‘PS5 Has Put a Dampener on Gaming’: 45% of Enthusiasts ‘Seriously Considering’ Leaving Sony for PC – Push Square

One of the big stories of the generation has been the rise of PC gaming, and if a Push Square poll is to be believed, 45% of PlayStation enthusiasts are “seriously considering” making the switch to storefronts like Steam.

In a survey voted in by over 6,500 of our readers, just 23% indicated they’d stick with PlayStation after a sticky generation, which came to a head last week as Sony signalled its intent to stop manufacturing disc-based games.

A further 7% said they’ve thought about making a change, but don’t expect to go through with it. While 15% said they’ve already made the transition and the remaining 10% claimed they already play on both.

While Sony will be much more concerned with the mainstream audience at large, this Push Square poll is likely to represent enthusiasts, and the most engaged players within PlayStation’s ecosystem.

Of those responding to the survey, 41% cited Sony’s decision to stop manufacturing physical games as the reason they would leave.

While it’s important to note that PC is a primarily digital platform, many comments noted that if they’re going to have to deal with an all-digital future, they may as well settle for a best-in-class storefront, which is widely considered to be Steam.

Sony hasn’t outlined any ways in which it plans to improve the PS Store, with its refund policies among the features criticised.

Asked what fans would do if the PS6 cost $1,000, as is looking increasingly likely, 29% of users said they’d build or buy a gaming PC instead, while another 29% replied they’d simply stick with current consoles, like the PS5.

Interestingly, just 14% said they’d buy it at launch, while 15% voted they’d wait for a price drop – something that’s looking increasingly unlikely in this era of ever-rising RAM prices.

So, sobering reading for Sony, then, and a sign it’s got a lot of work to do to win back fan trust. As I’ve mentioned on multiple occasions, the platform holder has burned through all of its goodwill these past few years.

I do think it is worth pointing out that fans are angry right now, and things will hopefully calm down in time. Furthermore, the Japanese giant hasn’t had a chance to make its case for the next-gen yet, which may could still surprise and get gamers back on board.