Sony is slowly saying goodbye to the PS4 – and that’s a good thing
53 percent of German gamers still have a PS4. The last-gen model is still the most popular console in Germany. Nevertheless, Sony seems to be slowly saying goodbye to the approximately 10-year-old device – at least that’s what the current overview of the upcoming PlayStation games for 2023 suggests.
Gaming year 2023: a lot for the PS5, hardly anything for the PS4
2023 looks set to be the gaming year when the next-gen train (now likely renamed the current-gen train) finally picks up steam. Microsoft and Sony’s console bottleneck seems to be history. The Xbox Series X has been available for purchase online and directly in stores for some time now, and the PS5 is also relatively easy to get hold of in the form of bundles.
Sony doesn’t seem to have missed it either. As part of a blog entry, the company presents 23 games and DLCs that are due to be released for the PlayStation consoles later this year. The special feature: the majority of them are only developed for the PS5. PS4 players can only look forward to eight of the 23 announced game content. Here is the complete list at a glance:
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 – PS5
- Horizon: Call of the Mountain – PS5 / PSVR 2
- Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League – PS5
- Hogwarts Legacy – PS4 / PS5
- Resident Evil 4 Remake – PS4 / PS5
- Assassin’s Creed Mirage – PS4 / PS5
- SEASON: A letter to the future – PS4 / PS5
- STAR WARS Jedi: Survivor – PS5
- Final Fantasy XVI – PS5
- Stellar Blade – PS5
- Tchia – PS4 / PS5
- Wild Hearts – PS5
- Destiny 2: Lightfall – PS4 / PS5
- Firewall Ultra – PS5 / PSVR 2
- Dead Space – PS5
- Forspoken – PS5
- Street Fighter 6 – PS4 / PS5
- Eternity’s – PS4 / PS5
- Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores – PS5
- SYNDUALITY – PS5
- The Lords of the Fallen – PS5
- Pacific Drive – PS5
- Alone in the Dark – PS5
You can also check out the full PlayStation games announcement in this short video:
PS4 is playing second fiddle to Sony – Commentary by Robert Kohlick
What can be clearly seen from this overview: The PS4 is becoming less and less important for Sony. No wonder, after all, the company is planning no later than 2025 not to produce any more games for the PS4. And now that the console bottleneck is finally over, there’s also an opportunity for all players to switch to the new PS5 – at least if they have the wherewithal to do so. After all, Sony tightened the price again a few months ago.
In the coming years, Xbox Series and PS5 should make up a few places here:
And even if not every gamer has switched to the PlayStation 5, Sony’s decision is definitely to be welcomed. Because now it should the outdated technology of the PS4 can only be a block on the leg for the developers. It’s not just about opulent graphics and high refresh rates. Also, unique gameplay mechanics may have to be abandoned during development if studios find they simply can’t implement them on the last-gen hardware.
All the better that Sony is slowly turning its back on its own past and is finally fully dedicated to the future – even if this decision is likely to anger old-established PS4 players. Ultimately, if you don’t keep up with the times, you will keep up with the times.
