PlayStation’s priorities may shift from chasing better graphics to crafting “immersive narratives” over the coming years. This statement comes from PlayStation’s head of production and Head of Product, Asad Qizilbash, as part of Sony’s “Creative Entertainment Vision” project.
PlayStation to prioritize immersive experiences, including mixed reality
Qizilbash explained PlayStation’s long-term vision in an interview on the company’s website. “In terms of gaming’s future,” said Qizilbash, “I envision games becoming more personalized due to advances in technology and AI, enabling customized experiences for each player…The focus is going to shift from graphics or visuals to immersive narratives that resonate long after the controller is set down.”
This doesn’t mean that graphics will stop being important to PlayStation. Instead, Qizilbash says graphics have already reached a point where game assets could be seamlessly integrated into films and television. According to Qizilbash, Sony is uniquely well-equipped to capitalize on this potential.
He went on to describe how new technology will “democratize” media production and talked about the future he sees in mixed reality. The latter included immersive theme park experiences, which PlayStation is already experimenting with.
These themes were viable in Sony’s recent Creative Entertainment Vision video, which depicted where things could be ten years from now. It starts with a small group of developers creating a game using a VR workspace. Their project becomes a multimedia franchise with an attraction at a futuristic augmented reality PlayStation theme park.
Granted, Sony is engaging more than a little bit of creative license here. For example, the video’s holographic PlayStation controller seems a little impractical. Still, it matches what Qizilbash says about the company’s new focus on immersion and mixed reality.
