It's still insanely early in the PlayStation 4's career, and already there have been talks about how developers down the line will slowly start utilizing the console’s power. However, what does that tell us about life cycle of the new console as opposed to its PS3 predecessor? Sony says the new console’s life cycle could be ‘compressed’ compared to past console releases.
Sony UK’s Fergal Gara was recently in an interview with Tech Radar where he talked about the power of the new PS4, and answered some queries about the current life cycle of the console.
"I think there's reasons to believe that the next cycle might be shorter in markets such as the UK. It's probably a sign of the times and how much has changed in seven years, but I think the willingness and the appetite to pick up new technology fast has probably changed quite a bit," Gara stated.
On a similar note, executive vice-president of EA Studios Patrick Soderlund already reckons that the new generation will only last 5-6 years.
Speaking with MCV, Soderlund said: "This console cycle may have gone on a little bit longer than I would have wanted. At the same time, you have seen games like The Last of Us and GTA V at the end of a cycle which perhaps you would not have expected a few years ago. But a five, six year gap is what I expect going forward."
Gara also added that while the PS4 looks ahead to the future with big ideas in mind, it’s still too early to tell as to what the future holds for the console, although Sony has faith in it.
“We're going to have a much better feel for it once we're a good few months in and we can see how the dynamics are emerging," he stated.
While the console has seen major popularity from fans in its initial days, the company still has a threat from existing competitions like Microsoft’s Xbox One and the likes of Valve’s upcoming Steam-powered machine.
"What we do know is that the uptake [of the PS4] is going to be very sharp. Does that mean this is going to be a much bigger cycle? Maybe. Or it might mean that it's just a bit more compressed into the first few years, that the latter years are a little softer," he added.
