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With PS5 being nearly six years old, it's approaching the typical time in a console's lifespan where attention starts to turn towards next-gen hardware. However, Shuhei Yoshida, echoing sentiment from some fans, isn't ready for this generation to be over.

Speaking in an interview with The Verge, the ex-PlayStation suit has shared his thoughts on where we're at with PS5 in relation to next-gen. In his view, Sony should keep PS5 going as long as it can.

"While Sony and Nintendo have sold enough numbers of current generation hardware, because of the cost of goods they might be looking [at] pushing back the launch of next-gen," he says.

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"I think they should try to keep the current generation as long as possible, because I think people are very happy using PS5 and Switch 2."

He explains that, generally, people have "finite budgets", and the rapid increase in the cost of components has made hardware like consoles and gaming PC much more expensive.

Because of this, Yoshida thinks most will be content continuing to play games on currently available machines like PS5 rather than rushing to replace them.

Additionally, he says there's not a lot of outcry for more advanced hardware anyway.

"I don't think lots of people are asking for 'more power, we need more power'. Or even developers, I don't think developers are asking 'we need better hardware' or anything like that.

I think that means that the current generation, Sony and Nintendo, are going to do pretty well for many years to come, still."

It's a different story for Xbox, in Yoshida's opinion. With the Series X|S falling behind the competition and the company going through a lot of changes, it may be more incentivised to release its next console.

"Xbox is a team who wants to change the competing landscape, so it's going to be hard for them, but it's their time to play," he says. "So it's very exciting, you know, what's going to happen next year?"

I think people are quite split on this topic. I've seen a lot of folks saying they're perfectly happy with PS5 for a few more years, especially as some feel the console's potential remains untapped.

However, there is definitely some appetite for what comes next, and we are getting into the twilight years of PS5 if we follow the established generational pattern. Most consoles are on the market for seven or so years before their successor arrives.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you agree with Yoshida's view on things? Tell us in the comments section below.

[source youtu.be, via videogameschronicle.com]