Former PlayStation heavyweight Shuhei Yoshida has revealed during the latest Vergecast that he feels Sony and Nintendo should keep the current-generation cycle going for as long as possible.
When asked about possible business models and pricing strategies we could see in the next generation of hardware, Yoshida-san suggested that rising costs means it would beneficial for console manufacturers to hold onto the current crop of hardware as long as possible. “Sony and Nintendo have sold enough,” the ex-PlayStation Indie boss stated. “Because of the cost of goods, they might be looking [at] pushing back the launch of next gen, and I think they should try to keep the current generation as long as possible, because I think people are very happy using PS5 and Switch 2.”
People have [a] finite budget, and it feels like PC and consoles, the components very specific to these devices have increased [in] price way more than all the other [forms] of entertainment. People who have systems like PS5, Switch 2, or PCs – you know, good enough PCs – probably will be happy to play games on them and not necessarily consider replacing.
I think that kind of thinking will happen to many people. I don’t think lots of people are asking for, ‘more power, we need more power!’ Or even [developers], I don’t think developers [are] asking, you know, ‘We need better hardware!’
I think that means that the current generation, Sony and Nintendo are going to do pretty well for many years to come, still.” With Xbox, Yoshida described the company as “a team who wants to change the competing landscape, so it’s going to be hard for them, but it’s their time to play. It’s very exciting, you know, what’s going to happen next year?“
Yoshida departed Sony after 30 years back in 2025, but has been very active on the interview circuit ever since to discuss a number of topics. For example, in July this year he touched base on why Sony decided to shut down SIE Japan Studio, explaining that its games simply didn’t push console sales. And, in July, the former PlayStation bigwig revealed that he was fired from his senior role with Sony’s Worldwide Studios because he “didn’t listen” to Jim Ryan, the then-CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment.
[Source – The Vergecast via GamesRadar]