Sony Will No Longer Be Hardware-Centric
Sony has announced a radical shift in its gaming business model, moving away from a hardware-centric strategy. The company aims to position PlayStation not simply as a console brand, but as a platform that grows the community and fosters user engagement. This move is part of a long-term plan to both maintain its existing player base and attract new users.
Sony Will Focus on Platforms Over Hardware
Sony Senior Vice President Sadahiko Hayakawa stated during a Q&A session with investors that PlayStation will now move away from a “hardware-centric business model” and become a community-focused platform.
According to the company’s latest financial report, 2.5 million PlayStation 5s were shipped in the quarter ending June 30, 2025. This figure brings the PS5’s total shipments to 80.3 million. However, during the same period, the PlayStation 4, with 82.4 million shipments, was 2.1 million units ahead of the PS5.
Speaking at the same session, Sony CFO Lin Tao acknowledged that live service game plans were not progressing as smoothly as expected. However, Tao emphasized that significant changes have been made in the long term and stated that they aim to learn from their mistakes and deliver more efficient content.
With this transformation, Sony plans to both increase the variety of in-game content and strengthen user engagement by emphasizing the versatility of the platform. This approach is being interpreted as an indicator of the company’s desire to grow not only through hardware sales but also through an ecosystem that fosters continuous engagement.
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