PlayStation CEO wants PlayStation 4 owners to quickly upgrade to PlayStation 5

By Aaron Mamiit Updated April 25, 2023

PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan wants PlayStation 4 owners to upgrade as soon as possible to the PlayStation 5, which hints at what gamers may expect from the next-generation console.

Sony has confirmed that the PlayStation 5 will roll out in the holiday season of 2020, so PlayStation 4 owners will have to wait about a year for the system. Once the console is released, Ryan said he hopes the transition will be seamless.

“As we move towards the next-generation in 2020, one of our tasks — probably our main task — is to take that community and transition it from PlayStation 4 to PlayStation 5, and at a scale and pace that we’ve never delivered on before,” said Ryan in an interview with Games Industry.

There remain many questions surrounding the upcoming console, including whether it is worth it to buy it on the first day. Sony clearly wants as many PlayStation 4 owners as possible to make that decision.

Ryan’s comment suggests Sony is planning a massive launch to achieve that targeted “scale and pace” in getting PlayStation 4 owners to upgrade to the new console. One important factor that will come into play is the price, so Ryan may be hinting that the PlayStation 5 will be more affordable than expected.

Another possible driving force for quick upgrades would be an attractive library of games that will be available upon the new console’s launch. This is apparently possible, as Ryan said that developers and publishers are having fun with their spaceship-looking development kits.

“One thing that makes me particularly optimistic that what we’re hearing from developers and publishers, is the ease in which they are able to get code running on PlayStation 5 is way beyond any experience they’ve had on any other PlayStation platform.”

Ryan added that Sony is also planning a global campaign for the PlayStation 5 launch, which should get the console in more hands as soon as it launches.

There are still many unconfirmed details about the PlayStation 5, such as how backward compatibility will work for the new console, and whether the rumors are true that it will be released alongside the PlayStation 5 Pro. One thing is for sure though, and that is Sony wants PlayStation 4 owners to start saving up for an upgrade.

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