PlayStation is moving away from its hardware-centric model. The company says it’s “moving from a hardware-centric business to a platform that expands community and increases engagement.” We take a closer look at what this might mean for the brand’s future.

For years, PlayStation’s identity has been built on powerful consoles and generation-defining exclusives. Now, that concept is beginning to change: the company has officially stated its intention to expand far beyond its main console, aiming to grow its community and boost engagement—perfectly in line with today’s gaming trends.

In its most recent investor call, Senior Vice President Sadahiko Hayakawa (around 8:41) announced that PlayStation is “moving away from a hardware-centric business model and moving towards a platform business model that expands community and increases engagement.” This comes as the PS5 tops 80 million units sold, with the company still investing heavily in video games, music, and anime.

While the executive’s statement is a bit cryptic, it’s clear that PlayStation is looking for more participation from its fanbase on platforms and services beyond its own console. This lines up with moves like Helldivers 2 launching on Xbox Series X|S (with PlayStation’s blessing), and the hiring of a new director for multiplatform third-party relations—as well as growing mentions of PlayStation Studios titles for PC and Xbox. The trend is obvious: PlayStation is pivoting its strategy, at least in part.

What Might PlayStation’s New Strategy Look Like?

As Microsoft pushes its games to more devices and into the cloud, PlayStation is likely to expand its own service network and game catalog. Sony insists this doesn’t mean abandoning the console, but rather finding a new balance where its platform model increases community engagement. In the short term, that might mean seeing some PS5 exclusives ported to PC much faster than before.

Looking further ahead, Sony could adopt a more selective strategy, bringing some of its own titles to other platforms like Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. This seems especially likely for live-service games, while the company will stay choosier with single-player story-driven exclusives. It also wouldn’t be surprising to see Sony launch its own PC platform or cut more aggressive deals with third-party stores to improve margins.

Source: 3djuegos