Do you dread the days when traditional physical consoles go away, and streaming takes over the world of video games? If so, then the latest comments from Sony president and CEO Jim Ryan may make you uneasy in some ways, but reassure you in others. According to Ryan, PS5 could be Sony’s final console—but also might not be.
What Jim Ryan Has to Say About Sony’s Final Console
Jim Ryan was interviewed by CNET, and had quite a lot to say about the present and future of gaming. At one point during the conversation, the interviewer asked, “Is this [PS5] the last console?”
Ryan responds, “What I think is: I actually don’t know. I’ve been around a while, and I sat there in 2012 and listened to all sorts of smart people tell me about mobile and that the PlayStation 4 was going to be the most terrible failure ever. The logic was actually hard to fault. But we believed in that product then, we believe in this next generation product now. Who knows how it might evolve? Hybrid models between console and some sort of cloud model? Possibly that. I just don’t know. And if I did know, I wouldn’t tell you.”
So that is a very vague answer. But it is also an open-minded one. Ryan is definitely looking towards the future. That theme runs through the entire interview (which is worth reading in its entirety). But he also is aware that the past matters—another theme that runs through the conversation. This is apparent when he talks about keeping the transition between PS4 and PS5 as seamless as possible and supporting cross-gen play.
So it seems like if there is going to be a console-less world, he might favour likewise making that transition as seamless as he can. That at least makes it hopeful it will not happen all at once. But who can say what the future will bring if not Ryan? Since he doesn’t know, we certainly don’t either.
Regarding the near future, there are a lot of rumors going around right now about both the price and capabilities of the PS5. You can find all of the latest updates and news on PlayStation 5 in our PlayStation news section. If Jim Ryan or anyone else over at Sony has any further comments about the future of gaming, you’ll find them there.