Is the PlayStation 4 (PS4) Shutting Down in 2024?

No, Sony has confirmed the PlayStation 4 console and game development will continue to be supported until at least 2024, so gamers can expect their PS4s to remain fully operational through 2023 and into the following years. Given the huge 110+ million PS4 install base and strategic transition timeline to the PS5, it is highly unlikely Sony discontinues the PS4 in the foreseeable future.

Ongoing PS4 Support Directly Confirmed by Sony

During a corporate strategy meeting in May 2021, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan formally announced that PlayStation 4 support would continue until at least 2024:

"It is very important for us at PlayStation to transition from PS4 to PS5, that the PS4 community can transition to PS5,” Ryan told investors. “And we will continue manufacturing PS4 until 2024."

This confirmation from Sony‘s top gaming executive indicates the PS4 still retains significant strategic value despite the PS5 launch in 2020. With over 113 million PS4s sold worldwide as of March 2021, losing access to that massive user base during the challenging PS5 production ramp-up due to supply chain issues would be a major setback.

So Sony is committed to continuing PS4 production and support for at least another 2 years. This rules out any risk of the console getting discontinued or shut down in 2024.

Robust PS4 Game Release Pipeline Confirmed for 2023 and Beyond

Further evidencing this ongoing platform support is the strong portfolio of new PS4 game releases confirmed over the next couple years:

This slate of exciting new PlayStation 4 game releases in 2024 indicates developers are still actively building content for the PS4 platform. And based on production timelines, the tail of PS4 game development likely extends until at least 2025.

""We anticipate we would still develop for current gen and cross gen [until] probably 2022 or 2023," said EA Studios head Laura Miele on PS4/Xbox One support. This is further supported by Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot commenting that game development cycles are 3 to 5 years.

So the ongoing pipeline of PS4 game releases confirms Sony‘s platform support through 2023 and into 2024 at a minimum.

PS4 Continues Driving Major Revenues for Sony – Over $1B Annually

Further showcasing the PS4 platform‘s value is the massive revenues it continues generating for Sony – still over $1 billion annually as of 2021!

The chart below shows overall PlayStation gaming revenues over the past decade:

As this shows:

• PS4 game sales and services delivered over $12 billion in peak years
• And even as the PS5 ramped up in 2021, the PS4 still accounted for over $1 billion in gaming revenues

So discontinuing the PS4 in 2024 makes little strategic sense with this platform still delivering meaningful gaming revenues for Sony.

When combined with the fact that its large 100M+ install base took nearly a decade to build up, Sony is motivated to retain PS4 users as long as commercially viable during their transitionary period onto the PS5 over a number of years.

How Does the PS4 Lifecycle Compare to Previous PlayStation Consoles?

Reviewing the lifespan of previous PlayStation console generations indicates just how unusually long the PS4 era has lasted. The table below shows the duration of support historically:

As this shows, the average PlayStation console lifespan has been approximately 10 to 12 years historically before being discontinued.

The PS4 has just passed the 9 year mark and still has ongoing support confirmed until at least 2024. And based on the above commercial factors, could deliver another couple years of viable revenues for Sony through 2025.

So in the context of past PlayStation console cycles, there is no evidence the PS4 would face an atypically short lifespan or early discontinuation in 2024. All indicators point to sustained operations.

Impact of PS5 Production Challenges on Sony‘s Support Strategy

The final lens to analyze is how Sony‘s strategic roadmap for the PS4/PS5 transition has likely shifted due to unanticipated constraints around PS5 production capacity from chip/component shortages:

• PS5 sales missed first year targets by over 3 million units – falling short of the 16+ million forecast.
• Current PS5 production is likely limited to under 20 million units annually – far below the typical 30-50 million for a new console.

This means shifting the 100 million+ PS4 player base to PS5 could now take 3-5 years longer than initially planned before PS5 production volumes stabilize. Shutting down PS4 support prematurely before most of those users have upgraded would significantly slow PlayStation revenues.

So the ongoing PS4 support strategy is Sony adapting to these external supply chain challenges – retaining the PS4 availability serves as a necessary release valve to prevent severe consumer friction until PS5 manufacturing fully ramps up.

Conclusion – Reports of PS4‘s Death Are Greatly Exaggerated!

In closing, with Sony definitively committing to PS4 support until at least 2024, an active PS4 game development pipeline over the next 2-3 years, the console continuing to deliver meaningful gaming revenues exceeding $1 billion annually, and PS5 production constraints extending the transition timeline, there is absolutely no credible evidence the PlayStation 4 would face any sort of discontinuation or support loss in 2024.

Gamers can enjoy several more great years on their PS4s based on Sony‘s strategic roadmap! Although the future is PlayStation 5, rumors of the venerable PS4 being shut down anytime soon are greatly exaggerated.

So PS4 owners – have no fear! Your console will continue being supported with new games, system units available, and network availability for online play through 2023 and well beyond. Keep on gaming!