Assuming developers would like to sell more copies of their software after it releases it makes me think it might be in their best interest to update popular titles for new systems. Unless you're saying that their interest in selling their software and retaining customers ends the day they release their most recent title.
You're missing the fact that's it's an opportunity cost for the studio.
What generates the most value for them?
- Work on patch for old game that most PS gamers own and have already played --- i.e. significantly reduced addressible market for gamers who never played and will buy
- Work on new game that both existing fans and new interested gamers will flock to en masse to play on their shiny new PS5
It's pretty clear to me where the priority needs to be.
If there's any downtime and a small team can set time aside to knock out a patch, great! But it can't and shouldn't be a focus or priority.
Gamers primarily buy new hardware for new games. And between Sony and their direct competitor's two strategies on this point, I think Sony has the right focus.
It is not unreasonable for customers to expect updates to software we've paid for. It's especially not unreasonable to ask from the likes of EA, Activision, Ubisoft, Sony, Microsoft, Rockstar, etc. and all of their studios who pocket billions in cash every year. They can afford it.
It's not unreasonable to ask for free shit. But it's dishonest to behave as if we're entitled to it because we paid our initial $60 for the game that we played, completed and already got our money's worth out of.
I've even seen a lot of people saying they're willing to pay a reasonable price for updates but Sony makes the few available upgrades to their games excruciating to get. I'd pay to upgrade my PS4 Spider-Man to the remastered PS5 version but you can't do that. You have to buy the most expensive version of Miles Morales whether you want it or not to get remastered original Spider-Man. To upgrade your PS4 copy of Ghost of Tsushima you'll have to pay $30 for DLC whether you want it or not. They could have released base upgrades for a reasonable cost but they don't do that. Instead Sony is keeping the tradition of getting you to buy the same game multiple times alive. I find it incredibly disappointing and frustrating, especially considering my new PS5 just arrived yesterday and I want upgrades to some of my favorite PlayStation games.
This isn't a bad idea. I'd equally be happy to pay for a few PS5 upgrade patches. However, Sony's competitor is doing it at the hardware level thus for free, and so the optics for Sony looking to sell game patches on their system would look terrible from a PR perspective.
Just look at how the US-slanted VG media is chomping at the bit to criticise everything Sony does? Do you not think they'd have a field day with a decision to sell PS5 patches for PS4 games?
You'd basically be giving Xbox free publicity, as the obvious headlines that follow will all about how much better value Xbox GamePass offers.