Case Study: Accompanying the market launch of PlayStation®5 in Germany

Accompanying the market launch of PlayStation^®5

Unboxing Interviews
Diary Study
Usability Test
International UX Research

Approach

As agency partner, we accompanied the long-awaited launch of the PlayStation®5 in Germany. The focus was on identifying unique German market characteristics during the initial use and utilizing them for further development of the console. For this purpose, we used various consecutive user research methods: Unboxing interviews, diary study and usability tests during initial use.

A woman sits on a sofa holding a game controller. The test moderator sits in the foreground and takes notes. — Gaming test in our test studio

Unboxing Experience

How do people approach the unpacking of their new console? Do they read enclosed documents? Where do they place the console in their home and what problems do they encounter during setup?

We answered these and many other questions with unboxing interviews. We recruited 15 participants from different regions of Germany, each of whom was provided with a PlayStation®5. In contrast to classic in-home interviews, we did not visit the participants in person, but conducted the interviews remotely. All participants were therefore additionally provided with the necessary equipment for recording different camera perspectives.

The observation and interview during the first hours of using the console already revealed potential for optimization, for example in the installation of the hardware and the interface for the initial setup.

Person while setting up a PlayStation 5 in his living room — Setup of the PlayStation®5 in participant's living room

Diary Study

After the initial unboxing interview, the same people took part in a diary study over several weeks. During this time, they regularly answered questions about their experience with PlayStation®5. This allowed us to see which features of the console users explored and when, which ones they learned over time or used more frequently, and which aspects remained undiscovered.

The end of the diary study was marked by a closing interview in which we addressed the participants' overall console experience. We studied the diary entries, had problems described to us and were thus able to get an overall picture of how the participants received the console. The findings help Sony to enhance the first-time use of the device, for example by pointing out features or providing targeted support for potential problem areas.

A young woman using a smartphone — Participation in the diary study

Usability Tests

In parallel to gathering data on the in-home experience, we also conducted usability tests of the PlayStation®5 in our test studio. In several rounds of testing, all relevant features of the new user interface were tested for usability problems – from the initial setup, to media usage, down to actually playing games and communicating with others via the console. The observations as well as the subjective perceptions of the participants were additionally recorded using various metrics that can be easily compared across markets.

A woman sits on a sofa and plays on the PlayStation 5. The test moderator sits in the background and takes notes. — Usability testing with the PlayStation®5 in our test studio

Continuous testing

Even after the initial market launch Sony continuously monitors the user experience of the PlayStation®5. For this purpose, we regularly conduct usability tests every few months to evaluate current issues or new features - either remotely or on site in our test studio. For these tests, we now invite people who already use a PlayStation®5 and can report on their personal experiences.

As both the setting and the procedure as well as the recruitment criteria for the target group are known, the tests can be carried out with minimal need for coordination and preparation. Sony thus gains a comprehensive picture of the console's usage challenges and can continuously improve it.