It’s not biased to say that Sony’s PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 have dominated the gaming landscape for a decade. PlayStation has dwarfed Xbox’s sales figures, and even though the Switch is a veritable beast in its own right, PlayStation continues to be the epicenter of both first and third-party titles.
The last decade has seen Sony unleash one hit after another with a slew of salivation-worthy exclusives, a viable alternative to grab that attractive VR market share, and PS Plus—a diverse service with millions of subscribers.
Yet, 2023 has felt like a surreal turning point for PlayStation. Microsoft and Xbox’s future is fascinating due to a certain Activision-Blizzard merger, Nintendo Switch has a solid line-up of games for 2024, but PlayStation is perhaps, dare I say, falling behind.
Final Fantasy 16 and Spider-Man 2 set the gold standard again
PlayStation owners have truly been blessed when it comes to exclusives, with the likes of God of War, Horizon, The Last of Us, Bloodborne, Uncharted becoming iconic series for the platform.
With Sony not content to rest on its laurels, 2023 welcomed the jaw-dropping Spider-Man 2 and Final Fantasy 16. I’ve played both and can confidently say they make me thankful to have my PS5—sue me. They perfectly execute the vision of polished, AAA action-adventure games with aplomb.
Leaning closer to a traditional action game than the usual JRPG stylings, FF16’s cast of characters pulls on your heartstrings and synergizes with the flashy, ability-driven combat system. The sum of its parts makes it one of the most memorable FF games in recent memory.
Spider-Man 2, on the other hand, takes everything great about its predecessors and juices it up with venom, pun intended, and creativity. Its fabric is so intricately woven that I found it hard to detach myself from the universe when all was said and done.
2023 has been a treat, but what’s next?
The Microsoft & Activision Merger could be the catalyst for change
It’s impossible to ignore the merger-sized elephant in the room. Microsoft’s $69 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard is a done deal, and for the first time in 10 years, I would say momentum is very much on Microsoft’s side.
The Xbox 360 vs PS3 war saw Microsoft relentlessly hurl Halo, Gears of War, Forza, Fable, and Crackdown games at Sony. But the well-dried-up, reusing the same IPs grew stale and repetitive, Microsoft’s focus turned to media over games, and fans ultimately defected to the blue brand to enjoy the likes of Uncharted, Killzone, and God of War.
A sustained period of dominance in the 2010s saw the PS4 outsell the Xbox One with a shocking 2:1 ratio in lifetime sales. Even now, according to VGChartz, the PS5 is nearly ahead by a 2:1 margin again. Staggering. However, the merger changed everything.
The loss of Bethesda-owned franchises like The Elder Scrolls, DOOM, and Fallout was already a huge blow to Sony, but the Activision and Microsoft exclusivity spells even more painful losses for PlayStation gamers with the likely absence of Spyro and Crash Bandicoot, legendary mascots that started their journeys with Sony on the PS1, being heartfelt and hard to ignore.
Worse still, Sony’s attempts to block the merger proved frivolous, and while the company wouldn’t admit it, I’d hazard a guess that it’s worried. It initially scoffed at a deal with Microsoft to keep Call of Duty available on PlayStation—only to later agree to the Xbox and PlayStation 10-year agreement. These are seismic franchises. It may not seem relevant now, but fast forward a few years, and Microsoft will be rubbing its hands together.
PSVR2 rubber stamps Sony’s commitment
On the plus side, its steep price point aside, PSVR 2 has been a huge technological leap and has shown that VR is still an engaging form of entertainment. The question of its sustainability is constantly brought to the fore, though, due to that eye-watering cost—$549.99.
VR feels like it needs that one game. The OG PSVR device managed to provide an affordable option in the virtual reality market, all while adding that enchanting, signature PlayStation flavor.
Farpoint, Firewall: Zero Hour, Blood & Truth, and Astro Bot: Rescue Mission were the headline makers for the hardware. Unfortunately, none of these titles were proper bonafide system-selling software like Half-Life: Alyx for the Valve Index.
This time around, Sony led with a big-time PlayStation brand for its release—Horizon Call of the Mountain. With a new Firewall game on the way and VR support being added to giant titles such as Resident Evil Village, I sincerely hope that Sony commits to making more AAA titles and doesn’t give up on one of the blue brand’s unique selling points.
PS Plus price increase is a bad look
Sony, I feel, has made very few missteps in recent years, but I think the easiest, biggest thumbs down of the year has to go to PlayStation Plus—something I’ve been subscribed to since it debuted. There was a bit of derision toward the first price increase in 2022 when it launched its new Extra and Premium offerings—but at least they added a truckload of additional games.
Revisiting Syphon Filter, Ape Escape, and other retro rewinds has been a pleasure and broadened my horizons. However, as a long-term PlayStation fan, I still cannot fathom or support the second price increase in 2023.
These are the prices before and after the recent PS Plus price increases:
- Essential: $59.99 / $79.99.
- Extra: $99.99 / $134.99.
- Premium: $119.99 / $159.99.
These price increases came into effect on September 6, 2023, and so far, there doesn’t seem to have been much justification for the price tweak. Where Xbox Game Pass is offering Starfield, Redfall, and Forza for free, Sony isn’t giving PS Plus users a sniff of day-one launches.
Now, I don’t have the power of clairvoyance, and Sony could have massive plans for PS Plus in 2024, but I’m sitting here questioning what my extra money is getting me.
Sony’s “worst” year means room to improve
Has it been Sony’s worst year ever? No. On the other hand, it feels like standards are slipping, and the public perception of Sony is probably the lowest it’s been for a while.
Gaming is in a state of flux right now with these mergers and takeovers. In some ways, I’d wager that Sony has been taken aback by everything and is staggered. This does mean there’s time to turn things around.
A couple of huge game announcements, a shocking publisher buyout, and an overhaul of the PS Plus model would turn heads back. I haven’t been very excited as a PlayStation fan this year, but if there’s one thing that the brand does well, it’s making you excited for what’s next.
