As the PS5 Pro's $700 price tag continues to divide fans, Sony exec points out that PCs are difficult to set up and mobile games have ads

Sony is trying to expand its reach beyond PlayStation to PC, but that doesn't mean it's leaving the console behind - especially as PS5 Pro plans hot up.

Sony Interactive Entertainment's head of Platform Business Group, Hideaki Nishino, speaking to Nikkei (translated using DeepL and Google), answered a question over the value of home consoles in the modern day as more and more people are playing games on PC.

To that, Nishino says consoles like the PS4 and PS5 still have plenty of value, as you can simply turn them on and experience the content you've bought right away. That's opposed to PCs, which are "difficult to set up." Nishino also says the PlayStation store offers an intuitive experience that is laid out in an easy-to-understand manner. The Sony exec also says a home console benefits compared to mobile games that come with plenty of advertisements.

Following that, Nishino says that, while Sony is trying to increase its share of the overall game market by developing with PC in mind, there's "no doubt" its business will continue to develop with consoles at the core. You just can't ignore the value of reaching other gamers who don't own a PS4 or PS5 – those on PC especially.

Nishino's comments come as Sony reveals plans for the PS5 Pro - an impressive enough mid-gen refresh that we reckon feels "less essential than the PS4 Pro did in 2016." The $700 price tag, which doesn't even include a stand or disk drive, is dividing opinion, though it appears plenty are willing to take the leap regardless.

There are also reports swirling around the PS6, which is further away but appears to be AMD-powered at a loss of $30 billion to Intel specifically. You'll have to wait a hot minute for more official news on that, though you can bet the console will be a priority for Sony - even if it wants to expand its PC presence. 

Former Blizzard boss says the $700 PS5 Pro is really more like a $350 upgrade because it's aimed at people who can trade in their PS5s at "places like GameStop."