Sony has launched a new global advertising campaign to mark the fifth anniversary of the PS5. gestartetUnder the motto “It Happens on PS5“Players will be reminded of the “unforgettable moments” that the console has made possible since 2020, including three short films with titles such as The Greatest Stunt Jump Ever and The Unexpected Catch.
At the same time, Sony announces spectacular events in major cities worldwide: UFO landings in Germany, strange creatures in London, and luminous installations in Spain.
There's more to the nostalgic PS5 romance than just sentimentality, of course. The promotion isn't coincidentally timed to coincide with Sony's first anniversary celebration of the PS5. PS5 Pro celebrates. After a five-year console cycle, the focus is on the major interim model – more powerful, more expensive, and with a fresh marketing drive.
The PS5 campaign as a form of self-affirmation
Officially, the campaign is supposed to be “Celebrating the magic of PlayStation moments“Unofficially, it reads like a reminder that the base PS5 still has relevance despite the PS5 Pro upgrade. Because while the community has long been discussing technical specifications, upscaling methods, and 8K support, Sony is cleverly shifting the focus to emotion rather than hardware.”
This is classic brand management: you're not selling a product, but a feeling – precisely what's usually missing midway through a console's life cycle. Xbox tries something similar with its Xbox Everywhere campaigns, and Nintendo already relies on emotional storytelling. But Sony is now staging its console almost cinematically, as a stage for…unexpected and unforgettable“Experiences, a subtle reminder of why one (still) plays on the PS5.”
Between nostalgia and new beginnings
Five years after its launch, the PS5 is technically well-established, but emotionally it's in a transitional phase. Many gamers are waiting for new system sellers or simply for a reason to upgrade to the PS5 Pro. is repeatedly criticizedThe campaign therefore seems like a balancing act: a look back at what was, and a prelude to what is to come.
Whether UFOs in Munich truly spark enthusiasm or remain mere social media fodder is secondary. The crucial point is that Sony is signaling progress. And while the industry is eyeing newer hardware, the company is staging the present as a "magical moment" before things get serious again with the PS5 Pro.
Ah, now suddenly emotions and fan proximity are important; I thought it was all about making money with GAA.
The funny thing is, they're advertising the PS5 like this, but the PS5 is absolutely the generation for which such trailers are completely inappropriate xD All those imaginative moments, this "you're ripped out of everyday life and led into a magical world" feeling – the PS5 just doesn't have that xDDD
Definitely on the PS3, and on the PS4 with The Last Guardian, Bloodborne, and The Order... but on the PS5 there's Demon's Souls, which is truly imaginative and "magical," and maybe Ratched and Clank... the rest is just Sony's usual third-person drama fare.
Imagination, bold ideas, magical worlds, crazy designs… the PS5 lacks all of that. The PS5 is grounded, nothing special, and for most, just a standard player for third-party games.
It's pretty crazy that Sony is now going for a "power your dreams" vibe... there's not even anything like Little Big Planet, Dreams, etc. anymore XD
Oops… forgot Astrobot… that makes 3 games 😉