It was recently announced that Sony would, in fact, continue supporting the PlayStation 3 and PS Vita online marketplaces despite announcing their closures earlier this year. Although the news has most PlayStation fans ecstatic, some gamers are still hesitant to get behind Sony due to their recent controversial business strategies.
Recent reports state that Sony passed on a Days Gone sequel for a The Last of Us remake, a remake very few gamers want. PlayStation higher-ups reportedly want to focus on big-budget AAA blockbusters rather than smaller indie titles and development teams. Many gamers are worried about the direction Sony seems to be going and would like to see the gaming giant return to its courageous roots.
Smaller video games and development studios have played a pivotal role in PlayStation's legacy. Games like Oddworld: Abe's Odyssey and PaRappa the Rapper gave gamers abstract experiences that helped launch the original PlayStation into mainstream stardom. The PS2 continued the tradition with a slew of unconventional titles that pushed the medium into exciting new directions.
Unfortunately, Sony seems to be drifting further away from its rebellious roots with the launch of the PlayStation 5. It's slowly replacing all its up-and-coming studios with big-name developers with established IPs. It's less willing to take chances on budding developers with ambitious ideas than ever before, causing many long-time fans to lose faith in the company.
Some of the biggest games of the last decade came from indie studios with innovative concepts. Games like Minecraft and Undertale became worldwide sensations without multimillion-dollar budgets. Sony could potentially miss out on the next big indie hit if it continues pushing smaller developers off its platform.
The PS5 needs a well-rounded library of AAA and indie titles if it wants to be as iconic as the previous PlayStation consoles. Pigeonholing the system to AAA experiences will only limit its appeal, causing many long-time fans to jump ship to rival consoles with broader libraries. Most gamers enjoy having a wide range of games that offer different experiences. The PS1 and PS2's eclectic library is one reason gamers look back at the consoles so fondly. Limiting the PlayStation 5 to a specific game type will do nothing but hurt the system in the long run.
Video game preservation is becoming a hot topic within the gaming community. While other companies like Microsoft are taking steps to preserve their history, Sony seems to be leaving theirs behind. Many gamers are worried that hundreds of digital exclusives will become lost if Sony doesn't take the necessary measures to preserve its titles. This was one of the biggest concerns with the PS3 and PS Vita online marketplaces shutting down. Now that Sony is going back on its original decision, many fans hope it will start conserving its extensive backlog.
Sony is slowly turning into a shell of its former self. Its days of risk-taking in the name of innovation seem to be behind it as Sony moves into the next console generation. However, all hope isn't lost for the once-great video game giant. It can still be the rebellious video game company gamers know and love if it just returned to its roots. Keeping the PlayStation 3 and PS Vita online store alive is a great first step in redemption, but it's going to take more than that if Sony doesn't want to tarnish its iconic legacy.