Apparently, Xbox isn’t the only one mulling about bringing over exclusive titles to competing platforms in a bid to increase revenue with the least amount of incurred cost.
Following in the footsteps of one of its fiercest rivals, Sony is considering bringing even more of its acclaimed PlayStation exclusives to other platforms, potentially including PC, signifying a major change in the gaming industry, where platform exclusivity has traditionally been a key driver of console sales.
As part of the company’s latest earnings call, Sony President Hiroki Totoki, cited the need to improve operating profit margins as a primary reason for exploring multiplatform releases. The success of simultaneous PS5 and PC releases like Helldivers 2 demonstrates the potential to tap into new markets and audiences beyond PlayStation players. Furthermore, Totoki is acknowledging the changing landscape of gaming, where cross-platform accessibility is increasingly valued by players.
The past decade has seen Sony go from protective of its first-party exclusives to establishing PlayStation Studios on Steam as part of its initiative to bringing more of its best-selling titles available on the PC. But as many have come to learn, the company remains hesitant about simultaneous releases.
While Helldivers 2 represents a nice change of pace, most first-party Sony titles don’t make their way to Steam and Epic Games Store until they’re over a year old.
To this day, Ghost of Tsushima, one of PlayStation’s most-decorated titles and a significant project culturally, remains unavailable on PC despite earlier leaks and clamor from fans.
However, with Jim Ryan’s departure in March and the statements made by the interim CEO, Sony might heavily reconsider cutting down the waiting times from 1-2 years to a day-and-date release on both PC and PlayStation 5.
If true, reaching a wider audience with popular titles could boost Sony’s overall revenue, one of the company’s biggest problems as it struggles with the ballooning costs of video game development. But Sony has to avoid rushing this decision. This might weaken the traditional selling point of console exclusives and potentially impact future console sales.
Ironically, the move to focus on service offerings such as PlayStation Plus and cross-platform play mirrors a Microsoft’s presumed plans for the Xbox.
Nevertheless, while the PC is the most likely destination, it’s unclear if exclusives will come to Xbox and Nintendo.
