The CEO of PlayStation doesn't believe console gaming is dead, and neither should you. Falling console sales, the rapidly declining practice of console exclusivity, and the advent of cloud gaming have caused some players to revive a familiar argument: that the age of console gaming is well and truly over. There may be some merit to the argument, as there are some worrying trends running rampant in the industry. But console gaming as a whole is far from dead, and one of the industry's heaviest hitters is here to prove it.

In an interview with Famitsu, translated by MP1st, Sony Interactive Entertainment Platform Business Group's CEO Hideaki Nishino reaffirmed that console gaming is here to stay, at least in his business plan. Regardless of which direction the industry appears to be moving in, he said, "there is no doubt that home video game consoles will remain at the center of our business for some time.” He cites the fact that games are still coming out for the console - and still being played - as evidence of the PS5's success, and the console market's continued viability.

Why Do People Think Consoles Are Dying?

A Slow Start To Sales, End Of Exclusivity, & Cloud Gaming

There are many reasons that a casual observer might be convinced console gaming is a dying trend. First and foremost, the current console generation got a slow start, at least financially. PS5 and Xbox Series X/S sales were low in the first few years after their launch. A global chip shortage that made it difficult for manufacturers to source the requisite components, leading to general console scarcity, and limited restocks that would sell out in mere moments. But recent financial reports from Sony have demonstrated that PS5 sales are catching up, with more than 65 million PS5 consoles sold.

In addition, the practice of console exclusivity has begun to decline in recent years. Although there are some outliers like STALKER 2, most games that start their lives as PlayStation or Xbox exclusives eventually make their way to PC. One of the biggest PS5 exclusives of 2024, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is due out on Steam on January 23, and one of the biggest Xbox exclusives, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, was available day-one on PC, and is expected to come to PS5 sometime this year.

So yes, exclusivity is on the decline, but sales numbers suggest that's not the only factor that drives people to purchase consoles. But what about cloud gaming? Xbox has been pushing its cloud gaming functions for some time now, and rightfully so - it's an excellent service that effectively makes much of the console's library portable, and allows players to enjoy Xbox games even if they don't own the console.

But cloud gaming is still flawed, especially when it comes to players without constant, reliable access to high-speed internet, or online games that require fast decisions. And as far as PlayStation is concerned, cloud gaming isn't a threat to their consoles. As Hideaki Nishino says in his Famitsu interview: "if you have cloud gaming on PS Portal and PS5 games running, some people may think that we have already entered the era of cloud gaming. However, you still need a controller and a screen in your hand, and we believe that hardware will not disappear just yet."

Our Take: Consoles Should Always Have A Place In The Market

Consoles Aren't Going Anywhere

You may insist the console era is over, but I still don't believe it. While cloud gaming may become more of a threat in the future, in its present state, it's just not developed enough to replace console gaming completely. And this argument completely ignores two of the biggest reasons people still choose consoles over PC: cost and accessibility.

Gaming PCs are expensive - they're expensive to buy, and, if you buy a customizable one, they're expensive to upkeep. By comparison, consoles are a lot cheaper, and they don't require near as much expenditure to stay viable amid an ever-developing market of games. When you buy a console, you're buying a promise that this piece of hardware will remain current and competitive throughout the rest of the generation. You don't get that kind of long-term security with a PC.

And besides that, the beauty of buying a console is that it's plug and play. You don't need to assemble its components yourself or deal with drivers. Of course, some players (myself included) love that sense of customization and freedom, but not everyone does. Especially for younger players, there's great value in the simplicity of console setup.

So no, I don't believe the age of the video game console is over, either. I believe that we'll continue to see improvements in cloud gaming and a decline in exclusivity, but I don't think either of those trends are poised to kill consoles completely, at least not yet. On this issue, PlayStation has it right.

Sources: Famitsu, MP1st, Sony