PS5 PlayStation 2023 Biggest and Best Year Yet 1
Image: Push Square

Let’s not beat around the bush: PlayStation has been weird recently. While it’s not the end of the world – the Japanese giant’s still found impressive success in unprecedented circumstances – it’s clear that the aftermath of the pandemic has rocked the PS5’s first few years. Games like God of War Ragnarok, which released recently, were likely due much earlier in the system’s lifecycle – and unexpected stock issues have meant the console has fallen short of the organisation’s targets.

Unfortunately, we’ll never know what the start of this generation was supposed to look like, but Sony’s done a decent enough job of getting on top of things. The lineup of exclusive software has still been really good, and the platform holder’s managed to maintain a high level of quality at a time when other publishers have struggled to adapt. Obviously it’s frustrating that many haven’t been able to purchase the system, but it’s refreshing to see things slowly begin to improve now.

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And we reckon the stock issues are to blame for PlayStation’s bizarre marketing. As we pointed out recently, 2022 was the first year in the brand’s history where the manufacturer didn’t host a major press conference. It dotted the calendar with some lower profile State of Plays, many of which were surprisingly good – although they centred squarely on third-party software, with Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Marvel’s Wolverine being the only non-VR first-party projects currently announced from the firm.

PS5 PlayStation 2023 Biggest and Best Year Yet 2

We reckon the PS5’s supply issues have been mostly to blame for this. The problem is that the new-gen system has been practically sold out since the day it launched, so there’s been little incentive for the firm to figuratively blow its load. While existing owners have been eager to see a glimpse of the future, teasing upcoming titles only serves to frustrate those who can’t get their hands on the format – and from a marketing perspective, it’s not really necessary when every unit sells out anyway.

A quiet, subdued 2022 will have allowed Sony’s growing roster of first-party studios to recover from the aftermath of the pandemic – which forced many developers to work from home – and cook up new content. We know the likes of Sucker Punch, Naughty Dog, Firesprite, Team Asobi, and many more all have mature projects in the pipeline – we’re just waiting to see what they actually are. The next 12 months should reveal all.

In fact, we’re expecting a really busy and noisy year from PlayStation overall. We now know that the aforementioned Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is due out this holiday, which will undoubtedly be one of the biggest games of the year – and it’s likely to be accompanied by a hardware refresh, which is now strongly rumoured to feature a detachable disc drive. We also know that Sony is planning to aggressively ramp up hardware shipments in 2023, and we’re almost anticipating a re-launch of sorts over the coming months.

PS5 PlayStation 2023 Biggest and Best Year Yet 3
Image: Push Square

PSVR2, expensive and niche as it may be, will also be a big story throughout the coming year – and even if you’re not personally interested in the headset, it’ll be the most advanced virtual reality device on the market when it deploys on 22nd February, 2023. That alone is a big story – and we’d expect big software announcements for it throughout the year, which will certainly stir enthusiasm among VR communities. And it’s not even the only new hardware Sony has planned: don’t forget the company’s long-awaited “pro” controller DualSense Edge is due in January, too.

All of this is running concurrently with a deadly third-party software lineup, featuring enormously anticipated games like Resident Evil 4 and Final Fantasy 16 – both of which will have their marketing heavily associated with PS5. It feels like we’re on the cusp of a breakout year for the console: PlayStation may have been infuriatingly subdued in 2022, but we reckon it’s been building up to this. Whether you already own Sony’s new-gen system, or are a prospective buyer, 2023 is the year the platform is finally poised to spring into life.

Are you looking forward to a big year from PS5 in 2023? What are you expecting from the platform holder over the coming 12 months? What would get you excited about the console at this stage? Look forward in the comments section below.