Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 are both expected this year, but both are taking drastically different approaches to console exclusives.
As confirmed by Sony's Jim Ryan in an interview with GI.biz, Sony is developing games exclusively for PlayStation 5 and these titles won't be playable on PlayStation 4.
“We have always said that we believe in generations,” Ryan explained. “We believe that when you go to all the trouble of creating a next-gen console, it should include features and benefits that the previous generation does not include. And that, in our view, people should make games that can make the most of those features.
“We do believe in generations, and whether it’s the DualSense controller, whether it’s the 3D audio, whether it’s the multiple ways that the SSD can be used… we are thinking that it is time to give the PlayStation community something new, something different, that can really only be enjoyed on PS5.”
That might feel like a no-brainer, but Microsoft has promised that games will be playable on both Xbox Series X and Xbox One consoles, blurring the lines between console generations.
In the same interview, Ryan also confirmed that the console is still scheduled to launch globally in 2020, while also noting the unique challenges posed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also noted that the company has "devoted a lot of effort to making sure our network works", adding that "the days when Sony was criticised for the resilience of its networking activity, that should be consigned to history."