- Sony is set to prioritize long-term player retention rather than just selling games.
- The company believes that keeping players engaged over time will generate more revenue than one-time game purchases.
- According to their data, players are buying fewer games but spending more time playing, and Sony aims to leverage this trend.
In recent statements, Sony has pointed towards a significant shift in its strategic focus within the gaming industry. In the past, the company focused on selling more games for its consoles.
Now, Sony wants to focus on users spending more time playing games on PlayStation. They believe this will lead to more profits.
Why it matters: Sony’s new strategy shows the long-term value of player engagement and the potential for sustained revenue generation beyond individual game purchases.
The company’s new focus is on engagement, not sales.
This means that Sony will be focusing on developing games that people want to play for a long time and have replayability value. They will also be focusing on making it easier for people to play games on PlayStation.
According to Sony, throughout the PS4 era, the company noticed big shifts in how consumers behaved. At the time, the focus was on selling lots of game units and hardware.
However, players eventually started buying fewer new games, yet they spent more time playing on the console. Sony sees this change and wants to make the most of it to keep making money.
PlayStation’s new Chairman, Hiroki Totoki, explained the company’s changing business approach.
The model [PS5] has shifted to one where play time on the platform has increased.
-Hiroki Totoki
The company aims to build a strong community of users that lasts beyond just one console generation. This way, Sony hopes to grow profits steadily and sustainably. One big reason Sony is changing its strategy is the success of the PS4.
Because so many people have the console, it’s easy for them to switch to the PS5 without losing their game libraries. Meanwhile, Sony can continue to focus on PC gaming, porting games like God of War Ragnarok for a higher total play time.
Sony envisions a future where the PlayStation platform thrives on player engagement and community building.
By fostering an environment where players invest their time and energy, the company aims to drive sustainable profit growth and cement PlayStation’s position as a leading game console. A new PlayStation showcase is expected at the end of this month to showcase a glimpse at the future of this strategy.
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