>>1836172
They have to release something, though. Despite rumors to the contrary, Microsoft is still on track to put out a Next Gen system - and Microsoft has every incentive to get this generation over with and make the transition to console/PC hybrids as soon as the back-ends are fully developed. Microsoft doesn't see Sony as competition. If Xbox fails too badly, they can always just jettison the division and keep on making all the money on operating systerms, servers, and services. Sony HAS to compete with Microsoft, because even if MS only have a foot in that market, that's still competition to Sony. Playstation is far and away Sony's most profitable division - a core pillar of their entire corporate structure, with their financial services coming in a distant second. They can't afford to not have a new machine on the market to meet competition.
That said, Sony's kind of fucked right now. They can't afford to keep making these huge triple and quadruple-gay games without having them on PC. Putting them on PC means, defacto, they get an Xbox release (via Steam). Sony also doesn't have the ability to add in PC functionality, because they make their money from games. Opening up the platform to competing stores would just eat into their bottom line. Microsoft, on the other hand, doesn't give a fuck about games. They want you using Microsoft services and operating systems from which they can scrape telemetry, target ads, and sell you Office365 subscriptions. Buy all the games on Steam that you want, they don't care. They're still getting paid, and they keep their market control.
Best best for Sony right now really is to just go the Nintendo route and pull back on AAA development. Open up their catalogue of IPs and start making really fun AA titles that have multiple entries per console generation and which are completely exclusive to Playstation. They can still make AAA games here and there to showcase the hardware, but use the sales of the AA IPs as a barometer as to what people want from a AAA... and switch franchises up.
I don't really see an option for them OTHER than to secure exclusivity of first parties, and that will force them to adopt more sustainable development practices.