Talking Point: Is PS5 Really in Competition with TikTok?

by

A common idea lately is that console makers aren’t really competing with each other anymore.

Recently, Microsoft has openly discussed, and PlayStation has hinted at, a theory that apps like TikTok are the biggest threat to gaming. The concern is simply that these social networks take up so much of players’ time.

This is especially noticeable with younger users, who account for 55% of the app’s activity.

In the U.S., young adults aged 18-24 are spending 25% less on video games than they used to.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently stated that short-form video is currently gaming’s biggest competitor.

I was really interested to hear Xbox’s Matt Booty talk about competition. He actually said they’re not really focused on beating the PS5, but more on grabbing people’s attention away from everything – things like TikTok and even movies! It’s a totally different way of thinking about who they’re up against, and it makes a lot of sense to me.

Although Sony hasn’t officially stated this as clearly, former PlayStation executive Shawn Layden expressed similar thoughts in a Eurogamer.net interview last year.

He cautioned that TikTok is capturing the attention of young people, pulling them away from gaming. He explained that gaming isn’t just competing with other game consoles like Xbox and Nintendo; it’s competing with everything vying for people’s free time.

So, is it true?

It’s clear, especially for younger people, that we now live in a world where getting your attention is the biggest challenge for businesses. They’re competing for your time, not just your money.

TikTok’s popular short videos aren’t the only thing competing for your time with gaming. Platforms like YouTube, Twitch, Instagram, and streaming services such as Netflix are all vying for your attention too.

A new study from Carnegie Mellon University and the Indian School of Business discovered that people who use TikTok a lot spend an extra 221 minutes – more than 3 and a half hours – on screens each week.

Studies suggest that apps such as TikTok, which deliver content in short bursts, may be affecting people’s ability to focus for extended periods.

Because people tend to spend a lot of time playing games, industry leaders are understandably concerned about this new challenge.

Research suggests that as people spend more time on TikTok, they tend to play fewer mobile games and use other apps less often.

It would take a lot more study to fully grasp how these two things relate, but gaming is different from other entertainment because it requires active participation – you can’t just sit back and enjoy it.

You can still enjoy things like Netflix and Spotify even if you’re constantly scrolling on TikTok, but trying to focus on a game like Fortnite while watching food videos might be difficult.

It’s kinda weird, but games like Fortnite are huge on TikTok. Seriously, TikTok’s become a really awesome way for games to get noticed and promoted. It’s like, the place to be if you want people to check out your game.

PlayStation has a large TikTok following, with over 5.4 million followers. However, Fortnite is even more popular on the platform, boasting an impressive 17.1 million followers.

TikTok reports that over 82% of its users play games on the app. TikTok also helps people discover new games, and when gameplay videos become popular, it often leads to increased game sales.

Some people believe watching gameplay might discourage people from playing games themselves, but this hasn’t been a major concern for other streaming platforms like Twitch.

So, is TikTok really a threat to the PS5?

The truth is, PlayStation faces competition from all other ways people choose to spend their free time. Sony needs to make sure players actively prefer using their console over everything else.

TikTok and the PS5 offer very different experiences. TikTok is known for its quick, easily digestible videos, while the PS5 is designed for long, detailed gameplay.

But the reality is, the two platforms serve very different mental spaces.

TikTok can be habit-forming, but it’s probably more of a quick distraction than a serious addiction. This suggests it’s filling moments of boredom rather than taking time away from activities like gaming.

TikTok and the PlayStation 5 are both vying for people’s free time, but they offer very different ways to spend it.

To stay competitive in today’s world of quick, easily-consumed entertainment, PlayStation needs to continue creating compelling games that draw players in and make them choose gaming over simply using their phones.

Read More

2025-10-30 00:07