Sony CEO: Console Gaming Is Niche - Not A Major Market

Uh oh, Cows! First Sony has been losing to the Switch all of 2019, then Sony teams up with Microsoft and now the CEO is spitting in your face...

Gaming Bolt article


“As we speak, we provide, as I said, the immersive business and experience is something we would like to continue to place importance on. If you look at the game industry as a whole, the console market is not a major market, rather it’s a niche market if you will. But for core gamers, immersive experiences are something we would like to value. In this respect, for the time being, the console as something that brings about computing functionality to the users is very important, but on the other hand, technology will progress and so as I said today, the Remote Play and PlayStation Now, the streaming services will be worked on in parallel, that is what we are doing at this moment.”

I feel sorry for the Sony loyalist. Well not really..

Thanks @BigBadBully for bringing this to our attention!

He's just a butthurt lem.

@Ant_17: feel free to add me on PS4: CmoneySauce

Just completed Days Gone n defeated all hordes, gonna dl Dauntless soon.

Man, it's as if their corporate leadership resents the PlayStation team.

That Sony views console gaming as niche is a great thing, because it means they will make real core games (like GoW etc).

MS thought they could make the console-market super mainstream and so they created the abomination that was Kinect.

@BigBadBully: Done. saw you have Nioh.

Sounds like something a Hermit would say. Either way it's juicy.

@goldenelementxl: Welcome it's all in good fun. This article and quotes damn nearly made me spit out my drink. Seeing the narrative of "Sony doesn't need streaming, PSNow is already doing it, PlayStation can do it on their own, etc..."

Then you see the quotes from Sony CEO, just made me laugh.

For a little history, I do favor MS/Xbox systems over Sony/PlayStation but I do like PlayStation. Fun fact, I gave up hardcore fanboying back when I was a Sony Loyalist and got the smackdown from mods back when I'd fight tooth n nail for Socom over Halo.

When most people use consoles to play netflix, yeah, it's pretty niche.

Don't tell the gamers tho, you'll hurt their feelings.

Wow. So its 100% like I said. Sony will leverage Remote Play as an alternative to their streaming service that is free if you own the games locally on the system. I've predicted this in previous threads months ago. Remote Play will be the differentiating factor in the short and medium term.

Sigh, I hate it when I'm right lol.

It's funny because the "hardcore" act as if their opinions are what shape the industry. Now we know they are the equivalent to bellybutton lint in the eyes of the executives.

Now we know that they make the entire console just for us :)!

And that as well:

“We’ve been working with streaming services over the last five years and there are various difficult aspects. The network latency, for one. Some examples I could cite, for instance, the typical means of minimizing latency is the placement of servers on the edge closer to users, but moving servers closer to one group of users can mean increasing latency for another group of users.

And also, there will be an encoding process at the very end, and how we can minimize the time for compression is another challenge. And also, in order to make it a viable business, what would be the business model? Our service is a subscription model now, but depending on the game, one could be played for fifty or a hundred hours and for someone playing one game like this, what is the advantage of a subscription service per month, the all-you-can-play type of model? So in terms of technology and services, there are various aspects we would like to look into with Microsoft going forward, especially in terms of streaming solutions. We would like to proceed through collaboration.”

Everything I said in the past related to both consoles are a declining market and Sony's inability to scale and QoS have been proven word for word. I said it and all the cows like vfighter, tormentos, blackhaired, tgob, quadknight etc. got mad over that. Can't wait to hear their spin now. I'm grabbing my pop corn.

Ma man! :D

Well, since most people game on mobile, this should come as no surprise.

When you look at the Switch as a portability option, it shows everyone in Japan using the portability rather then playing the console at home is more proof that consoles are slowly declining as a stationary console home. I'm hoping to be wrong about this as we head to PS5 and it'll be the test if home consoles are still a thing in Japan.

Consoles on life support.

He’s right. Compared to the wider gaming market console gaming is a niche. Mobile gaming alone is bigger than PC gaming and console gaming combined. With that said, it doesn’t they aren’t killing it with the money they make from the console market. It’s better to dominate in a niche market than to expand into a wider market and get sidelined by too much competition.

This is a correct assessment but it has to be reevaluated. I predicted that it appears Sony is looking to supplement their cloud streaming with Remote Play instead in the short term which makes much more sense. As an example I currently barely every play my PS4 on the TV it is connected to because its on my huge 4KTV in the living room that the rest of the family uses. Instead I play games via remote play on my Vita, my PSTV connected to another TV, my iPhone when I'm out of the house, or I have a gamevice and Rotor controller what I use with iPads and my iPhone. Literally I would say 80-90% of my PS4 gaming is done via remote play and I expect this is the near future Sony is aiming for to compete against both portables and streaming services.

@goldenelementxl: It seems you forgot to highlight the most important part of your quote.

"But for core gamers, immersive experiences are something we would like to value."

@pc_rocks: Wtf are you talking about? Declining market? The PS4 will be the second best selling console of all time only behind the PS2. The fact is the gaming market has become huge. Having a streaming service allows them to hit that large casual market. However the core experience provided by high end big budget titles played on local hardware isn't going anywhere.

@goldenelementxl: you're one of those people that dont realise that the switch is also a handheld. And that Nintendo period caters to those who otherwise wouldn't buy a game console period.

Rejoice tho. The many girlfriends aunts granny's and kids who get all the new handhelds are not In system wars to support you Lol

@davillain-: That's only proof in Japan though. They are ok with hardware being 5 years behind.

So when PS4 gamers scream sales sales sales

Sony say MEH 100 million,we are paying MS to use da power of da cloud to reach a billion gamers

AKA: "We value our niche market customers."

What he says in your quote doesn't change everything else in the article. Sony is trying to be proactive with the market trends while admitting their current and past strategies have been focused too narrowly. I really think the Switch passing the PS4 in Japan in 2 years coupled with Microsoft and Google going after this streaming tech has Sony freaked the f*** out. Good on them for making some moves. If Sony payed attention to their idiotic, "hardcore" base, the PlayStation brand would be dead in no time.

@goldenelementxl: The PlayStation 4 is the best selling console this gen with almost 100 million sold. Next year the PS5 is coming out and people that want a PS4 should just wait and get a PS5 instead.

And Sony had a streaming service (PlayStation Now) before Xbox and Nintendo.

Yeah, I'm not as niche as you...

You and your Cow brothers can continue your losing battle

You're thinking in the past though. The Switch is outselling the PS4 and outpacing it right now. Please tell me you aren't one of those dudes in this 40's that still wears his High School varsity jacket who talks about the big block he made in the JV state semi's in '92...

Cows are Al Bundy to TC.

It is as I have foreseen. Only one bastion for high-end gaming will remain and that's the PC platform; at the pinnacle of high-end just like its always been. Consoles are going to be replaced by mobile.

@goldenelementxl: WTF are you on?

@pelvist: It’s pretty funny because console gamers totally dismissed mobile gaming the past two generations. Instead they’ve been chasing “Teh Cell,” “8GB GDDR5,” ”6 Tflops,” and recently SSD’s and load times (lol) just to be outdone by the mobility of phones and the underpowered Switch. And after generations of calling PC gaming niche, their CEO’s come out and call console gaming a niche market.

RIP in peace console fanboys

I'm more surprise PS Vita didn't take off and I can say it's an impressive handheld but Sony market it poorly. But you really can't denied Switch does have good exclusives after all.

Even I couldn't get into Remote play even though I'm somewhat old fashion gamer. For someone who isn't at home much, I can see benefits using Remote Play but I really wish Sony supported Vita for this reason.

The switch got beat by a multiple year old console for the majority of its first years of existence. Try putting it that way.

Also, don't know why you'd respond to him with the second part of that post.

@davillain-: The PS vita could have been successful if they launched it after the PS4 and had it ride on the success of the platform. They should have built the integration of those systems together from the beginning.

A roll

@X_CAPCOM_X: Second part is a respond to him for another post.

I use it primarily at home, vita is one of the worst methods to use it. I have a powerline network adapter to connect my PSTV hardwired to my router downstairs and that works great. Also the Wifi in Apple products are far superior to the Vita so I get a near flawless experience.

@goldenelementxl: More like a stick up your ass.

Why would I? The Switch has outpaced the PS4 sales this entire time. Not only is it outselling what the PS4 was doing its second year, It's outselling it outright in major gaming markets. The only console to beat what the Switch is doing at this point in its life cycle is the Wii. But I remember we didn't count the Wii that gen, so it's not hard to predict where this one is going either

Hmmm interesting.

You should re-word this to say "in Japan"

Technically he is being very truthful from business standpoint. He looks at Sony music Fate Grand Order and is like wtf is playstation doing. I'm using this game as an example to say yes I'm an old console pc gamer. I get the business here but I don't have to f***in like it. Go ahead make fun of me for not liking the popular mobile market lol.

@goldenelementxl: I do not get the switch and nintendo example though. Nintendo is kinda of a very bad example here when we talk about big markets. Yes the switch has merged nintendo handheld console biz but there market is still smaller then playstation. They too need to make major moves especially continue full force on adapting there games on mobile front. The handheld business has been moving to mobile. Switch still plays in console space. In nintendo's mostly only there software sell small space that is. On the whole market when you compare services and software its competing with current xbox despite MS baily doing anything when it comes to there own software. I think he is more shocked at what Sony music success with just one software on mobile space then Nintendo switch. He is looking at the mobile market and thinks streaming could be the solution.

Why would you? Because it's a fact.

@goldenelementxl: ? In what universe is the Switch outpacing the PS4? Top selling console for 5 years straight has been the PS4. The PS4 beat Switch’s worldwide numbers in 2017 and 2018. In fact, this year is the only year Switch has a chance to beat the PS4 and it’s because the PS5 is right around the corner, and even with that it’s more than 60 million units behind the PS4 in total sales. Did you forget to take your meds?

@goldenelementxl: lol if Sony wanted to target kids and women they would def be past Nintendo. Be glad we dont want the poorer yet more spoiled therefor richer part of Nintendos audience.

Sony has to much mature products that they associate themselves with to mainly have a PG image thank you.

I bet you never see a Nintendo 60 inch TV etc. Dont compare the sales of baby toys with action figures lol. Not directly at least.

I can see why Sony ignores y'all.

Jan 2018 - Switch Outpacing PS4 Global Sales
Dec 2018 - Switch sells more than PS4 and Xbox One between March 2017-Nov 2018
Jan 2019 - Switch outsold every other console in 2018

"Switch was the top-selling system in the US both in terms of dollars and raw unit count, outpacing a previous record set by the PS4 in 2015."

This is why I always have a bone to pick with Cows. You all live in a parallel universe or something. Almost nothing you say is based on fact, yet you all believe and parrot the same factually incorrect b.s. on this board.

It really is saying something when @tormentos is considered one of the more sensible and intelligent Cows in System Wars. Some of y'all are somethin' else

Sony > Nintendo because Nintendo doesn't sell 60" tv's... That has to be the biggest shift of the goalpost in System Wars history. And before you misunderstand what I'm saying. No, that's not a good thing.

I fail to see why this is new, relevant or why Sony fans should feel aggravated?

Please take your meds, you're embarrassing yourself.

PS4 Beats Nintendo Switch as 2018's Best-Selling Console

Do you even read your own links? Those numbers are for the US only. PS4 outsold the Switch WORLDWIDE

2018's console war is over and Sony's PlayStation 4 has managed to hold onto its top spot against the Nintendo Switch as the best-selling console. Last year was huge for gaming as the PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One went head-to-head in the battle of the consoles.

While the big three are already looking at what consoles come next, the current eight-generation of hardware is still going strong. Since releasing back in 2013, the PlayStation 4 has made a name for itself with critically acclaimed titles like Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Spider-Man. Considering two of those titles came out in 2018, it's no surprise the PS4 had a bumper year.

Related: A Little Evidence PlayStation 5 Might be Backward Compatible

Sony just dropped its latest financial data, confirming that 17.7 million PS4 consoles were shifted in 2018. As well as bringing the PS4's total sales to an impressive 94.2 million units, the statistics reveal Sony's bumper October to December sales period. Even at this late stage in the PlayStation 4's cycle, Sony shipped 8.1. million consoles in the last quarter of 2018.

On the other hand, Nintendonumbers show how the family-friendly offering shipped 17.4 million consoles last year. Sony only just nudged ahead of its closest competitor, but a win is still a win. Despite the Nintendo Switch crossing the sales line of 32.3 million units, it was no secret that Nintendo struggled at some points in 2018 alongside the plummeting stock value after a fairly average E3 2018 presentation. That being said, the house that Mario built sold a whopping 9.4 million Switches between October and December.

17.7 Million > 17.4 Million. GTFO!

Sony also sold 20.6 million units in 2017 compared to the Switch 10 million lol. Again, take your meds and stop making a fool of yourself in this thread. You talk about cows living in a parallel universe when you're the one that's clearly a loon lol. In what universe is 17.4 greater than 17.7?