With the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X launches right around the corner, some fans have been wondering how quickly Sony and Microsoft will drop support of their previous generation home consoles like PS4 and Xbox One.
Typically, platform holders like Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo have supported legacy platforms for several years after the launch of their newest hardware. Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Jim Ryan talked up their post-PlayStation 5 launch support, for PlayStation 4.
Ryan said (via WaPo) the PlayStation 4 will be “incredibly important” for another three or four years. “Many will transition to PS5, we hope if we do our job well, but tens of millions will still be engaged with the PS4,” he said.
“No one should be disappointed,” Ryan said plainly. “The PS5 versions of those games are built from the ground up to take advantage of the PS5 feature set, and we have an upgrade path for PS4 users to get the PS5 versions for free. It’s about people having choice. I’m really quite pleased about the situation.”