Coming out of a rough year, PlayStation is going to have its work cut out for it going into 2025. While the console did have its share of hits in 2024, they were few and far between compared to its misses. Between controversies, flops, and just plain bad business decisions, the PlayStation brand feels like it’s limping into the new year.

Stiff competition from its main competitor certainly hasn’t helped matters, as 2024 saw the scales tip heavily in favor of Xbox. The past few years haven’t always been kind to Microsoft’s platform, but it’s pushed past previous shortcomings to emerge a stronger brand than ever. Hopefully for Sony ers, the coming year holds similar promise for the PlayStation brand, as it has a lot to prove in 2025.

2024 Was A Tough Year For PlayStation

Failures And Controversies Cast A Long Shadow

Credit where credit’s due, Sony did take some big swings in 2024, but most of them whiffed embarrassingly. The disastrous launch and immediate shutdown of the hero shooter Concord will go down in history as one of the biggest misfires the gaming industry has ever seen, costing $400 million to develop and having the plug pulled after only a few weeks. It’s among the largest financial losses for a video game on record and is sure to leave a stink on the PlayStation brand that won’t soon be washed off.

Sony also found itself mired in numerous controversies over the past calendar year. While committing to releasing more first-party titles on PC should have been a boon for the company and players alike, the bait-and-switch addition of a PSN requirement for Helldivers 2 on PC led to the game being review-bombed almost into oblivion. Even a hardware launch couldn't save the console, as the long-awaited PS5 Pro faced immediate backlash for its steep price point.

It wasn’t entirely doom and gloom for PlayStation in 2024, as the year did see the launch of several high-profile successes. The Silent Hill 2 remake proved doubters wrong with positive reviews and Astro Bot won big at The Game Awards despite tempered expectations. However, these bright spots are marred with the black marks left on Sony’s reputation by its continuous blunders elsewhere.

Xbox Celebrated Big Wins In 2024

Major Releases Bolstered Game Subscriber Growth

On the flipside, Microsoft has been enjoying a banner year with the Xbox in 2024. With its acquisitions of Bethesda and Activision Blizzard firmly in place, the Xbox library has seen some of its best new additions of the current generation. In particular, Indiana Jones & the Great Circle has been wowing players and critics alike with its interpretation of the classic film franchise into a modern AAA game.

While the Xbox won't boast the best hardware sales of its time, Microsoft has skillfully adapted to the changing face of the gaming industry with its continued for Game . While the addition of new games to its library has done much to increase its value, where Xbox Game really shines is with its fresh supply of games available on the day they launch. Despite some feathers being ruffled by the service’s price hikes, players are flocking to Game like never before as subscriber numbers surged to over 34 million in 2024, as reported by The Verge.

Microsoft doesn’t seem like it’ll be resting on its laurels heading into the new year, as it already has big plans in store. More games will be coming to Xbox Game , and with the promise of a handheld Xbox platform in the works, players will have more ways than ever to play the biggest new releases at launch. Microsoft made one thing abundantly clear in 2024: Xbox has the games, and people know it.

What To Expect From Xbox & PlayStation in 2025

Staying The Course Or Playing It Safe

Sony and Microsoft are going into 2025 on very different trajectories, and are going to have different plans in place as a result. Sony has its work cut out for it trying to win back the goodwill of its s after repeated PR disasters over the past year, especially as it continues to the recently launched PS5 Pro and its steep price point. With Sony executives committing to the live service model, it seems that PlayStation will keep swinging for the fences, though whether that decision pays off remains to be seen.

The biggest battleground between the two will be the digital marketplace. PC releases look to be a consistent part of Sony’s plan going forward, but it's entering an arena that Xbox is already dominating. Microsoft already enjoys a comfortable lead in the PC gaming space, and with Game poised to continue adding new games and features, it’ll be an uphill battle for whatever endeavors Sony makes.

After struggling for dominance in the home console market, Microsoft has clearly found its niche with its approach to both console and PC gaming and the continued growth of Game . Xbox handily won the war in 2024 against a competitor who couldn’t seem to land a single blow, but anything is possible in the future. With any luck, PlayStation enthusiasts can look forward to a motivated resurgence for their favorite console in 2025.

Source: The Verge