Sony Shawn Layden PS4 PlayStation 4 1

It’s been a quiet year for Sony with regards to its communication with consumers, something that we’ve criticised quite heavily in the past – but it clearly hasn’t been twiddling its thumbs. Whether the company is clearing the deck ahead of the PlayStation 5 or just working to ensure it retains its position of dominance in the marketplace, the Japanese giant may have shut up these past few months but it’s sure as hell putting up right now.

Some online pundits have been eager to pull out the ol’ “arrogant” phrase, but it’s becoming obvious just how busy the platform holder’s been working behind the scenes. The whole name change scenario, which has clearly proven a massive headache for the manufacturer, is about to be put to bed – and it’s not the only thing. Over the past few weeks, the organisation’s also added downloads to PlayStation Now and enabled cross-play.

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While we don’t necessarily think the company deserves a pat on the back for incorporating features that arguably shouldn’t have been absent in the first place, you’ve got to give it kudos for keeping its ear to the ground and reacting to consumers’ wants and needs. PSN name changes aren’t going to have any considerable impact on its install base, but fans demanded it; cross-play was only bringing bad press, but it’s revised its business model to accommodate it.

In some cases these things are overdue, but it shows that the organisation isn’t just resting on its laurels. Given the recent moves that Microsoft’s made, there’s been a lot of talk about first-party acquisition, but Sony’s been quietly investing in first-party as well; Guerrilla Games is about to move to a gigantic new office where it will be able to expand its workforce, while similar things have happened at Days Gone developer Bend Studio. Then there’s also the rumoured new Uncharted developer that hasn’t even been formerly announced.

Sony may not be talking as much as it did at the start of the generation, but actions speak louder than words, and the company’s gradually crossing off concerns while continuing to deliver outstanding games. All is not perfect, and there’s still more that can be done to ensure that PlayStation remains the best place to play – but you get the impression that the Japanese giant’s not content sitting still, and that bodes well for the future.

Are you happy with all the changes that PlayStation’s been making of late? Do you have any quibbles right now that you’d still like the company to address? Keep moving forwards in the comments section below.