Whaat I'd do for the next 5 years:
- Focus on PS, but also in PC, mobile, cloud because revenue and margins must grow
- 1P & 3P exclusiveness:
- Some SP 1P and 3P titles continue being PS only (no PC) forever
- Some Sony GaaS day one also on PC and mobile
- Some Sony SP games ported to PC 3 years or later after original release (the original, not counting remakes/remasters)
- (Once margins improved) continue growing all their existing teams to help them work in more games at the same time
Well the 3P titles, assuming they're from another publisher, aren't in Sony's domain in terms of permanent exclusivity. I do think for non-GAAS 3P exclusives Sony should make a better effort of them being actual exclusives i.e only on PlayStation, for at least 6 months-1 year for AA and 1/1.5-2 years for AAA, maybe longer in some cases.
Considering PC platforms play the exclusivity game anyway (with 1P and 3P games, because they know the importance of exclusivity), I don't see why people expect Sony to stop doing this when it has a directly correlative benefit to their platform growth & support.
But yeah, I would never expect 3P exclusives to remain permanently that way on PS, not these days. Longer timed exclusivity, would be possible however.
- PC+mobile PSN store & launcher:
- All games published here and in other PSN platforms (PS, PC, mobile, cloud) must feature crossbuy+crosssave+crossplay in all of them (not with Steam or Epic)
- Trophies, cloud saves and friends shared between PS, PC, mobile and cloud
- Includes the remote play, PS cloud client and PS app features: only PS app for everything for PC and mobile
- Store to be used by PS Portal and their upcoming PC handheld
- 15% cut for 3P games who put their games there, if released here an in PS must be crossbuy+crosssave+crossplay
There are still some issues with this approach Sony'd have to work out. We've touched on them before. One is that I doubt they'd do full crossbuy support if 3P publishers are against doing that for their own games. Take-Two for example, would never go for it, because they would see PS launcher players on PC as a "second stream" to the console owners, and expect them to double-dip. They may also be apprehensive to it because if crossbuy were expected for customers across all supported platforms (console, PC, mobile) Day 1, then Take-Two would feel obligated to make a GTA or Red Dead game Day 1 on console & PC natively, messing up their double-dipping strategy.
I know there are people who would love to see Take-Two do Day 1 on PC for their big games, but they're also a big 3P partner for Sony, and Sony aren't going to push an initiative that big 3P partners aren't okay with. Yes a lot of what I've been suggesting ITT is a means for Sony to rely less on 3P but this is one of those areas where I think they'd still need or want big 3P support before committing. Maybe that's where the discount stuff I mentioned in the past when talking about this with you, would be a solid compromise. You still incentivize double-dipping but you're also giving customers good discounts on buying additional versions of the game on platforms supported within the ecosystem (that have PSN store & launcher).
That's pretty much just as good as cross-buy, you still get cross-save and cross-play options, you incentivize 3P to keep revenue high and get higher profits through double dips, and ease burden on mid and smaller-sized 3P studios from "feeling" like they need to focus on multiple platforms Day 1 (meaning they can concentrate on optimizing a single version, preferably the console one, for launch and then look into PC and/or mobile ports later). Although I think, there would be a way for publishers & developers to leverage Day 1 across multiple devices if Sony lets them provide cloud versions of the game Day 1 on platforms that don't have native builds yet. And that's where that discount I mentioned way back would come into play: the cloud license acting as one of two types, either an offset in cost in getting the native version on a platform with said version within a window of time (or an upgrade of that game which gets a cloud version), OR as a normal game cost (if the platform isn't expected to get a native build of the game in the future).
And if you have an active PS+ sub you can get bigger cross-discounts when buying the game, but if you want to access the cloud version without having a PS+ sub you buy the cloud version of the game as if it were a native version of the game. Although in that case I'd probably expect the publisher needs to have some type of cloud infrastructure of their own maybe tied to Sony's
- (Once margins improved) Acquisittions in big markets where 1P isn't particularly strong (I mention candidates, I don't mean they should buy all of them):
- Fighting/eSports, Souls, JRPG, Horror, Hack & Slash, monster hunting: Capcom, Bandai Namco, FromSoft or Square Enix (if want to be acquired)
- Arcades/eSports/gaming stores/toys/figurines/manga: Capcom, Bandai Namco, Square Enix, Kadokawa (if want to be acquired)
- Acquire teams who had long partnership or has potential: Arrowhead, BlueTwelve, Sloclap, Ember Lab, Ballistic Moon, Kojipro (if want to be acquired)
- Some top mobile company who can respectfully adapt Sony IPs to mobile following PS values and boost the user count
- Mobile porting helping them do mobile + PC + PS crossplatform GaaS titles like Genshin, Minecraft, Apex, Fortnite, CoD, PUBG
- Indie publishers: to better scout and also help indies with publishing to secure content in their console, PC and mobile stores (Devolver, Annapurna, Dotemu)
- More and bigger games means more support teams needed, acquire traditional outsourcing partners and integrate them in SIE Creative Arts: Jetpack Interactive, Goodbye Kansas, Keywords, Formosa, Original Foce, Virtuos..,
- Acquire an apparel brand (see below in merchandising)
Out of your suggestions, if M&As were on the table I'd prioritize Arrowhead, Ember Lab, Kojima Productions as chief targets, if they're interested in acquisition. If one or more aren't, set up a strategic partnership with them, some long-term publishing deal, invest in them and co-fund/co-develop more games together. Which is probably what I'd expect Sony to do anyway before looking into an M&A.
While acquiring a publisher would be nice, I don't think it's necessary, not anymore. Look at the bleeding Embracer's going through. Look at how much money Microsoft spent on Zenimax & ABK vs. the returns they're actually getting (and now likely needing to go more fully multiplatform as a publisher). I think Sony already have a lot of the teams in place to do most of what you're suggesting, and if not then studio acquisitions would make more sense. For example, why the need to acquire Konami when they're already working with KojiPro on PHYSINT? Yeah it'd be neat to get Bloody Roar back but that could get worked out through some partnership arrangement or deal, it doesn't require an M&A.
What I would suggest, though, is Sony making key investments & games/content partnerships with various 3P. They don't need to buy Square-Enix to get a new Parasite Eve, for example. The market needs more independent 3P publishers anyway, not less, and mass consolidation's obviously not the answer to solving climbing budget costs for AAA development. I think they should enter strategic partnerships & investments (both regular & as share purchases) into Square-Enix, Capcom, Bandai-Namco, EA, Take-Two, Annapurna and MiHoYo, for example. And those should include co-funding, support and development of new PlayStation games with 1P and 3P IP.
- (Once margins improved) Expand cloud:
- Dominate the market before goes mainstream
- Release client in smartphones, tablets, smart tvs and web browsers
- If you have PS+ Premium you can play all the games you bought on PSN (PS6, PC, mobile) via the cloud anywhere via cloud gaming
Yeah, this is something they will likely give focus to more as time goes on.
- PSVR3:
- Standalone, can also be connected to PS5, PS6 orr PC
- Features VR and MR
- BC witth PSVR1 and PSVR2
- Playable both using only hands or with DualSense 2
- Crossbuy/crossplay/crossave with PSVR1, PSVR2, PS5, PS6, PC, mobile, cloud (can play "2D" games)
MR is actually a better way of describing what I meant when I was saying AR; thought they were one in the same but apparently MR is a bit more advanced. I agree that
BC should be a requirement, at least with PSVR2; if PSVR1 BC requires extra work that could be available through a patch with a small fee or whatever.
However I think some of this is probably too ambitious. Dunno if they'll be able to go with a hands-only option, not without some clever or high-powered camera setup. I also must emphasize that a PSVR3, IMO, only works if they can make it scalable. That means they need an entry model that's at most $149 to buy on its own, with a BOM hopefully not much higher than $75-$80, and comes standard with every PS6 (they'd probably have to cut back on some of the "powwah!" and default storage size, plus no built-in disc drive and maybe some non-critical ports moved to an optional plug-in device, but it'd be worth it).
Also hoping it'd mean PS6 could support multiple headsets at once, for local multiplayer in the living room for example.
- DualSense 2:
- Compatible wih PS5, PS6, PSVR3, PC and mobile+tablets
- Splittable for PSVR3, can also be attached to the sides of a phone/tablet like a joycon
- Force feedback adaptative dual analogs
- Improved haptics
- Anti-drifting tech
- Record input lag in gaming history
- Minimm 5hours of battery
- Features the latest wifi, connects directly to the cloud server in case of cloud gaming
- >5 hours of battery life
All solid; I'd just add that for those who don't want a VR experience (for whatever reason), they should make two controllers, because a DualSense 2 with the features you describe would probably cost more to make and carry a higher MSRP.
So the one you're describing would be like a "DualSense 2 VR" and probably a higher MSRP like $99, but they'd also have a traditional "DualSense 2" without the VR stuff priced at $69 or $79. But with a PS6 making an entry-level headset part of the default package, the "DualSense 2 VR" controller would have to be the default option.
- PS6:
- Powerful motherfucker
- $599
- Cerny's take on DLSS, upscales flawless from 1080p to 8K 120fps even BC games
- AI assistant who plays with you in coop, team based games, give you hints, tells jokes and even makes you virtual blowjobs
- Attachable disc drive that includes UMD and Vita Card + memory sticks reades
- Native full BC for the entire PS history including portables, both physical and digital games
- All games who are also available in PSVR3 and Sony's PSN PC & mobile store are cross-buy, cross-save, cross-play here
Lol @ the AI assistant part; PS6 should (likely will) definitely have a good amount of AI-centric silicon part of its design however.
I don't think it'll have native BC for pre-PS4 systems though, and doubt the stock PS6 would have BC for anything aside PS4 & PS5, plus whatever pre-PS4 games are downloadable on PSN. The level of BC you're thinking of would probably only be achievable with an enhanced optional fit-to-form disc drive housing additional hardware and ports (like for UMD & Vita cards, PS2 & PS1 memory cards, legacy peripherals etc.)
That type of enhanced drive peripheral would probably go for about $149.
- P3P (PlayStation's 3rd portable / PSP 3):
- Sony's PC handheld to dominate that market
- It would act as PS Portal successor for PS6
- Crossbuy, crossave, crossplay with PC & mobile PSN store and digital PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4, PS5, PSP, Vita, mobile games you bought back in the time
- Designed for seamless ultra low latency PS6 Remote Play and cloud gaming
- Latest wifi and (optional) 5G connectivity
- OLED touchscreen
- Dual boot option to install Windows, Linux, Steam OS or whatever you want at your own risk
- The controllers in the side can be separated, they are a standard DualSense 2
- >10 hours of battery life
Some of this makes sense, some of it doesn't. The Dual-Boot option for example, that's probably a no-go. It would mean an even higher price than whatever you're thinking currently, because Sony'd have to account for loss of revenue in people installing Windows and using Steam instead of their own storefront. That'd also let them circumvent paying for online play, so unless Sony got rid of the paywall for that, also a no-go.
I'm also 50/50 on the idea of it being a cloud solution for PS6 games; if Sony are still going to port some PS6 games to PC, that means native versions, meaning Steam Deck 3 or whatever Valve has by then will have native portable versions of those games yet Sony's own portable won't? You can argue that Sony's portable would have cloud & remote streaming of all PS6 games, unlike Valve's, but if and when Sony do pursue a storefront on PC (I don't think that's happening anytime in the next 10 years, BTW, but we'll see), that advantage immediately goes away.
Why? Because if the account for the PSN is universal across devices, then a user accessing their account on PC should be able to access their content purchased on PS5 via cloud streaming or Remote Play for example, with whatever PC device they're using. Valve's Steam Deck is a PC device...you see where I'm going with this.
So due to that, I think Sony's portable is better off having a way of natively playing PS6 games at lower settings and resolution. But the trick is to not get into a Series S-like situation with it. That requires having some hardware (shared between PS6 & the portable) that can auto-scale and configure levels of detail for models, textures, etc. plus enforce framerates depending on whether the game's running on a PS6 or the portable, and in what performance mode.
Hopefully this means the developers don't need to do much besides set some flags in their code, that way they can target PS6 for design scope & detail of their game and then hardware & tools on Sony's end effortlessly scale down assets and other features to run on the portable. This'd also require them using a good chiplet-based design for the PS6 where they can just physically remove necessary shaders, ROPs, TMUs, cache etc. to make a portable-friendly GPU, but the CPU likely remaining the same between both. RAM and storage capacities could also differ, etc.
- Merchandising for PS IPs:
- Continue adapting PS IPs to movies, tv show and anime
- Adapt them also to comics, mangas, books and artbooks (via Kadokawa, Sega, Square acquisitions)
- Release via Sony Music more OSTs, music albums and audio book versions of the books
- Adapt them to toys, figurines, model kits, board games, pen & paper RPGs
- Adapt them to PS branded clothes, tote backs, backpacks, etc
- Adapt them -those who fit- to arcade cabinet versions
- PlayStation Stores:
- Sell and market all PS products listed above plus select non-Sony gaming books and magazines
- Bar/cafe/pub with PS themed food and drinks
- Monitors with PS games eSports live and trailers of their products
- Arcades (specially if acquire Capcom, Bandai Namco, Square Enix or Sega)
- Console setups to play casually (also as demo station or focus testing for upcoming games) or make local tournaments
- Periodical presentations of local indie games
- Mini museum with PS related art exhibitions rotating between all their stores
- PlayStation theme parks in USA, Spain and Japan
Hadn't thought too much on the merchandising side of things, but these sound like good ideas. This is probably also where acquiring a publisher like S-E or Kadokawa would make more sense, although part of me thinks they could still just accomplish most of this through strategic partnerships and investments.
