It’s been a rough few days for the video game industry. The fallout that followed the Xbox One’s reveal has had many fans questioning if video games will stop being the focal point in the next generation. However, Kazuo Hirai, CEO and President of Sony Corporation, wants you to know that his company will not stop fighting to appeal to gamers.
Microsoft has found itself in an uphill battle, as many felt the Xbox One was focused more on being an all-purpose entertainment hub than a game console. However, Sony has seemingly learned a lesson at Microsoft’s expense and is ready to pounce on the opportunity. At the D: All Things Digital conference, Hirai made it clear that his company will make games the main focus of the new PS4.
“The most important thing we need to make sure we do at least initially is that we all agree and understand that the PS4 is a great video game console that appeals to video gamers,” Hirai explained to reporters. “If we miss that part then I don’t think we get the initial establishment of the console.”
Hirai seems to echo the promises that Sony Computer Entertainment has made since revealing the PS4 this year, like acquiring enormous support from third-party developers and reaching out to independent developers. This strategy has worked in the past and has been the driving focus ever since Sony’s early missteps during the PS3’s launch.
While Hirai’s appeal to gamers does show promise, he also says video games won’t be the PS4’s only focus. “We take a look at this first and foremost as a game console,” he explains. “We don’t want to end there. That’s an area we will obviously reveal and talk about in the coming months.”
Will Sony take the lessons learned from the current generation to heart? Will the PS4 be well known as a gaming device, and not just an all-purpose entertainment system? We will have to see just where Sony will take their new console when it is released during this year’s holiday season.
