During Sony Interactive Entertainment's recent investor relations day, CEO John Kodera spoke plainly to the audience about the fact that the "PS4 is entering the final phase of its life cycle, which would have a negative impact to the unit, but recurring revenue via membership services should cushion some of that".
It's important to note that this does not mean the imminent "death" of the PS4. Generally speaking, when speaking to investors, remarks are tailored for the big picture that evolves over time, in this case, likely a year or two. Given that, and understanding many of the rumors about the next generation of PlayStation consoles, it could be that a PlayStation 5 will emerge somewhere in the 2019-2021 range.
Still, it's hard to quibble with over 70 million PlayStation 4 units sold, something that will surely influence sales of the PS5 whenever it arrives.
Other interesting tidbits from the investor's day:
- PlayStation Plus membership is now over 34 million
- PSVR is growing, though the VR industry as a whole is experiencing flat growth
