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[Agent X]

Theories flew as to what had prompted Sony to make the move. Do its PC ports not make money anymore? Do they weaken the brand? Was the corporation scared off by Microsoft's Project Helix—its next-gen console that will, it says, play both Xbox and PC games?

Maybe, maybe not, but here's a new theory for the pile, courtesy of Bluepoint Games' (RIP) head of technology Peter Dalton. What if Sony's actually scared of Valve, not Microsoft?

A similar scenario was proposed in the latest episode of the Sacred Symbols podcast. Their reasoning has to do with the rumored price points of Microsoft's and Valve's systems.

Since Microsoft's next system is rumored to be north of $1000, it would be priced out of the mass market, and therefore wouldn't compete directly with the PlayStation 6. It poses no threat.

Meanwhile, Valve might still choose to produce a low-end Steam Machine that falls in the $500-$600 range. This device would go head-to-head with PS6. If Sony's latest games could be played with reasonable quality on a low-end Steam Machine, then the PS6 doesn't look as appealing. After all, why buy a PS6 when you could get all of its best games and more with a Steam Machine for about the same price?

If Sony wants the PS6 to stand out above the rest, then it must be the sole home of some truly eye-popping exclusive games.

 

[Coconutt]

I dont have as much confidence on sonys exclusives as I used. In my opinion they went to far into trying to attract the female audience to the detriment of the quality of their exclusives stories and narratives.

Spiderman 2 forced weak gameplay with Mary Jane segments.

Last of Us 2 decided to kill the male main character and replace him with another chick, his killer no less.

Ghost of Yotei, the only reason you would replace the male main lead for a female in a game where it takes place in Japan with samurai around is to push some kind of message or for your vanity not for a better story.

Yes as a man I prefer to play as a male character and refuse to apologize for that and refuse to ignore this clear recent trend.

I use to be a sony pony but if there exclusives continue to be the same which it appears it will be with Intergalactic and Wolverine and that rumored Gof of War game, then i don't mind steam coming along and eating sonys lunch.

 

[Haint]

A similar scenario was proposed in the latest episode of the Sacred Symbols podcast. Their reasoning has to do with the rumored price points of Microsoft's and Valve's systems.

Since Microsoft's next system is rumored to be north of $1000, it would be priced out of the mass market, and therefore wouldn't compete directly with the PlayStation 6. It poses no threat.

Meanwhile, Valve might still choose to produce a low-end Steam Machine that falls in the $500-$600 range. This device would go head-to-head with PS6. If Sony's latest games could be played with reasonable quality on a low-end Steam Machine, then the PS6 doesn't look as appealing. After all, why buy a PS6 when you could get all of its best games and more with a Steam Machine for about the same price?

If Sony wants the PS6 to stand out above the rest, then it must be the sole home of some truly eye-popping exclusive games.

MS already makes a low end console, it's a foregone conclusion they'll offer (likely several) lower spec Helix variants as well They unveiled Series X the same way, insinuating it was the only device, then announced the weaker Series S a couple months before launch. How would Valve even make a lower spec Steam Machine, it's already par with the base PS5. Anything weaker/cheaper won't even play modern games acceptably, never mind next-gen games.

 

[Fess]

I dont have as much confidence on sonys exclusives as I used. In my opinion they went to far into trying to attract the female audience to the detriment of the quality of their exclusives stories and narratives.

Spiderman 2 forced weak gameplay with Mary Jane segments.

Last of Us 2 decided to kill the male main character and replace him with another chick, his killer no less.

Ghost of Yotei, the only reason you would replace the male main lead for a female in a game where it takes place in Japan with samurai around is to push some kind of message or for your vanity not for a better story.

Yes as a man I prefer to play as a male character and refuse to apologize for that and refuse to ignore this clear recent trend.

I use to be a sony pony but if there exclusives continue to be the same which it appears it will be with Intergalactic and Wolverine and that rumored Gof of War game, then i don't mind steam coming along and eating sonys lunch.

The games are fine, they just don't release enough of them. In this time frame during the PS3 generation Naughty Dog had already released 3 all new Uncharted games. And now they're still working on Intergalactic 6 years into the generation.

This is an industry wide problem, the software output is LOW everywhere. But it especially affects platforms relying on exclusives.

Nintendo is struggling too imo. Switch 2 is selling from brand power right now. They really need a new 3D Mario or something Zelda related, exclusive to Switch 2.

 

[Dorfdad]

I love valve and steam but that shitty overpriced steam cube isn't going to scare anyone. It's speced for 1080p / 60 gameplay. At least the series S you did t have to fiddle with tons of settings and comparability issues to play on.

The theory however is right if you could get all the third party games and ps first party games on pc and all gamepass games I mean Sony is going to lose a good portion of their shrinking base.

The reason Microsoft had to do it was because they had no exclusives which were driving console sales anymore. Halo 18, gears 12, all long in the tooth games.

MIcorosft actually caused alot of their own issues by not just stating day and date gamepass titles in Xbox for the first year, sell an upgraded package for pc pass that gives you access after six months and be done with it.

I think you will still see PS games in PC but there will be a longer console life for them going forward.

 

[Karim]

The only thing I can say this the worst sony management seen on playstation lead looking how they are moving lately. I mean it's not like Valve is appeared from the nothing or whatever is the reason behind. The only logic excuse could be pc porting aren't worthy money wise. But if it's really matter about to be scared to the competitors this show pathetic weakness and insecurity in your lead.

 

[mckmas8808]

I love valve and steam but that shitty overpriced steam cube isn't going to scare anyone. It's speced for 1080p / 60 gameplay. At least the series S you did t have to fiddle with tons of settings and comparability issues to play on.

The theory however is right if you could get all the third party games and ps first party games on pc and all gamepass games I mean Sony is going to lose a good portion of their shrinking base.

The reason Microsoft had to do it was because they had no exclusives which were driving console sales anymore. Halo 18, gears 12, all long in the tooth games.

MIcorosft actually caused alot of their own issues by not just stating day and date gamepass titles in Xbox for the first year, sell an upgraded package for pc pass that gives you access after six months and be done with it.

I think you will still see PS games in PC but there will be a longer console life for them going forward.

Why do y'all keep lying by saying Playstation has a shrinking base?

 

[KungFucius]

They are not devaluing current PS brand by launching 1 game per year 12 months after release. They are increasing their overall ROI by shitcanning the PC port operation because it is not bringing in the margins like other parts of the business.

If future plans include a portable/ hybrid PS6 and powerful regular PS6 there is an angle for the small market of people who like portables, but since most are on PC already it is hard to see why they think they can capture that much of it, but they can grab people looking to move in that direction. Older gamers with kids are a good segment to go after though. Have them buy a portable PS6 for their games and for the kids to play on. The only thing that is fucking over that strategy is the cost of components. AI is kneecapping them when they probably had a decent strategy laid out.

 

[PeteBull]

For all the non-believers who are exclusively console players, u guys need to realise there is tons of gamers who over the years had both gaming pc and a console, sometimes at the same time and sometimes it skewed one way of the other.
If u dont prefer playing one way or the other that doesnt make ppl who dont mind either way any less relevant, and there are tens of milions of such ppl, why u think ps2 reached 160m units? U think all those ps2 players were back then 70yo and are dead now? Why TF dont they get ps5/pr0? They stopped gaming? Or they simply went to pc instead?

Memory shortages/ai crysis is best thing that happened to sony otherwise pc competition would be crazy steep, u will realise that once its done and prices go back to "new normal"( maybe half what it is today, we never getting those nice prices from year ago unfortunately )in 2-3years.

 

[FauxXeno]

For all the non-believers who are exclusively console players, u guys need to realise there is tons of gamers who over the years had both gaming pc and a console, sometimes at the same time and sometimes it skewed one way of the other.
If u dont prefer playing one way or the other that doesnt make ppl who dont mind either way any less relevant, and there are tens of milions of such ppl, why u think ps2 reached 160m units? U think all those ps2 players were back then 70yo and are dead now? Why TF dont they get ps5/pr0? They stopped gaming? Or they simply went to pc instead?

Memory shortages/ai crysis is best thing that happened to sony otherwise pc competition would be crazy steep, u will realise that once its done and prices go back to "new normal"( maybe half what it is today, we never getting those nice prices from year ago unfortunately )in 2-3years.

because it was the best and cheapest dvd player !!! I personally didn't know anyone who actually had a standalone dvd player ... but ya alot of those people are probably dead lol . I probably spent as much or more time watching movies and boxsets of anime and shows then gaming on my ps2 honestly , my dvd collection was insane .

 

[Cakeboxer]

In my opinion, they shouldn't be afraid of Valve. The Steam Machine certainly won't sell tens of millions of units. What they should really be concerned about is the younger generation, which may increasingly move toward tablets, phones, or streaming. Pulling out of the PC market now wouldn't be wise imo, because the PC isn't Sony's enemy. It's an opportunity to grow the brand.

And I'm not saying that because I want their games. Sony's cinematic heavy games don't really appeal to me at all. As for what the future holds, nobody truly knows. But personally, I don't believe we'll see growth in either the PC market or console sales. Eventually, both could become niche markets.

 

[baphomet]

No one is scared of Xbox.

The Nex Playground isn't even scared of them, nor should they be.

 

[Karim]

Meanwhile, Valve might still choose to produce a low-end Steam Machine that falls in the $500-$600 range. This device would go head-to-head with PS6. If Sony's latest games could be played with reasonable quality on a low-end Steam Machine, then the PS6 doesn't look as appealing. After all, why buy a PS6 when you could get all of its best games and more with a Steam Machine for about the same price?

If Sony wants the PS6 to stand out above the rest, then it must be the sole home of some truly eye-popping exclusive games.

You people repeat this stuff but steam machine from my knowledge don't sell a fraction of the traditional home console even of the xbox series. I'm not sure what could scaring about it, they are just low end pc overpriced called steam machine. And no way valve will choice to launch any at 500-600$ lol.

 

[Cakeboxer]

You people repeat this stuff but steam machine from my knowledge don't sell a fraction of the traditional home console even of the xbox series. I'm not sure what could scaring about it, they are just low end pc overpriced called steam machine. And no way valve will choice to launch any at 500-600$ lol.

I mentioned this before: in my opinion, Sony is taking a wait and see approach and will observe the situation over the next few years. I can very well imagine that we'll see PC ports again sometime in this decade. In my opinion, that's the wrong strategy, because i can't think of any scenario in which the Steam Machine could pose a real threat to hardware sales.

 

[Karim]

I mentioned this before: in my opinion, Sony is taking a wait and see approach and will observe the situation over the next few years. I can very well imagine that we'll see PC ports again sometime in this decade. In my opinion, that's the wrong strategy, because i can't think of any scenario in which the Steam Machine could pose a real threat to hardware sales.

I would say probably the reason it's because for both steam machine and new xbox releasing, those pc "tricked" to console start to be too many and Sony not want give their "contribute" to the success of any others console with his major ips. Though say they are quite scared seems a bit a stretch to me.

 

[Cakeboxer]

I would say probably it's because for both steam machine and new xbox releasing, those pc "tricked" to console start to be too many and Sony not want give their "contribute" to the success of any others console with his major ips. Though said they are quite scared seems a bit a stretch to me.

Scared really is exaggerated. "Cautiously waiting" would be more accurate.

 

[reezoo]

If anything Valve is a threat to Xbox brand. What it's offering is the alternative echo system to what Xbox is trying to offering.

 

[Esppiral]

It is obvious, if they release the games on a box that also plays hundreds more affordable games and it is open who would buy their console aside from hardcore fanboys?