It goes without saying that Sony is in a strong position heading into this next console generation. They outsold the Xbox 2:1 last generation and some analysts predict they'll do the same this time around with the PS5 versus the various Xbox Series models. Everyone expects Sony will continue to have rock solid first party releases this coming generation and yet…something seems to have shifted the past few weeks.
All Microsoft's efforts to paint themselves as "pro-consumer" are starting to bear fruit, while Sony, staying with the industry standards or even moving in the opposite direction, is starting to feel a little "anti-consumer" to some potential players in contrast.
LinkThis is Sony's current problem. It's not that the PS5 isn't attractive in terms of features and price, or that Sony's games aren't going to continue to be good. But at a certain point, all of Microsoft's programs and features and subscriptions full of brand new games are going to add up and equal an overall "next gen experience" that Sony is currently not building, and seems to have no interest in building. Xbox is providing tremendous value for players to stay in its ecosystem, while it's starting to feel like Sony is banking on the loyalty of its fans to put up with things like paying twice for remasters or $70 for brand new games. Maybe that gamble will work, but I can feel many players starting to get frustrated, given the clear alternatives Xbox is offering which Sony is not even attempting to match.
Article goes in details about the the recent price hikes to $70, no clear upgrade path for recent games like TLoU II and GoT, Xbox PR dunking on PS5s fuck-ups, and etc.
The recent Spiderman news in particular seems to have been a step too far, even for Sony, according to the author~