Will PlayStation And Xbox Become Obsolete?

Over recent years, the gaming industry has been moving forward very quickly. Thanks to VR, we can immerse ourselves in any experience that we wish. But what about our old PlayStation and Xbox consoles? Let's take a look at the future of these consoles and compare them to the infamous Nintendo Switch and see how they compare in terms of popularity and performance.

Related blog: Having Trouble With Your Xbox Controller?

 

Are gaming consoles dying out?

We often hear online panic that the PlayStation and Xbox will one day become obsolete, which is when something is no longer produced or is out of date. Whilst we don't think either of these consoles will become obsolete soon, there's a chance they could be on their way to this within the next few years and here's how. 

The units sold by these two consoles have got smaller and smaller. Firstly, most consoles are backwards compatible meaning there's no need to upgrade to the most recent models. Around 45 million people still use the PS4, and about 3 million still use PS3! A lot of the older video games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt are still incredibly popular among gamers, so again gamers don't feel the need to upgrade their console to play the latest games. And finally, new consoles are extremely expensive! PlayStation often gets slated for releasing Pro and Digital models that are well above the average price range. Why should gaming fans upgrade their console if it's 10x the price and has no benefits other than improved graphics. 

PlayStation and Xbox rarely release new consoles. We understand that they're focussed on creating top-of-the-range, premium consoles, but with 5-7-year gaps between each release, it leaves fans frustrated and impatient. However, there's one gaming company that markets, produces and releases their consoles perfectly... Nintendo!

Nintendo has set the bar to new levels in terms of console quality, setting itself apart from PlayStation and Xbox, removing its name from that 'pending-obsolete' bracket entirely. Let's explore why Nintendo soars above the competition. 

 

How did the Nintendo Switch succeed?

For years it was PlayStation and Xbox as the top two performing gaming consoles of all time. Whilst Nintendo was always in the background, it was never considered 'real competition' by these two giant. Even when Nintendo released their Switch in 2017 they never opposed any threat. That was until 2020.

Nintendo always marketed their Switch as a portable, handheld console perfect for families of all ages and sizes, this worked in their favour when the pandemic hit because many younger families were trapped inside their homes and left to make their own entertainment. Families turned to gaming consoles to help time fly quicker, and of course with Nintendo being the owners of iconic games like Mario Kart, Super Mario and Smash Bros., the Switch began to take off... and quickly! PlayStation and Xbox were focussed on specific audiences (especially single player) whilst the Switch was the complete opposite, so when it came to new gamers looking for a new console to play, it was decided that the Switch was the way forward.

And finally, Nintendo released the perfect amount of gaming consoles. Of course, we saw the original Switch in 2017, with an improved OLED edition released a couple of years later. We also saw some special edition custom consoles and finally the news of Switch 2 in 2025. Over 8 years, they released around 5 consoles. (Which is more than Xbox has in general.)

Related blog: Having Trouble With Your PlayStation Controller?

 

Conclusion:

In conclusion, we believe that PlayStation and Xbox are trying to catch up with Nintendo's sudden success. It's clear the two gaming giants didn't expect this sudden success from Nintendo, they seemed to overlook the Switch's potential seeing them as the 'second-place' competition. It was this mindset that allowed Nintendo to slip through and take over the gaming industry. We've seen that PlayStation has released its Portal console which performed well but not as well as the Switch. As well as that, Xbox have recently announced their handheld device, but we feel it's too late for them. They haven't committed to the family atmosphere Nintendo easily holds onto. 

Whilst we don't think PlayStation and Xbox will become obsolete soon, there's a chance within the next 5 years the consoles could die off as other more successful, modern consoles breakthrough.