In an interview on the YouTube channel “The Expansion Pass,” Sean Rayden, former chairman of SIE Worldwide Studios (now PlayStation Studios), shared his views on the pricing of next-generation consoles such as the PS6 and the new Xbox “Project Helix.”
What Features Will Make You Willing to Open Your Wallet for Next-Gen Consoles?
Sean Layden joined Sony in 1987 and, after serving as an assistant to founder Akio Morita, transferred to Sony Computer Entertainment in 1996.He subsequently served as CEO of SCEA and Chairman of SIE Worldwide Studios, and has been a long-standing pillar of the PlayStation franchise, having been involved in greenlighting titles such as *Horizon* and the 2018 *God of War*.
During this interview, Mr. Layden was asked whether the next-generation consoles might be extremely expensive.Prefacing his remarks by noting that he had not spoken with Sony or Xbox designers and engineers and was unaware of their development roadmaps, he expressed doubt that consumers would be willing to part with $1,000 simply for enhanced ray tracing and improved teraflops (processing power) figures.
He went on to compare the evolution from the original PlayStation to the PlayStation 2 to the transition from VHS to DVD, explaining that the difference was so significant that once you watched a DVD, you could never go back to VHS.On the other hand, he noted that the curve of progress through generational shifts has since flattened, and he questioned whether simply making things “faster and more colorful” would no longer be enough to differentiate products.
He also drew a parallel with the automotive industry, noting that after reaching a certain level of performance, progress has shifted to other areas, and argued that significant innovation in gaming consoles should not be limited to mere improvements in processing power.
Regarding the prices of these game consoles, according to a July 2026 survey of the U.S. gaming market released by market research firm Circana, the average selling price of hardware rose 16% year-over-year to $542, while unit sales fell 39%.Spending also fell by 29% to $282 million, reportedly marking the lowest level for July since 2020.
Given the rising average retail prices of game consoles, and considering Mr. Raiden’s views and the current market conditions, it appears that for next-generation consoles, it will be crucial for manufacturers not only to improve performance but also to create value that justifies the price and effectively communicate that value to consumers.
￥55,000
(価格・在庫状況は記事公開時点のものです)
