Gamers want games, not better consoles
As Microsoft and Sony prepare new consoles despite many gamers still playing on older hardware, the real challenge lies in offering distinctive, exclusive games to keep players engaged rather than competing with high-end PCs on raw power, says Will Cooling
The video game world is currently dominated by talk of the next generation of consoles with Microsoft announcing a strategic partnership with computer hardware manufacturer AMD to produce the next generation of XBOX consoles while rumours swirl about what the PlayStation 6 will look like.
What makes such talk strange is that it barely feels like either company has realised the full potential of its current consoles. Indeed, the biggest games such as EA Sports FC and Call of Duty are still being released for the decade old predecessors of the PlayStation 5 and XBOX Series X. Meanwhile, the live-service games such as Fortnite and Roblox beloved by young players can be accessed through phones and tablets.
So, if plenty of gamers are still enjoying playing on less powerful platforms, why are Microsoft and Sony preparing to launch expensive new consoles? The answer is that the most valuable consumers are those who buy many games every year rather than limiting themselves to a few select purchases. And these hardcore enthusiasts are increasingly aware that for most games the best quality experience is available not on console but PC. Whether it be how much games cost, how smoothly they run, how good they look, or the ability to modify their settings or content, the best PCs typically offer a better experience to consoles.
Consoles v PCs
As well they should, given that PCs are significantly more expensive than consoles. After all, a high-end gaming PC will cost somewhere between double to quadruple the price of a PlayStation 5. It is inconceivable that a console could ever cost that much but equally it’s hard to see how consoles can improve on current performance without significant price increases.
But Microsoft and Sony shouldn’t give up and accept this drift towards a PC-dominated gaming scene. Many gamers prefer consoles, either because they don’t want to grapple with the expense and hassle of gaming on the PC or because they simply want to game in the comfort of their living room rather than at a computer desk. If forced to buy a PC to play video games, its likely that they’ll choose to do something else with their time.
And Nintendo shows that there is another way to succeed in the video game space. The Switch was a notoriously underpowered system even when it was introduced back in 2017, something that became only truer with each passing year. And yet fuelled by its unique design and deep collection of exclusive games it is currently on course to become the best-selling console of all time. It’s early days but its sequel seems to be achieving similar success with the Switch 2 becoming the fastest console to sell 3.5m units, taking four days to reach a milestone it took the PlayStation 5 four weeks. And yet the Switch 2 is clearly less powerful than rival consoles, let alone the most powerful gaming PCs. But Nintendo doesn’t have to worry about that because you can only play games such as Mario Kart World or Donkey Kong Bananza on its newest system.
By keeping its games exclusive to its own systems Nintendo ensures that its consoles have a strong USP. And by not developing games with one eye on the PC market, it can create games that are built around its unique hardware and design ethos rather than clumsily chasing trends like Sony and Microsoft have. And by refusing to get into an arms race with gaming PCs it allows it to keep prices low with the Switch 2 barely costing more than its predecessor at launch in real terms.
XBOX has its own issues to grapple with but PlayStation is still a lucrative, beloved brand. Rather than rushing out a PlayStation 6, Sony needs to focus on producing more games for its current system that are not just distinctive but exclusive to it. That will keep it at the forefront of player’s minds even as its performance falls further behind the best PCs. And that will create the space for Sony’s next console to not chase top-end specs, instead focusing on the making the improvements it can whilst keeping the price low and gamers happy.
Will Cooling writes about politics and pop culture at It Could Be Said substack