How Playstation Is Forced To Take A Colossal Disadvantage

This week, reports have been revealed, hinting at a PS4.5 (or PS4K), a midlife refresh to the Playstation bumping up its overall performance and allowing games to run on 4K. Though the amount of evidence present currently can only be used to classify it as a rumour, it has come from a  number of developers and has even been shared by Playstation Magazine’s Facebook page (though it doesn’t confirm it).

The move has received mixed responses. While some say this is only logical with the boom of 4K, many others argue that this makes consoles much less economically viable when compared to PCs and also relate this to SEGA’s poor business model.

On the other hand, the gaming community has been avidly waiting for Sony’s response for Microsoft’s offer to share networks. If Sony accepts, Xbox and Playstation gamers will be able to play together online for the first time ever. If they reject, then…….let the memes continue!

Another thing we saw was a (mostly fake) leak of what could be the Nintendo NX, the console which Nintendo hopes would turn its fortune around.

So how are fairly different moves from each company in the console game (no  Valve, the Steam box isn’t a console just yet) related to each other, and how do they all point towards a rough patch for Sony?

Nintendo’s Domino Effect

The design for which Nintendo filed a patent

It has been quite some time since Nintendo announced the NX, but the company has kept us in the dark for quite some time. Despite this, the NX should be releasing by the end of this year, before it’s too late (there’s only so much Pokken Tournament a person can take). Hints given by Nintendo and the company’s patent filings show that Nintendo might be heading for a radical design change (oh, what a surprise…) and could also be doing something to integrate console and on-the-go gaming.

What is obvious is the fact that considering the NX is releasing 4 years after the PS4 and Xbox One, it would most likely be made of much better stuff on the inside, which Nintendo will definitely look forward to exploit, especially while developing its own games.

This is a big, big problem for Sony and Microsoft, whose console have almost always had more juice than their Nintendo counterparts.

Microsoft, whose Xbox has much lower dominance than the Playstation, is reckoned to be working on a Xbox 1.5 (or whatever you want to call it. Nobody really gets how Xbox names stuff), with improved specifications to stay future-proof and to push ahead of the PS4 and possibly the NX too.

If this is true, then Sony’s PS4 would be the least powerful flagship console in the market. This is a complete opposite to its position in the beginning, when it had an advantage in sales thanks to its slightly better performance and pricing. So naturally, Sony would have no choice, but to update the PS4, especially if the Xbox 1.5 is confirmed.

Microsoft’s Competitive Revolution

Microsoft is into gaming in two flanks, but both are currently behind. The Xbox can only stare at the PS4’s sales rocketing from the sidelines, whereas Xbox Live for PC is still trailing behind Valve’s Steam. However, Microsoft decided to play its trump card and has now invited others to share networks, so irrespective of which platform your friends are on, you can play online with them.

So how does this benefit Microsoft? Let’s say you have 11 friends and 6 of the have a PS4 while 3 have an Xbox One and another 2 play on PC. If you’re pack loves playing games online, then unless you really like those 3 friends more, you should be going for the PS4 while buying a console, so a total of 5 of you can play together rather than 3 on the Xbox One.

Not anymore.

If Sony accepts, then your choice wouldn’t depend on how many among your buddies have a PS4 or Xbox One, as you’ll be able to play with all 5 anyway, but would depend on factors that are in Microsoft’s hands, such as price and server stability.

As Xbox Live for PC also would share its network, those 2 friends playing on their PCs would also be encouraged to use Xbox Live, rather than Origin or Steam.

Considering the number of consoles sold by Sony is around twice than that of Microsoft, this move would generally benefit Microsoft.

What Would Happen Now?

• Sony refuses to join network sharing or some other misunderstanding make Microsoft scrap it. Nintendo would release its NX and to counter it, the PS4.5 and Xbox 1.5 release. This would mean Sony will be leaving almost 40 million PS4 owners in the dust, while Microsoft would be ditching only half that number of customers. This means Sony would have more unhappy customers.

• Sony joins with Microsoft to allow network sharing. This would hit NX sales, as new customers would be able to play with more of their friends on a PS4/Xbox One than on the NX. However, as stated before, Sony loses its advantage of higher number of current users.

• Sony joins with Microsoft to allow network sharing, but this time around, Microsoft also announces the Xbox 1.5, ditching Sony and gaining a huge advantage over both of its competitors. Then Sony will be forced to lose customers due to network sharing AND would be forced to launch the PS4.5 to stay relevant, leaving behind a huge number of loyalists

Either one of these three cases can and most likely, will happen. The question is simple: which one?