, Rollcage, Jet Moto, Motorstorm, Destiny, Horizon, Marathon IPs as launch next gen only game (ready to have PSVR3 support day one)
- Venom as launch crossgen game
- Bend's new IP as launch crossgen game
- Astrobot as free launch next gen only game
- Horizon 3 as year 1 crossgen game
- God of War set in a new mythology as year 1 next gen only game
TBH I'd like to see Horizon 3 as a next-gen only game; HFW is still easily one of the best-looking games on the market, even the base PS4 version. But Burning Shores shows that ambitions were held back by needing to support PS4. I don't want Horizon 3 to be similarly held back by PS5 by the time it releases later on in the decade. So I'd like that to be a next-gen only offering.
According to the leaked roadmap, Spiderman 3 Part 1 is scheduled for a 2027 release. Honestly if it were up to me, I'd just let Venom be a "swan song" of sorts from Insomniac for the PS5 gen, and get Spiderman 3 lined up for PS6's launch as a next-gen exclusive. Between that and Horizon 3 they'd have two massive heavy-hitters out of the gate. That could give the next God of War another year or so in development.
IIRC Team Asobi are making some new Astrobot game for the PS5; if they can do something for the PS5 and it's free, it'd probably be a scaled-down (in size) version of whatever they release for PS5, and serving the role Astro's Playroom did at PS5's launch. I wouldn't expect it to be a full game in that role. The other stuff I can see happening no problem.
Business model
- Ultimate BC: Play locally on PS6 or also (only via remote play or cloud gaming on mobile/PS Portal/PC/smart tvs) all physical or digital games you ever bought in all generations of home and portable PS consoles
This should be doable but with physical games obviously only possible with a disc drive add-on, which wouldn't come by default with PS6, it'd have to be purchased separately. On that note I think two disc drive models would work: the basic one ($99) for physical PS6, PS5 & PS4 games, and an enhanced one ($199) for PS3, PS2, PS1 physical games plus ports for using legacy peripherals those systems supported.
- Ultimate seamless cross-buy, cross-save, cross-play between PS3, PSP, Vita, PS4, PS5, PS6, PC and mobile for the games available in the PSN digital stores of these platforms to be played locally there. Also applied to their cloud versions
Hmm...there has to be some caveats here. For starters cross-play should be optional, not forced. A console FPS player shouldn't be forced to play with a PC FPS player who might have more suitable controls, more powerful rig and higher-refresh monitor which would give them a competitive advantage. They also shouldn't be forced to play against mobile players who could be hampered by inferior input methods and thus not provide a suitable challenge or teamwork.
Another thing with cross-buy is that it effectively eliminates the need for double-dipping, but that also means less software revenue. Including mobile and PC in that mix, this IMO could only honestly work if Sony has their own storefront on both of those platforms, and cross-buy is limited to the storefront level. It doesn't make business sense for Sony to let a PS6 owner buy a PC version of their game on Steam and then not need to buy that game off the PS Store for the console, but still get a copy for their PS6.
From my understanding, that's kind of how Microsoft's cross-buy works; the root platform you initially buy on doesn't matter, as the cross-buy license is at the software level. But for a company like Microsoft, that business model is fine because they aren't nearly as reliant on game software revenue as a main pillar, in relation to the rest of the corporation's cash flow. For companies like Sony that isn't the case; if they can provide incentives to double-dip, that works better for them, and can still be fair for customers.
I'd picture Sony going about it like this: if there's no PC or mobile PS storefront involved, you still get cross-save and cross-play across all supported devices in the ecosystem, but cross-buy is probably only available to users who buy the console version initially, and the cross-buy is more like a discount for another version of the game on a different platform (PC for example), that discount tied to a PS+ membership and maybe using PS Reward points across devices.
With a storefront on PC and mobile, that changes a lot. Particularly with cross-buy, where as long as the purchases are on PS storefronts, it doesn't matter the initial device the game is purchased for, and you don't need a PS+ membership to get a discount on buying the game on another platform (but with a membership, you can get an even better discount). I think that makes more sense for the business model here.
- Non-GaaS AAA PS Studios games continue being released only on PS. Some of them (not all) get ported 2 or more years after their original release to PC or mobile and included in PS+
Nah, some of this is probably going to change even within the next 12 months. For starters I really do think that porting window is going to increase; for the current-gen games that do get ports, it should be 4-6 years after console, not 1-2, and should be within 1-2 years of a new entry or big release from that studio coming to console. But this is assuming no plans for a storefront on PC (that they're somehow able to monetize tying in PS+ subscriptions as optional).
I think that strategy changes heavily if Sony have their own storefront on PC, but I also don't feel they're in the position (either in need or want) to do this for many more years.
- Same applies for some GaaS. Other GaaS instead get released day one on PC and/or mobile
Yeah for GaaS/live-service titles a tiered approach of no ports (some games), Day 1 (some other games) and 1-2 years (yet some other games) would be best. Again, assuming there is no PS storefront on these platforms.
- PSN PC and mobile store features the same games than the PS6 to purchase including 3P, but some of them are only to be played via cloud gaming. Only the ones ported have a downloadable version to be played locally on PC or mobile
I mean, in an eventuality where Sony does bring a PS storefront to PC and mobile, I would expect this. I'd also expect them to court 3Ps who are already doing PC ports to make those PC versions available on their own storefront, and same with mobile there. Otherwise as you've said, it'd be relegated to cloud for the time being.
That said, I don't see Sony really making this type of push anytime too soon. Once they start prioritizing PS store for PC and mobile, some form of erosion is naturally going to set in for the console side of things. It will, naturally, create less value proposition for the console, so it's best to only really begin this push when it seems the console market in and of itself is finally beginning to truly shrink.
Which, at least for Sony and Nintendo, isn't happening right now or for the foreseeable future. And, doesn't have to happen for a good while longer if they continue to innovate in how they develop and position their consoles in the gaming market, taking advantage of what that business model can do for game development, technological development & innovation, scale of production & manufacture, and the such. That's why with this PS6 speculation, for example, I tried steering away from too much on the technical specs like what the GPU TF, ROPs, bandwidth etc. are going to be, because to me "more power" isn't going to be enough of a factor.
Acquisitions and investments
- Thanks to expanding to GaaS, PC and mobile Sony's revenue and profits would have been skyrocketing from 2024 to 2028 so they'd use an important part of it on acquisitions, plus whatever they get from selling their banks division in a couple years from now
- If Capcom, Square Enix, Bandai Namco, FromSoft/Kadokawa, Sega, CD Projekt, Remedy don't want to be acquired, make joint ventures or special generation long deals with them
- If still haven't signed them as 2nd party, ask the Sifu, Kena, Stray, Rollerdrome guys make a 2nd party game and if it works acquire them. Acquire Arrowhead, Deviation, Ballistic Moon if their current games end being good enough and successful enough in sales
- Acquire Annapurna, Devolver, Dotemu and Raw Fury and put them under PlayStation Indies label to secure a great yearly output of small gems for PS6, PC and mobile PSN digital stores and PS+. Let them use Sony IPs when there's fit
- Continue partnerships announced in recent years with basically most top Japanese, Chinese and Korean mobile gaming studios to let them adapt SIE IPs to mobile & PC GaaS, titles that would also have a PS6 version (think Genshin Impact, PUBG or Fortnite)
I agree with all of this outside of how we probably differ on the PC expansion side of things. But that's a small point of difference in relation to everything else being mentioned.
For me, when it comes to M&As I think Sony only need one or two big (well, quite small compared to ABK, but you get the point) 3P publishers, preferably one Japanese/Asian and one Western, to round out their 1P pipeline. I don't see publishers like Capcom being acquired, but like you said, joint ventures/key investments (and I'd also add share purchases to that) etc. would go a long, long way.
I think as far as M&As go, the Japanese/Asian prospect most likely comes down to Square-Enix or MiHoYo, or an equivalent to MiHoYo in the Chinese/Korean space with lots of GaaS/live-service experience and success. Or, Sony could look for a studio to complement the Aniplex side that do the Demon Slayer mobile GaaS title, and adopt that scaled up to the console & PC with other popular anime IP, maybe in tandem with those Kadokawa owns or Square-Enix work with, and maybe with several popular IP in one GaaS live-service property.
In that case, they wouldn't need to acquire a prospect like MiHoYo (though, continuing to partner with and invest in companies like MiHoYo should be a priority); a smaller studio could probably work better, like Vanillaware or Arc System Works, or Level 5, and you just establish things between them and the Aniplex studio, adopt the Demon Slayer framework to scale on console & PC, get some popular anime licenses to work with and get to work. Maybe any team members from the FF XIV and From Software sides wanting to work on such a project could be picked up, and maybe some with experience working on IP like Monster Hunter would like to work on something like this as well.
For the Western side, it'd probably come down to one or two of them for an M&A: either Annapurna or Devolver Digital, and either Dotemu or Raw Fury. Likely wouldn't be all four. I'd personally also consider Ember Lab.
Cross-media
- Continue pushing the movie / tv-show / anime adaptations of SIE IPs
- If Bandai Namco acquisition ends being possible, open a toys division (Bandai Namco is the top 2 toys company in the world) under Sony and let them make toys, sculptures, figurines of SIE and Sony Pictures IPs to maximize revenue, some of which would be used in collector editions of SIE games
- If Kadokawa / Bandai Namco / Square Enix acquisitions end being possible, open a Sony Books division to put there all their manga, books and magazines and offer all their catalog online inside a single digital service. Make them use the SIE, Sony Pictures, Sony Music IPs to make manga adaptations, art books, novels or random books. Use their games and manga IPs to make anime / movie / tv show adaptations. Some of them would be used in special/collector editions of SIE games
- If they manage to make these previous acquisition and open their toys and books divisions, one everything has been properly integrated then acquire Shueisha and Toei Animation to get also their manga and anime rights, joining the others to make manga and anime of Sony IPs
- The idea would be to turn Sony into the worldwide top 1 company in gaming, anime, manga and toys company in the world and using that not only to crosspromote these businesses, but also to further push their movies/tv shows/music businesses to end also being top 1 in these other departments in the long term
Yeah, good potential strategies. I'd say tho that even if M&As of any of these doesn't happen, nothing stops Sony from pursuing most of these strategies. For example, they can easily still partner with Bandai-Namco for SIE-themed merchandise, or Kadokawa/Square-Enix for some new feature to Crunchyroll that includes 'interactive manga', as some additional tier. Which can then be made available in some sampler way to PS+ subscribers (same with Crunchyroll, in a sort of sampler form) at no additional charge (I mean they did just increase the sub costs by 33% :/).
They can partner with companies like Kadokawa, Bandai-Namco, Sqaure-Enix etc. now to do art books, novels, manga adaptations etc. of certain SIE properties. It'd just be between two independent companies, so revenues would be going split between them and profits as well. Finding ways to tie some of this stuff into the PS console proper (like for example, as perks of being a PS+ subscriber, or being able to use PS Reward points towards redeeming for digital versions of these types of manga volumes and artbooks), is where it'd get really interesting.
Uh huh! They recently said the sales for PSVR2 were slower than they anticipated, so good luck with your outdated information
Well, others have already debunked this already, but I think you're missing the point with tech like PSVR2: ultimately these are learning experiences for Sony and experimental grounds for devs and pubs. They know $500+ accessories aren't going to have mass adoption rates, but that's not what it's really about yet.
It's a "growth" period, in this case "growth" pertaining to learning how to best design VR hardware and software, and scale down costs of production, improve fidelity etc. The time for actual market growth & big revenue will come once VR can be made cheap enough to include as a default part of the console experience, which hopefully will happen with the PS6.
If you want some proof of that, just look at the sales boon the Oculus Quest 2 saw in its release year. Yes, that slowed down heavily afterwards, but such was because of lack of consistent content and, arguably, lack of marketing and effective value proposition communicated by Meta/Facebook. PlayStation as a platform doesn't have these problems (well, it could do with more communication in enthusiasts spaces online and with gaming press, but I'm talking mainstream communication here).
In full, you need to look beyond the financials with things like PSVR2; boiling it down to the money is what people on certain other platforms have been doing for a while now. You've even said the value and quality of the device is clearly there; well, when Sony can make VR scalable to a cheaper production and where it can be bundled by default with the console experience, all the years of investment in PSVR1 & 2 will pay off handsomely at long last.
www.google.com
. And you keep mentioning what others thought while ignoring the fact the original VR was a success for Sony and they were happy with the sales. 
"Stop saying what others thought?" Do you obliviously not see the reason I'm mentioning tht? It's because just like you they "thought" they knew it wasn't financially making ends meet. You got numbers? You work at Sony? No, so stop definitively saying it's a loss and a money sink aka not profitable for Sony. When numbers come out eventually then we will know. Do I think it's a big money maker? Of course not but neither was Psvr1.
