We all know that Sony has done a lot to really hit it out of the park in this generation. Far from the stumbling beginning of the PS3, the PS4 jumped right into the lead with its greater focus on games over greed and invasive DRM, but we have to wonder where they can possibly go from here. One such way is the potential opening of the PlayStation as a more open environment, both in terms of multiplayer and in game or app development as a whole. How could they do this, and what would the benefits of these changes be?

Crossing Platforms

Cross-platform multiplayer is not a new development by any means. We remember the early days of facing off in Quake 3 on PC against Dreamcast players, but following that experiment, we saw a bit of a lull. In the most modern generation, however, console and PC developers have shown a huge willingness in cooperating to offer cross-platform gaming experience, although in this, Sony are falling unfortunately behind.

“Sega Dreamcast (front)” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by bochalla

Opening up for Development

In our opinion, the first steps towards opening the PlayStation up as a development platform have already occurred. We can really see this through how the online store has changed recently, for better or for worse. While we would certainly enjoy a greater level of quality control when it comes to what gets put up on this store, we can’t help but appreciate that the lower barriers to entry come a long way in terms of helping lesser-known developers increase their visibility and reach.

Similarly, we would like to see the system see these same changes when it comes to apps. While the PS4 already has access to some major ones like Netflix and Crunchyroll, it would be great if this was opened up further to a level closer to what we see with mobile infrastructure. Mobiles started off incredibly limited, after all, but recent developments have opened them up to an incredible range of apps, from GPS tracking and map apps like CoPilot to online game hosting and community systems like with the Plarium game app, or the formerly PC-only example of Steam. Again, this would require a greater effort on Sony’s part in terms of quality control, but the end benefit to a positive user experience would be undeniable.

“Steam Bundles Will Decrease Based on You” (CC BY 2.0) by BagoGames

Forging Ahead

While we’ve seen different versions of consoles in the previous generations, this generation’s expansion into the PS4 Pro and the various Xbox systems is on an entirely different level. The rules of the industry are changing, and the face of what we expect is changing alongside them. As to what form the future of PlayStation development will look like, we don’t yet know, but we do hope for one with a greater focus on a free system than ever before. It might not allow Sony the strength of grip to which they are now used, but we believe the benefits to the end-user are far too undeniable to ignore.