why when there are many superior alternatives to nintendo (steam, apple arcade, google play, etc. etc.)
-Steam box was a laughing stock if you don't remember.
-Apple will be a very solid competitor, and they'll spend a lot to reach PlayStation level of quality, but their high price demand might kill them. Think about it, 4 mediocre PC case wheels for $700.
-Google? Another laughing stock.
The only other thing that comes to mind is Epic Games, they can handle it and they have the engine for it and history behind them. Would they succeed? I doubt it, they'll be another punching bag for PlayStation.
Sony as a company circulates around entertainment, most of their branches are around the entertainment circle. PlayStation has Sony Pictures Entertainment expertise to aid their first party with their long history in Hollywood, they got the experience with their top photography alpha cameras and videography CineAlta. They have Sony Music Entertainment in the mix as well. Their TV's have the best picture quality and best processing and color accuracy, they're as well partnered with other big companies like Netflix and even competitors like Warner Bros for VFX.
When you pay a close look, Sony is the pinnacle of entertainment, most people have had some pleasant memories about their products. Microsoft, well, let's not talk about it.
I think Samsung might be the best outsider to enter, they're stubborn like Sony and very competitive and have the hardware to back them up.
And my fear is that PlayStation will meet them in the middle by not having to spend so much on hardware.
I've been enjoying PlayStation since PS1, never changed, will never change. Sony is a corporate indeed, but they have passion, they have a soul.
I'm sure they are totally willing to get their asses handed to them by Sony again in the home console market. No Microsoft it will be a Sony monopoly in the home console market. No one will step in. It is to expensive and to hard to compete against Sony in any corporate eyes if Microsoft and Nintendo failed.
I think it's safer for Microsoft to stick with the PC market and invest heavily in their store and cloud gaming. Sony is just a juggernaut when it comes to entertainment.
If Microsoft should learn something from Sony is sticking by their products like Sony is still holding their smartphone business and showing the insane Xperia 1ii finally as a pinnacle of smartphone photography/videography, as they should since the beginning. Microsoft should invest more in the smartphone OS before another competitor comes in the PC OS market and they lose the main basket holding most of their eggs.