As 2025 draws to a close, a stark reality faces PlayStation 5 owners: a year with just one major internally-developed Sony release. This scarcity has prompted a passionate reader, Ashton Marley, to outline three pivotal issues he believes Sony must urgently address in 2026 to reclaim its former glory.
A Call for Quantity and Variety in First-Party Games
The reader acknowledges that the solution isn't just making more games, but it's a fundamental part of it. With only 'Ghost of Yotei' as a major first-party title in 2025, and a pattern of one or two releases in recent years, the risk of alienating fans is high. If a player isn't interested in the specific franchise on offer—like the upcoming Wolverine game—they may go an entire year without a compelling Sony exclusive.
The plea is for both quality and diversity. The PlayStation 4 era was criticised for an over-reliance on third-person narrative adventures, a problem magnified when the annual output is so slim. The argument is clear: if exclusive games are the primary reason to choose a PS5 over a PC, those exclusives must be plentiful and varied enough to justify the investment.
Repurpose, Don't Dismantle: A Future for Bungie
The feature turns to the precarious state of Bungie, acquired by Sony in a high-profile deal. The reader describes the studio as "a dead developer walking," expecting it to be shut down and its talent dispersed across Sony's other teams. However, they propose a different path.
Instead of closure due to the commercial struggles of live-service titles, Sony should overhaul Bungie's management and task it with creating a new single-player experience. This would align with what the reader sees as Sony quietly stepping back from its live-service obsession. The core idea is to preserve the legacy and talent of a long-running developer by redirecting it towards Sony's traditional strength: premium, narrative-driven games.
Delay the PlayStation 6 and Focus on a Portable PS5
Addressing early rumours of the next console, the reader urges Sony to delay the PlayStation 6. They cite two major hurdles: a likely high price point and a lack of a transformative leap in power. The suggestion is to boost the current platform through price cuts—as seen recently—and a stronger library of 'killer app' games.
The proposed alternative is to concentrate efforts on the rumoured portable PlayStation 5 device. Such a product, the reader argues, would generate more consumer interest, be more affordable than a next-gen console, and creatively extend the PS5's lifecycle with a genuinely new form factor. The recent success of niche consoles like the Nex Playground is cited as a warning; it demonstrates market vulnerability that a giant like Amazon or Apple could exploit if Sony's focus wavers.
By reader Ashton Marley, this feature serves as a direct appeal for a strategic shift at Sony—from perceived complacency back to the innovative and engaged spirit that defined its earlier generations.
