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[LectureMaster]

I have been a big PS fan, played most of my games on the platform. I loved the ecosystem, the variety and quality of their games.

But as of recently, I turn on the console less. Feels like the PS magic is fading away. This is no melodramatic reaction, but a gradually waning interest. Over time, mainly since 2022, I found that:

• The PS Plus service offers far less value than before, or compared to competitors.

For an annual price of $135, the PS Plus Extra offers a far lesser catalog than the competitors. Each month 10+ games leave, but new arrivals never make up for the quality. Just look at the last three months. For the first time in 10 years, I stopped renewing my sub in March.

And then hardware. I never mind spending big, as long as the products offer good value. Based on the info out there so far, I don't think PS5 Pro is the case. I was dead firm to get it on day one, but now, I am holding off to see more about how much the PSSR can actually do.

• The customer service is a nightmare to deal with.

It's genuinely mindboggling that a giant like Sony on the market, has this unfathomable abysmal customer service. For once I lost a digital game's license for no reason, I contacted them, I provided the receipt directly from PSN store, and after one hour of back and forth, all they could advise, was to ask me to factor reset my console. It's been 9 months, I never heard back. And of course there was a time when I needed to claim the warranty for a drifting stick DualSense. There never was an easy path to navigate on the website for the purpose, and I had to call the hardware service number right at 8 am, because any other time, you stayed in the waiting line forever. And at least I was lucky to get the warranty honored. There are folks never able to.

• The states of current first-party studios are unclear, and I don't know what to anticipate.

And this is probably the final straw. after all, we love a console because of the games on it. Honestly, I had a great time with PS5, 2020 - 2022. The DualSense is magical, the graphics in Demons' Souls, Rift Apart, and Forbidden West are all breathtaking.
The downtime started in 2023, the mediocre showcase followed by debacles of their service game strategy. So far, we don't know a single project from any of PS's prestige studios (other than more Marvel from Insomniac). I am confident when the games from ND, SP, Bluepoint et al. come out, they will be great, but how long will it take? We used to have 2 - 3 high quality first party games every year.


I feel like I didn't want to go anywhere, but still drifting away from the console in the meantime. All I hope is that the Japanese take back all leadership of Playstation, and steer the brand towards what used to make it special.

 

[Crew511A]

Pfft, try being an Xbox fan if you want to experience desolation.

 

[Dr.Morris79]

Have you tried those PC things yet. I heard they're swell.

 

[Hrk69]

 

[unclbenn]

PlayStation is gonna blow us away this year

 

[rabbity-thing]

It'll be okay, man.

 

[Shane89]

 

[PauloRoberto]

I did not knwo this forum was a airport lounge.. i mean, you do not need to announce a departure and such, you know.

 

[KURDISTAN YPG]

I just dont like xbox controller, only thing that keeps me from buyong 1 over playstation

 

[The Fartist]

I've been drifting away from gaming in general the last 10 years, but I can't help but keep staying here and staying in touch with what's going on, I'm even buying a PS5 Pro in November, just because I can. I just can't give it up entirely, it's been a part of me (gaming) since I was 4 with the NES. I've built a few gaming PCs in the last six years, and I had more fun building than actually playing. It's complicated.

 

[LectureMaster]

Have you tried those PC things yet. I heard they're swell.

Yeah, I have been PC gaming all time, mainly for MMO and online. For single player games I just prefer couch and console. Recently hooked my PC to my LG G4 as well, it's great, but it does require some troubleshooting every now and then.

 

[Nankatsu]

In the midst of chaos and all the Pro turbulence, this is actually a good take from the OP.

I still game on my PS5, but many of the points you've pointed out I agree with them.

Gaming is part of me, but it just doesn't kick in like it used too.

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

Stay strong, my friend. The days of the Dutch surfer are numbered. The Fairgames wave will sink him into the abyss where he belongs.

 

[Muffdraul]

How poetic.

 

[Hrk69]

I just dont like xbox controller, only thing that keeps me from buyong 1 over playstation

You can always look into converters for the controller. They work really well.

 

[Little Mac]

Someone needs Astro Bot in their life …

 

[blastprocessor]

PlayStation is gonna blow us away this year

They sure did with the PS5 Pro price.

 

[JaksGhost]

If you stopped renewing in March why do you care what's left the service after that? Did you really leave?!

 

[K' Dash]

Pfft, try being an Xbox fan if you want to experience desolation.

Yup.

 

[twilo99]

Drift right into a new PC build..

 

[Buggy Loop]

PC is the solution

 

[gothmog]

This reads like a presentation.

 

[PauloRoberto]

I did not know this forum was a airport... i mean, you do not need to announce a departure and such.

 

[Bonfires Down]

They’ve had two 90+ metascore exclusives this year, plus the highly popular Helldivers. Maybe they are not to your taste, but they exist.

 

[Danjin44]

I have PlayStation mostly for 3rd party games and Team ASOBI…..I don’t give a fuck about rest of their western first party games.

 

[Msamy]

PlayStation is gonna blow us away this year

Maybe in 2027 lol,

 

[Judge Magister]

 

[Vyse]

PlayStation is always going to have games that people want to play.

 

[tmlDan]

once they announce the new games from their top studios you'll come crawling back

 

[El Muerto]

This gen makes me want to go to PC full time. I have a gaming pc, spend half my time on it. I also have a PS5 and Series X and S. I buy every console that comes out. But Microsoft can't make up its mind if they want to go cloud or keep doing consoles. Sony is becoming like Apple with the high prices and addons.

 

[DaleinCalgary]

 

[tmlDan]

This gen makes me want to go to PC full time. I have a gaming pc, spend half my time on it. I also have a PS5 and Series X and S. I buy every console that comes out. But Microsoft can't make up its mind if they want to go cloud or keep doing consoles. Sony is becoming like Apple with the high prices and addons.

At least the PS fans show their dislike of something, apple fans are a psychotic mob

 

[MarkMe2525]

I did not knwo this forum was a airport lounge.. i mean, you do not need to announce a departure and such, you know.

I did not know this forum was a airport... i mean, you do not need to announce a departure and such.

Where you so impressed with your quip that you had to post it twice?

 

[Danjin44]

once they announce the new games from their top studios you'll come crawling back

Their only top studio already released their game and it was Astro Bot……I don’t care about what their western devs release.

 

[MatrixReloaded101]

You might just not be into video games as much at the moment. Why don’t you just take a break from gaming?

At the end of the day, your spot on about Sony not having enough first party games and the future being unclear but there are still enough good games to play at the moment which makes me think this isn’t really a Sony issue.

 

[Three]

If you stopped renewing in March why do you care what's left the service after that? Did you really leave?!

Not to mention Plucky Squire is just a few days away from launching into PS+. It's not like new games aren't being added. September is a good month.

 

[Guilty_AI]

I never understood the "magic" thing people bring up.

 

[LectureMaster]

This reads like a presentation.

LMAO, pardon me. After all, I need represent my ID.

 

[KINGMOKU]

Funny. I was drifting towards them after Microsoft(xbox) started imploding, then I saw the price of the pro.

Now I'm stuck on a deserted island, with a fucking volleyball.

 

[MarkMe2525]

I never understood the "magic" thing people bring up.

Maybe not as much today, but in the 80's through the early 2000's, the leaps in complexity and fidelity really did feel magical. It really hit hard seeing NFL2k for the first time, my jaw dropped. Then seeing Madden 2001 on the PS2 the following year. It was mind blowing.

 

[CLW]

 

[lughnasadh123]

The price increases have me annoyed, particularly with PS+ getting a significant hike while still waiting for a bunch of first party stuff to land on it.

 

[Generic]

Same, I'm with Sony since the PS1 days but the PS4 was underwhelming and the PS5 is too expensive.

 

[BlackTron]

As a PC/ Nintendo guy who just kind of has Xbox and Playstations laying around as side pieces-

lol how do you guys live like this who main these machines?

 

[Guilty_AI]

Maybe not as much today, but in the 80's through the early 2000's, the leaps in complexity and fidelity really did feel magical. It really hit hard seeing NFL2k for the first time, then seeing Madden 2001 on the PS2 the following year. It was mind blowing.

Yeah i remember drooling over NFSMW visuals or Flatout physics back then too, but that "magic" was more of a game/tech thing than a console specific thing.

 

[Skifi28]

When you leave, can I have your stuff?

 

[Matsuchezz]

This is a Phil Spencer alt account. Hilarious…

 

[ZehDon]

I was with PlayStation last gen, but by the end of that generation, it was clear their direction wasn't much for me. This generation - PlayStation and Xbox - has been probably the worst generation overall. The hardware is there, but the games are all last-gen hold overs or un-optimised UE5 games. Consoles have been left behind and, for me, PC gaming has never been easier or better to get in to. A quality gaming PC will last nearly a decade and outperform the consoles universally. When we get eyes on Microsoft's handheld, I'll decide if I want to stay in that eco-system - but even that eco-system is a PC / Xbox hybrid. Unfortunately, this generation PlayStation has also started to re-position itself as the "Premium" console. They want to be Apple: charge more, offer less, and putting the "PlayStation" brand on something automatically increases its price. With Microsoft backing out of the console platform space, I don't see good things in the future of consoles, which just reinforces my decision to game on PC. Anyway, this generation has shown me there's a finite number of days left in the traditional console market.

 

[King Dazzar]

LectureMaster its fine to have more than one platform. Whilst I really like just focusing on one primary platform. I like to take a break and play on something else. If nothing else using another controller helps. Sounds like you like PS, so stay with it, but just spend time on your other one.

Btw, I agree, their customer service is appalling.

 

[March Climber]

I never understood the "magic" thing people bring up.

It’s called nostalgia. It can’t be beaten and it has a perfect win record vs every human on earth.