“The PS6 will include Steam and will offer all generations of PlayStation” This is not the first time that voices have been raised to imagine a PlayStation breaking with its closed model. But this time, the rumor comes from a very popular personality: HipHopGamer, aka Gerard Williams. “He imagines a system capable of booting with several modes, including a PC mode and a console mode”
A bold technical bet, between innovation and disruption
“The PS6 would benefit from FSR4 technology, continuing the integration of AI at Sony” For the most tech-savvy, the PS6 as described by HipHopGamer would be closer to a high-end custom PC, equipped with a Sony interface, than a traditional console. “A PlayStation Home-style social hub, offering players a real community universe”
The obstacles of such a project: savings, competition and credibility
Allowing its users to download their titles directly via the Valve store would mean giving up a significant part of the margins, except in the case of an unprecedented sharing agreement. “This is not a simple rumor but a real confirmation” Moreover, such a hybrid architecture would require a console much more expensive than current standards, not to mention the interface challenges, hardware compatibility, or licenses.
A Sony strategy already focused on the PC, but at what pace?
For several years, the firm has published its major licenses on Steam, with critical and commercial success. Hideaki Nishino, president of Sony Interactive Entertainment, confirmed that PC ports would continue.
But is this enough to lend credibility to native access to Steam on console? Nothing indicates this at the moment. Between the desire for technological breakthrough, community fantasy and economic constraints, the PS6 crystallizes all the challenges of the future generation.