The current generation of PlayStation and Xbox consoles will be the last. This was reported by the Chinese edition of MyDrivers with reference to analysts at Citi Securities Japan.
According to experts who predicted the balance of power in the global gaming market, by the end of the 2020s streaming services may completely replace classic consoles. This is because cloud services offer a better user experience and a more flexible approach to gaming. Analysts believe that gamers will master the subscription services due to the fact that they can be used without being tied to a specific device and played on a PC, smartphone, tablet and other devices.
On the other hand, Sony consoles and Microsoft have technical limitations. Plus, gaming on consoles requires additional accessories like a TV and a collection of compatible games. In this regard, the next generation of consoles may not enter the market, which will actually mean the death of consoles.
Citi Securities Japan said the lifecycle of traditional consoles has been extended to about seven years due to the high development costs of the devices and the ultimate price of the consoles. At the same time, modern services – like Google Stadia or Apple Arcade – due to numerous problems, they cannot yet impose competition on consoles.
Xbox Series X and S are available for purchase on November 10, PlayStation 5 will be available on November 19. Earlier, a Sony spokesman said that the transition from PlayStation 4 to the next generation console will take about four years.