A Case For Calling The New PlayStation... The PlayStation

Kieron from WellPlayed writes: "This hopeful scenario is about what that name would represent, and that’s a much-needed unifying of PlayStation platforms past and present."

[TheHateTheyGive]

They dont need to change anything. its all doom and gloom for ps5, they have to adapt, no more exclusives, make their own gamepass, rely on 3rd parties like xbox and call it a day, thats the winning formula. Sony, take the next gen off, let the other 2 catch up, go handheld for ps6 with graphics like ps4 and move the console industry along!

[UltraNova]

At first look it all seems crazy until you a realize its all happening for real...

[darthv72]

I think they could get clever with the name. Call it... Play5tation. It's both a spin on the original as well as keeping the number relative to the platform. It worked for Driv3r and F3AR

[Gaming101]

Darth, No. Driv3r was garbage, and F3AR was meh.
It's just cheesy.

[Silly gameAr]

It does seem like not only the media but some of the industry itself, is trying to make Sony change into what they think the Playstation should be. Like they know better than Sony about what direction the PS5 should go in to make it successful. It's honestly annoying.

[Eonjay]

Its not. Don't ever forget that WE are the industry, not some corporate tools and not some 'know it all' journalist telling us what to be worried about and who to be made at or what to demand and what we should care about.
People realized a long time ago that you can influence people just by telling them what to do. Opinion pieces are nothing more that avenues for the proliferation of propaganda for one company or another. There is no real person behind the words.

[Silly gameAr]

@Eonjay

If we still had the bubble system, you would get a bub from me.

[pinkcrocodile75]

Lesson One: Never believe what the media say. Always verify it with as many different sources as possible, if they conflict, look up the study or poll they are referring to and call out their bullshit on any false statements If you think they are lying then ask them to provide details, then watch them shrivel up like a penis on a cold day.

Lesson Two: Never give a f**k what anyone thinks of you or someone or something you love. If they get in your face then of course headbutt them HARD. Otherwise call them a c@nt and be on your way.

[UltraNova]

@pink

Well said, I'm holding up a beer in your name friend.

[goldwyncq]

This is stupid

[Kaedro]

Was just about to say that!

[kassler]

No, don't go down that road with confusing naming. Just call it Playstation 5.

[DarXyde]

Agreed. I am of the opinion that it is the consistent and predictable branding-- in addition to the wealth of great, memorable exclusives-- that really helps Playstation. Microsoft themselves said something interesting about naming the Xbox 360. In addition to having it represent a global online community (hence 360), I also recall them stating that calling it 'Xbox 2' sounds inferior to Playstation 3. Likewise, Xbox One is doing poorly in units sold relative to the competition (which, if we're being honest, is attributable to a myriad of reasons, but naming is potentially one) and Wii U was likely believed to be an attachment by many consumers, which may explain its dismal market performance.

Calling the next Playstation "The Playstation" just seems like brand suicide, especially when you have the Playstation Classic floating around. PS4 Pro is clear in letting you know it's not entirely new hardware, as is Xbox One X.

For sure, PS5 is the best name for the next generation. I really have to chuckle at Nintendo's naming of the Wii U; it's like if Sony called their new console "Playstation 4Ever".

[phoenixwing]

people bought final fantasy 15 they knew it was the latest one and bought it. When playstation whatever number comes out those with knowledge of video games will buy it. then the word will spread. simple.

[mijayire]

Nah PS5 is fine. No confusing names like the Xbox One. Trying to find searches on the “Original Xbox” is annoying to find when Xbox One results keep coming up.

[chiefJohn117]

God of War didn't confuse anyone. I see nothing wrong with it. What's there to be confused about? Who confuses a brand spanking new console for a 20+ year old one?

[I_am_Batman]

The confusing part is that you can't immediately tell what someone is talking about, if it's not clarified in an additional signifier like [console] or [year]. Also search results are mixing up different games which makes it harder to find what you're looking for.

Try general searches for God of War like: Walkthroughs, speedruns, making of, concept art, wallpapers, credits or anything of that sort and see what comes up. You'll now have to sift through more information than necessary. Of course, you can use filters like setting a timeframe or search for "God of War 1" to get rid of unwanted results but you might lose some helpful results doing that.

With the original Xbox it's even more annoying because MS thought it was a good idea to put the number "One" into the name.

The point is, it makes any communication around the topic less efficient for no practical reason whatsoever.

[wwinterj]

Actually God of War does still confuse people unless you specifically say the platform it's on. The name is the issue. When customers ask "Do you have God of War?" and they are not sure what platform their grandkids have that too is a issue as a example. Just call it PS5 and stop confusing people.

[DarXyde]

God of War is also associated with hardcore gaming, which is a community that is frequently informed. Are you really surprised that a software title catering to a specific audience has less confusion than hardware aimed at the general population? But for the record, asking someone, "did you play God of War " and "ever play God of War " is likely to evoke different responses. Conversations about it still sometimes requires clarification

[gangsta_red]

There was no confusion with the new God of War. It was the top game on every search when it first came out.

If anything it would probably be harder to find the original God of War in searches before the newest one.

[xX-oldboy-Xx]

ms panicked and called the successor to xbox - xbox 360 because they thought xbox 2 sounded inferior to PS3. Look where they are now, confusion town.

Sony keeping it simple and to the point, only the dimmest of consumer would get confused.

PS5 is the only way to go.

[rainslacker]

Why entertain the notion of mixing up the branding though? The sequential numbers work, and if Sony plans to continue what they're doing, it makes sense to keep the numbering system. If they want to mix it up, and imply that the system is meant to be something more, like the xbox one, then they can change the name. There was no rhyme or reason to Nintendo making naming the WiiU, as it didnt make sense in their console branding over the years, but they did it hoping to have lightning strike again based off the popularity of the wii.

[xX-oldboy-Xx]

Nintendo has always changed their consoles name, the closest they got was SNES and as you said WiiU. If you want to include Game boy and all its derivatives that's cool.

When somebody asked an ms exec (Peter Moore?) Why they called it xbox360, they gave the response in my original post.

Nintendo is synonymous with console gaming, they call their system anything they like. Sony had to create a brand in PlayStation, it makes sense to keep subsequent console in sequential order.

ms just got caught up in marketing names.

[rainslacker]

I know. That's my point. Nintendo is known to change up names, so it's not really that out of the ordinary.

[Max_Eckhardt]

No.

Call it what it is, the PS5.
Sony have every reason to keep the numbers, they’ve never messed up, never lost, and have been around longer than Xbox.

Let Microsoft scramble for increasingly stupid and nonsensical naming conventions, leave the good sense and style to the big boys - SONY.

[chiefJohn117]

I'd call it ps5 but I'd go that route for ps6. The PlayStation or PS: name here. PlayStation Axis would be a cool name.

[rainslacker]

The vita would have probably done better if they just called it the PSP2. There's no reason to mix things up, and I really see any marketing reason to do so. The number is identifiable to what the system is, and that seems like something people are familiar enough with without having to get fancy to get attention.

[FallenAngel1984]

That’s as dumb as people wanting Nintendo to call the NX...”The Nintendo”

[Skuletor]

They should definitely call the tenth Nintendo home console the NinTENdo

[zodiac909]

I hope I live to see the day of the "Playstation 9" or "Playstation X"

[zodiac909]

If it is backwards compatible with EVERYTHING from Ps1, Ps2, Ps3, and Ps4, It would be so cool and badass, if they just called this one "Playstation."

[lellkay]

no

[madpuppy]

PlayStation 5 is perfectly fine, the Name is perfect. I love how everybody is "telling" Sony how to market and run the PlayStation Division like they don't know what they are doing. At the end of the day, Sony is what it always is...Consistent. In it's message, marketing and loyalty to it's base as well as catering to new users. That is why they keep winning.

[Matrix6]

PS4Gamers:
Drop the "The". Just "PlayStation 5." It's cleaner.

[Chocoburger]

Why fix what isn't broken? Sheesh, look at all the teasing Xbox 360 and Xbox One recieved over the years.
Then there's the dumb Nintendo console names, "Super" Nintendo, Nintendo "64", "GameCube" "Wii" "Wii U" (ugh!).
What a clusterhump of a mess, Nintendo constantly having to come up with new names and they mostly suck, except for their first console, and most recent one, "Switch" is a good name.

[Inzo]

The Playstation? TPS?
"Dad, I want a TPS!"???

Oh yes that rolls off the lips much better than silly old "PS5"

[rainslacker]

Sounds like some sort of venereal disease, or something that some medication shown on the nightly news can fix with people who look longingly into the distance as their friends and family ignore them and have fun, leaving them to be depressed alone inside

[Vanfernal]

Nah. PS5 is fine. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. It's simple and straight to the point.

[SegaGamer]

No, I dislike it when games reset their names, let's not do it with Playstation as well.

[Tigerblud]

Call it Playstation and make it is modular and can upgrade as you like.

[DVAcme]

Sony naming scheme:
-PS1
-PS2
-PS3
-PS4
-PS5
-Etc.

Microsoft naming scheme:
-XBox
-XBox 360
-XBox One
-XBox Scarlett
-XBox Backside 540 with a Stiffy to a Nosepick

[chiefJohn117]

Xperia 1 ring a bell?

[Tross]

But I like PlayStation's numbering system. It's simple and not confusing, and we know exactly which gen PlayStation we're talking about by the number next to it. It does its job, and avoids dumb system names. PS + (insert number here) also rolls off the tongue just fine. As long as there are PlayStations I think there should be numbers.

[Dragonscale]

Think someone is gonna be disappointed lol.

[gangsta_red]

I wouldn't mind it just being called PlayStation. I actually agreed a while ago that the Xbox should have done the same when these articles we're guessing the new Xbox name.

PS5 is simple, it would be cool if Sony could come up with something more exciting but I don't think there's really a need when people more than likely will still refer to it as PS5.