Sony’s foray into PC gaming, which started when Sony put Horizon Zero Dawn and Days Gone on Steam before putting up an official PlayStation Studios page on the same platform, is about to get deeper.
Soon after confirming the release of Horizon Forbidden West on Steam in early 2024 and around the same time that job listings of a PC Planning Analyst were spotted online, some insiders suggest that PlayStation Network Trophies will soon be obtainable on PC ports of Sony’s first-party titles. This development surfaces amidst a broader shift in the gaming industry, where the distinction between console and PC gaming is increasingly blurred.
True Trophies, a website dedicated to tracking PlayStation Trophies, has been at the forefront of this discovery. The site’s scanners recently identified a mysterious new platform, the PSPC, accompanying a new trophy list, the Trophy Set. This isn’t directly attached to any known game, but it’s believed to be indicative of a fresh platform distinct from the PS5, or at least somewhat related to it, reminiscent of how trophies were once shared across PS4, PS Vita, and PS3, despite their distinct platforms. The specific nature of this tag is still under debate; it could stand for either PlayStation PC or PlayStation Studios PC or neither of the two.
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Strengthening this theory was the integration of PSN support for the PC port of Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered that was released 2022. Although this game didn’t encompass trophy support, it did incentivize players to link their Steam and PSN accounts in return for in-game rewards.
With PlayStation Studios PC titles like God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn, Days Gone, and Spider-Man Remastered, there’s no longer an inherent need for a PSN account, setting it apart from some Xbox Game Studios titles on Steam which has a strict Xbox Live account requirement. The advantage with Xbox’s approach, however, is the convenience of shared Achievements and save progress.
An important aspect to note is that, while there’s optimism surrounding Sony’s tentative steps into this integration – a future with seamless sharing between PlayStation and PC accounts without the need for an exclusive launcher would be nice – Sony hasn’t confirmed anything yet. The trophy list picked up by TrueTrophies seems to be a test, given that it’s not linked to a specific game. Furthermore, it’s unusual for developers to submit their platforms to PSN, suggesting this could be an initiative by Sony.
As the gaming landscape evolves, so do business models and strategies. Sony’s expansion of its PC portfolio shouldn’t be surprising at all, considering the burgeoning competitiveness of the games industry and escalating AAA budgets. It’s a notion further bolstered by Sony’s intention to launch its first-party and third-party PlayStation-exclusive multiplayer titles on PC simultaneously, especially as part of its massive live-service lineup through 2026. However, with innovation come reservations.
There are fears that Sony will take queues from Microsoft. Most are hoping that Sony doesn’t launch a unique PC launcher and store, as previously mentioned. The ideal scenario, for many, is for Sony to find a way to let users link their PS accounts via mainstream platforms like Steam or the Epic Games Store. It’s pertinent to note that this doesn’t restrict Sony from launching a dedicated Playstation PC store, a strategy Microsoft employs concurrently with releases on other platforms.
But if Sony did venture into creating its own launcher, it could be an adaptation of the PlayStation Store on the PS4 and PS5 that operate natively on the PC. This could potentially usher in more revenue from games using a bespoke platform and offer tailored benefits. Yet, it also surfaces concerns about potential controversies, especially if PC gamers have different access or payment structures compared to their PlayStation counterparts.
In the end, while the digital breadcrumbs hint at an exciting convergence of Sony’s console and PC worlds, it remains to be seen how these integrations will be implemented and, ultimately, received.
What’s certain is that Sony is waiting for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 to drop on the PlayStation 5 on October 20.
