Why Are Many Disappointed with the PlayStation 5 Generation — and Is It Really That Bad?

PlayStation 5 has entered the final stage of its lifecycle, which Sony a year ago. Meanwhile, fan disappointment is evident: if you actively follow gaming communities, you've likely noticed how dissatisfied gamers are with the current generation. Journalists and bloggers have also published plenty of critical articles and videos on the subject. However, Sony is satisfied with the console’s performance, as the company reported in its latest financial statement. Let's examine why PlayStation 5 is being criticized and why, most likely, the negativity won’t have much impact.

PlayStation fans’ frustration often boils down to the idea that there’s nothing to play on the system. It’s important to clarify that, in most cases, this refers to a lack of exclusives — AAA games made solely for the PS5.

Indeed, if we consider exclusives in the traditional sense, PlayStation 5 can be seen as somewhat disappointing. A large portion of its library is also available on PC, albeit with delayed ports. Additionally, major releases like God of War: Ragnarok and Horizon Forbidden West launched not only on the current generation but also on PlayStation 4.

For almost the entire first cycle of the PS5’s existence, PS4 owners could play many of the same new titles as those with more powerful hardware. The need to upgrade has become more relevant only recently, and even now, only to some extent. Those who own a powerful PC still have little reason to buy a PlayStation 5.

The frequency of Sony’s game releases, regardless of platform exclusivity, also leaves some players dissatisfied. Additionally, many gamers complain that in this generation, the company has hardly experimented with new IPs or revived classic franchises like Resistance. However, Sony has no problem selling remasters of already beautiful and relevant projects, as seen in this list of the most pointless remasters and remakes.

Of course, not all PlayStation users share the belief that there’s nothing to play. If PS5 is your only gaming system, you’ll find hundreds of exciting virtual experiences that can last for thousands of hours. The console fully supports backward compatibility with PlayStation 4, and the lack of exclusives is offset by multiplatform releases.

Rumors that Sony’s next console could launch as early as 2027 have fueled disappointment among PS5 owners. Many are puzzled — why so soon? In reality, it’s not that soon — after all, PlayStation 5 will turn five years old this year.

However, it’s easy to understand why players feel like the current generation has barely started. First, due to massive demand and supply shortages, many gamers struggled for years to get a PS5. Second, because of Sony’s prolonged commitment to cross-platform projects for PlayStation 4, the potential of the current generation remains largely untapped.

Even if Sony wanted to release games more frequently, it’s hardly feasible. Today, developing high-budget blockbusters requires significantly more time and resources than before. This is the new reality the industry has been moving toward for years. While during the PS3 era, a studio like Naughty Dog could release four games per generation, in the PS4 era, that number was halved. For PlayStation 5, it looks like Naughty Dog will release just one entirely new project — Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.

That said, Sony has little reason to change its current approach to console-exclusive development. Why should they, when PlayStation 5 is performing exceptionally well? According to the latest report, the company shipped 9.5 million consoles over the last holiday season and more than 20 million throughout 2024. These numbers are on par with PlayStation 4’s sales but even more impressive, considering the higher base price of the PS5.

Moreover, Sony has effectively won the console war against Microsoft. In 2024, fewer than three million Xbox Series units were sold. Microsoft has stopped actively promoting its consoles, and Phil Spencer explicitly stated in an interview that the company is no longer focused on exclusives.

Defeating its primary competitor relieves pressure from Sony. Of course, there’s still Nintendo, but its devices have long occupied a different market niche and cater to a different gaming demographic.

Lack of competition leads to stagnation. If Sony secures a monopoly in its niche, it’s more reasonable to expect fewer exclusives from a company resting on its laurels rather than more. In fact, according to rumors, the Japanese giant recently canceled several unannounced live-service games. This means some of Sony’s studios are only now beginning work on new projects.

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If we look at financial performance — the key metric for any corporation — PS5’s generation isn’t a failure but an astounding success. The apparent lack of exclusives doesn’t seem to matter much to most buyers. At the same time, it’s understandable why some PlayStation fans find this generation dull. There’s not much to reassure you — except maybe the assumption that even after the PS6 launches, support for the current system will continue for another 3-4 years. So, by 2030, PlayStation 5 might still have an impressive library of Sony blockbusters.

What do you think about PlayStation 5? Share your thoughts in the comments.