The brand that once started as just a game console has come a long way. The original PlayStation, a game console that could read music CDs as just a side effect of its storage medium, has now evolved into a multi-pronged beast of an entertainment center. It was a gradual shift, one that seems so obvious in hindsight; the PlayStation 2 was an affordable DVD player for the masses, the PlayStation 3 a Blu-ray player with the same ideals. With the PlayStation 4, the focus this time around isn’t on pushing physical media, but on digital media, representing a trend towards the future and a new successor: The PlayStation 5. How will the PlayStation Network shape the future of one of the most prestigious gaming brands? A New Way of Consuming Media Long has the PlayStation brand been a receptacle of media, a means to an end to play your content but never a producer of it outside of games. This has begun to change, with original content beginning to trickle out on the PlayStation 4 by the end of this year/ Provided things scale as Sony expects them to, the PlayStation Network on the PS5 could be a digital powerhouse. After all, Netflix started small with original programming as well, growing to be a juggernaut in the field. House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, Arrested Development, Marvel original properties such as Daredevil; Netflix is just as much of a powerhouse provider these days as FOX, AMC or FX. If you’re a fan of good, quality content, you’ve likely got Netflix on speed dial. This is where Sony is hoping to be, as it’s where the money is at. It will start small, with content like Powers on the PS4 showing some promising potential. Years down the road, Sony could have a whole block of original programming, providing it for free to PlayStation Plus members. Families will own a PS5 not just for games, but for its television and movie offerings. It will no longer be a gaming console, but an entertainment device. It will still have games, but it will no longer be a gaming console, but rather provide something unique for every member of your family. A New Way of Sharing Games like Destiny have shown us that the future is being connected, something the current PlayStation Network strives to achieve with features such as Sharing. Right now, the PlayStation Network is simply a secondary social media network, a compliment to industry juggernauts such as Facebook and Twitter. However, it could be something more. Much more. Imagine a PlayStation Network that was the social network for all things gaming. Get the latest updates from your favorite developers. Read your friends gaming posts on their feed. Watch as gaming videos go viral inside of the network. The PlayStation Network is no longer a compliment to Facebook, it is its own universe. It’s a way to keep up with your friends gaming exploits while reading about how their … Read More