Sony hopes PC players will buy PlayStations to play first-party single-player titles

Sony is bringing the ability to join Discord voice chat directly from the PS5 console. The PlayStation parent had rolled out Discord integration with PS5 in an update last year, but PS5 players had to use the messaging app on PC or mobile to initiate the connection. Now, players can jump into a Discord voice chat natively on their PS5. Sony had first revealed plans to integrate Discord in PlayStation consoles in 2021.

Communicating while in a Helldivers 2 party with friends will soon be easier than ever, as PlayStation announced Thursday that it’ll be rolling out built-in Discord voice chat to PlayStation 5 consoles.

PlayStation has upset fans with a controversial mandatory sign-up for its PC games, and with seemingly no plans to backtrack, it looks like Sony may no longer be as player-focused as it once touted. PlayStation has been a titan of the gaming industry since its first console launch back in 1994. In the 2000s the brand became synonymous with its tag-line "" but PlayStation may be ignoring its slogan with recent choices.

At last week’s State of Play presentation, we got our first good look at Concord, with Sony confirming that Firewalk Studios’ 5v5 hero shooter will be releasing for PlayStation and PC this August. Pre-orders are set to go live on June 6, which means details have yet to be formally shared on what the game’s pricing will be- though some regional pricing may have yielded some clues on that front.

One of the bigger stories in 2024 is how Helldivers 2 exploded in popularity to such a degree that Arrowhead decided to postpone a pre-planned PSN login requirement on PC. When the developer eventually attempted to enforce the feature, the Internet imploded, leading to such a fierce review bombing campaign that PlayStation was forced to backtrack.

One difference between the PS5 and PS4 is the rise of live service games. A dirty word among the most engaged enthusiasts, this is not a genre but merely a business model; it means titles are designed to evolve and improve over time, as opposed to offering one-and-done experiences. And it’s changing consumers’ relationship with their games, as demonstrated by this slide from PlayStation’s business segment meeting overnight.

Yet another update has arrived for Dragon's Dogma 2, bringing more positive adjustments to the open world RPG. However, there's still no sign of further improvements to the game's technical performance on PS5, which is already rubbing some players the wrong way.

As part of its business segment meeting overnight, Sony categorised all of its first-party studios based on the type of content they’ll be delivering. It divided its teams into four segments: Single Player Narrative Focus, Partner Studios, Evolving and Multi Genre, and Live Service Focus. Here’s how it divided its portfolio up:

Sony’s recent State of Play presentation came with plenty of first-party announcements, from Astro Bot to Concord to Until Dawn, but it seems like the company still has more news to share on that front. As per Midori, a prominent leaker, Sony has yet more first-party announcements to make in the very near future.

Though Sony didn’t have too many first-party heavy hitters at State of Play, it finally revealed Concord, Firewalk Studios’ competitive shooter. Launching August 23rd for PS5 and PC, the 5v5 title gives a Guardians of the Galaxy vibe with its distinct cast and sci-fi universe.

PC gamers in countries without PlayStation Network have expressed their frustration at Sony after the confirmation they cannot buy single-player games God of War Ragnarok and Until Dawn on Steam.

The PlayStation 5 is officially Sony's most profitable console generation to date, but after more than a decade of its life cycle, the PlayStation 4 still accounts for half of its player base.