Five Years of PlayStation 5: A Console Generation Transformed
Today marks a significant milestone in the gaming world as the PlayStation 5 celebrates its fifth anniversary. Released to the world on November 12, 2020, amidst the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, Sony's console launched with a surprisingly strong line-up including Demon's Souls, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, and the pre-installed Astro's Playroom.
The Shifting Landscape of Console Exclusives
The PS5's journey began with expectations of regular, big-budget single-player exclusives from Sony. However, within a year, the company's strategy visibly shifted toward live-service games - a move that has since claimed a CEO, several studios, and numerous cancelled projects. The entire console industry has transformed during these five years, not through success but through notable failures: Sony's live-service ambitions and Microsoft's struggles with Game Pass and excessive developer acquisitions.
Triple-A game development has reached prohibitively expensive levels, with extended development times and massive teams becoming the norm. Despite this being the generation's hot topic, no publisher, including Sony, has effectively addressed these challenges, with many policies actually worsening the situation.
The Future of PlayStation and Console Exclusives
While many feel this generation has barely begun, whispers of the PlayStation 6 already circulate, with potential release windows of 2027 or 2028. The PS5's strong sales performance without relying heavily on exclusives has reduced Sony's incentive to produce more, especially with Xbox no longer posing significant competition and Nintendo operating in a different market space. This thinking mirrors the approach that contributed to Xbox's current challenges.
Exclusive games remain crucial for demonstrating hardware capabilities and setting a console's creative tone, even if their commercial necessity has diminished. Their potential disappearance wouldn't end console gaming, but it would represent a significant loss for the industry.
The Five Best PlayStation 5 Exclusives
5. Stellar Blade
Shift Up's debut console release presents a contradiction: while its character design feels regressive in an era where games have moved beyond hypersexualised stereotypes, the gameplay itself excels. Stellar Blade successfully merges fast-paced action from Bayonetta with methodical combat inspired by Dark Souls. For a developer's first console attempt, it demonstrates remarkable confidence and places them alongside top-tier action studios like PlatinumGames.
4. God Of War Ragnarök
Following the successful franchise reboot on PS4, this sequel had high expectations to meet. While some prefer the 2018 original, God Of War Ragnarök stands as one of the generation's finest action games. Its combat system offers surprising depth with multiple weapons and techniques, but the game's true strength lies in its character development. Kratos and Atreus's personal journeys provide emotional weight, with Kratos particularly earning his redemption arc.
3. Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Arguably the best of Insomniac's Spider-Man series, this more focused experience benefits from its smaller scale. The story proves more compelling than its counterparts, particularly in its handling of two key antagonists and their relationships with Miles. As an early PS5 title, it perfectly showcased the console's capabilities through instant loading and impressive ray-traced graphics.
2. Astro Bot
Arriving after the disappointment of Concord, Astro Bot served as a welcome reminder of PlayStation's core strengths. While openly inspired by Super Mario 3D platformers, the game proves that imitation, when done well, can produce brilliant results. With excellent level design, fun power-ups, and delightful PlayStation fan service, Astro Bot represents exactly what the PS5 needs more of.
1. Returnal
Housemarque's sci-fi roguelike claimed the top spot at its 2021 launch and maintains that position today. This achievement speaks volumes about both the game's quality and Sony's first-party output. Returnal masterfully blends bullet hell shooting with Metroid Prime-style exploration, featuring top-tier gunplay and movement mechanics. Its Lovecraftian atmosphere creates wonderful tension, while the boss battles rank among the best in modern gaming.
As the PlayStation 5 enters its sixth year, these exclusive titles demonstrate the console's potential when developers fully embrace its capabilities. While the industry landscape continues evolving, these games represent the creative heights possible when hardware and vision align perfectly.
