Sony confirms PlayStation games will keep coming to PC, but not at launch

[midian182]

Bottom line: Considering how Sony has been embracing the PC recently, one might wonder if there's any point in buying a PS5 when the exclusives will likely come to our favorite platform. While that is true, you're going to be waiting a long time after launch to play them—years, in fact.

Former PlayStation-only titles Horizon Zero Dawn, Death Stranding, and Days Gone have proved very popular on the PC, and Sony has all but confirmed that Uncharted 4: A Thief's End is the next game to lose its exclusivity status. We've also seen how the recently launched PlayStation Studios' Steam page lists fewer items than are available on the service, suggesting the company has already uploaded hidden pages ready for future releases.

But this newfound love doesn't mean new PS4/5 games will ever hit the PC on launch day. In a Q&A session on the PlayStation Blog, PlayStation Studios boss Hermen Hulst emphasized that if you want to play the likes of Horizon Forbidden West without waiting a very long time, buy a PlayStation.

"We're still early on in our planning for PC. And Horizon Zero Dawn has been very successful. I think it shows there's an appetite from gamers outside the PlayStation ecosystem to experience the amazing portfolio of games that PlayStation fans have enjoyed for years," Hulst said.

"But I want to emphasize that PlayStation will remain the best place to play our PlayStation Studios titles at launch. But we do value PC gamers, and we'll continue to look at the right times to launch each game. Bend Studio just released the PC version of Days Gone on May 18. So that's about two years after the PS4 release."

Sony's decision to release its console exclusives on the PC has been met with plenty of anger and derision from PlayStation fans, but Hulst tried to appease this crowd by adding: "Releasing games on PC will not come ever at the expense of building an exciting lineup of great console games."

With Uncharted 4 on the way, which PlayStation 4 exclusive are you hoping will come to the PC in the near future? Personally, I'd happily replay Bloodborne, God of War, and The Last of Us with PC-specific features and improvements.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/89921-sony-confirms-playstation-games-keep-coming-pc-but.html

 

[Watzupken]

This is logical. The reason why PS have always done well is because of its exclusive titles. If they were to introduce a new game on PS5 and PC at the same time, I don't think there is any exclusivity anymore. Its no different from the problem that Xbox face where games on Xbox will be available on PC, even for MS exclusive titles.

 

[R00sT3R]

There's probably a graph on a wall at Sony HQ that plots the optimum PC Release schedule against a declining PS5 sales curve of the game in question, and when, and only when, the lines cross, will the game see a PC release..

 

[Burty117]

This is logical. The reason why PS have always done well is because of its exclusive titles. If they were to introduce a new game on PS5 and PC at the same time, I don't think there is any exclusivity anymore. Its no different from the problem that Xbox face where games on Xbox will be available on PC, even for MS exclusive titles.

There was some "Xbox Exclusive" game that came out last year, that was also on PC. I got railed in the YouTube comments for pointing out that it's not exclusive if it's also on PC. At best, you could call it "Microsoft exclusive" which only means "it's not on PlayStation".

Glad to see I'm not the only person out there that understands basic English and what the word "Exclusive" actually means.

 

[m4a4]

Ah yes, nothing like being too stubborn to admit that properly supporting an open market like PC is a smart move.
Just gotta stall and try your best at double dipping...

The PC market is more than big enough to cover the shallow (greedy) concern of less sales on a PS platform (considering there are also consumers who won't be buying a PS5).
And it's, y'know, a pro-gamer move (something Sony has been avoiding compared to MS).

 

[EdmondRC]

Hopefully the gap between release and PC release will narrow. I can't imagine that they need to wait three full years. By that time they have given it away on PS Plus and the game can be purchased for $19.99 or less. Seems like it would be in their best interests to release PC games prior to them being on PS Plus and selling for less than $30. Maybe one year after launch.

 

[SirDigby]

Smart business move for Sony, still encourages buying of a console but does open the games to extra sales from the PC market.
I can't understand why PS fans would be mad about it though, more people get to enjoy the games, why gatekeep these games? Exclusivity doesn't actually benefit gamers, it's a strategic business move.

 

[NightAntilli]

There is very little that makes PlayStation unique anymore. The move to release games on PC is a necessity for Sony at this point. They have to get additional income through PC.

PlayStation never really moved beyond its old business model. Of the three big console makers, PlayStation is really in the worst position. PlayStation fans like to brag about the exclusives, but, in reality, they don't sell nearly as well as people believe. Look at the top 50 best selling games. They are littered with multiplatform games and Nintendo games. Xbox didn't focus on multiplatforms for nothing. They knew that if they could have the better platform for multi-plats, that they would gain market share. They tried going the Nintendo route with Kinect, but, nothing can compete with Nintendo.

Nintendo sells, because it's Nintendo. They might not have top of the line hardware, but their innovations more than make up for it.

Xbox has innovated with GamePass. And they have the advantage of having Windows, meaning porting games between Xbox and PC are easy, and Gamepass works across both.

PlayStation has basically no advantage over the other two. The main thing keeping it alive is brand name and mind share. They have a loyal fan base, but it's dwindling. If they don't change something soon, PlayStation will be a thing of the past.

Put away your pitch forks. I'm not saying it's going to happen tomorrow. But it's quite clear that the PlayStation brand is on a downward trend, unlike Nintendo and Xbox. PlayStation can be here for one or two more generations if they don't change much. After that, it's game over, unless they actually learn to differentiate themselves in some shape or form.

 

[hahahanoobs]

"...if you want to play the likes of Horizon Forbidden West without waiting a very long time, buy a PlayStation."

lol I'll wait. Keep your sub 60fps "next gen" console.

 

[Shadowboxer]

The only real exclusives left these days are Nintendo first party games. All these Sony and MS “exclusives” are just developers paid not to publish games with competitors. The games are never unique to the hardware or even any kind of philosophy. Look at Mario Odyssey, it’s extremely unique and original, it needs a joy-con to play and is a well known face of Nintendo, developed in house by Nintendo.

However something like Days Gone is just another zombie survival game that can run on any modern hardware, it has no in game identity unique to any gaming brand. Developed by a third party on Sonys behalf and used to leverage access to the platform.

 

[terzaerian]

Console gamers: oh it doesn't matter what platform you play on we're all ~gamers~

Also console gamers: HELL YEAH HORIZON IS PS-EXCLUSIVE SUCK IT PC-AILURES I HAVE EGO-WELDED TO SONY

 

[EdmondRC]

The only real exclusives left these days are Nintendo first party games. All these Sony and MS “exclusives” are just developers paid not to publish games with competitors. The games are never unique to the hardware or even any kind of philosophy. Look at Mario Odyssey, it’s extremely unique and original, it needs a joy-con to play and is a well known face of Nintendo, developed in house by Nintendo.

However something like Days Gone is just another zombie survival game that can run on any modern hardware, it has no in game identity unique to any gaming brand. Developed by a third party on Sonys behalf and used to leverage access to the platform.

But what about that FSRz everyone has been boasting about, surely HFW will use that sweet spatial magic to get 60fps without any machine learning whatsoever.

 

[Grayson93]

This is logical. The reason why PS have always done well is because of its exclusive titles. If they were to introduce a new game on PS5 and PC at the same time, I don't think there is any exclusivity anymore. Its no different from the problem that Xbox face where games on Xbox will be available on PC, even for MS exclusive titles.

I agree with PS exclusives being a big part of the platform's success but that doesn't mean releasing those games on PC would hurt PS.

PC is great and it's my favorite platform to game on but it's also very expensive. Especially now.

PS5 is 400$ and there is no way you can build an equivalent PC for 400$ even when prices were "fair".

 

[Kosmoz]

This is logical. The reason why PS have always done well is because of its exclusive titles. If they were to introduce a new game on PS5 and PC at the same time, I don't think there is any exclusivity anymore. Its no different from the problem that Xbox face where games on Xbox will be available on PC, even for MS exclusive titles.

There's probably a graph on a wall at Sony HQ that plots the optimum PC Release schedule against a declining PS5 sales curve of the game in question, and when, and only when, the lines cross, will the game see a PC release..

Exactly!
I'm glad Hermen Hulst shed some more light on this controversial topic (which should not be, but some people are... meh) because it's getting ridiculous how haters or hardcore Xbots keep saying that Sony is/will copy MS from now on.

No they are not copying and they don't need to copy MS. Sony is still in the lead and all they are doing is strengthening their already strong point - exclusives (25 new games announced with half of them new IPs) - and giving the PC gamers ONLY some had picked exclusives and ONLY years later, not day 1 and not all of them like MS does. And that is the biggest difference that some don't or won't understand.

They will not do what MS does because giving all your games to PC day 1 is like shooting yourself in the foot. All the advantage is gone, PS5 would become 100% redundant for many PC gamers (like Xbox is since they adopted this strategy). Sony knows this and they are strategically choosing some games after they have run their course on PS to make more profit and at the same time get new fans of those games/franchises and based on how popular they get on PC too, those new gamers can be potential PS buyers in the future if they like those games so much that they don't want to wait years. It's brilliant actually.

Xbox as a console was and will be forever a non-factor for a PC gamer like me, so the obvious choice was and still is PC + PS.

There is no way this will change this console generation. Maybe PS7 and XBoxwhatevername - next gen, who knows - but not now.

 

[Grayson93]

Exactly!
I'm glad Hermen Hulst shed some more light on this controversial topic (which should not be, but some people are... meh) because it's getting ridiculous how haters or hardcore Xbots keep saying that Sony is/will copy MS from now on.

No they are not copying and they don't need to copy MS. Sony is still in the lead and all they are doing is strengthening their already strong point - exclusives (25 new games announced with half of them new IPs) - and giving the PC gamers ONLY some had picked exclusives and ONLY years later, not day 1 and not all of them like MS does. And that is the biggest difference that some don't or won't understand.

They will not do what MS does because giving all your games to PC day 1 is like shooting yourself in the foot. All the advantage is gone, PS5 would become 100% redundant for many PC gamers (like Xbox is since they adopted this strategy). Sony knows this and they are strategically choosing some games after they have run their course on PS to make more profit and at the same time get new fans of those games/franchises and based on how popular they get on PC too, those new gamers can be potential PS buyers in the future if they like those games so much that they don't want to wait years. It's brilliant actually.

Xbox as a console was and will be forever a non-factor for a PC gamer like me, so the obvious choice was and still is PC + PS.

There is no way this will change this console generation. Maybe PS7 and XBoxwhatevername - next gen, who knows - but not now.

I get what you are saying here and I'm like you, I own a gaming PC that is my main platform and a PS4 for Sony exclusives. That said, I don't think MS releasing games on PC day one is a bad thing for them.

Bottom line, There probably aren't many people like us, people that can afford and spend time playing games on multiple platforms. Most people probably only own one so as much as I love PS exclusives, I'm not ready to rule out MS this gen. If Bethesda and other MS owned studios start pumping out exclusives like crazy, good exclusives, then we are looking at an entire different generation then the one we just had.

 

[Kosmoz]

I get what you are saying here and I'm like you, I own a gaming PC that is my main platform and a PS4 for Sony exclusives. That said, I don't think MS releasing games on PC day one is a bad thing for them.

Bottom line, There probably aren't many people like us, people that can afford and spend time playing games on multiple platforms. Most people probably only own one so as much as I love PS exclusives, I'm not ready to rule out MS this gen. If Bethesda and other MS owned studios start pumping out exclusives like crazy, good exclusives, then we are looking at an entire different generation then the one we just had.

I agree that MS is more suited for day 1 games on both PC and Xbox and their GamePass is a good move - because of how they made it work. I also think competition will be more fierce (hopefully, I still need to see MS's 1st new great AAA game... still waiting on that for years) this generation too, but in the end I also think Sony will win again, even if not as roflstomping as in the PS4 era, it will still be a decent win, not by a millimeter.

As for how many people are in the PC + PS boat, well I think millions, if not dozens of millions actually...

This is one of the main reasons why Xbox consoles have sales numbers less than half of the PS ones, because a lot of people play MS games on PCs. They don't need an Xbox, it would be redundant, but a PS is a must (almost) - and I don't even mind having to buy a PS, because it's worth it. This gen will prove the same, even if MS will have 10 great new AAA games in the next 5 years I still think PS5 will sell at least double the number of Xbox.
Now when talking about total revenue - Xbox vs PS (not MS vs Sony, that's irrelevant), so gaming division vs gaming division, well it might be closer at the end of the generation, but we will see...

If MS would still have real exclusives to Xbox only (as in zero to PC) and they were as great as Sony's are for years now, I would be compelled to buy their console too... but I'm not, and have never been.

 

[GamerNerves]

Why PlayStation owners would be angry over this? I thought they love their console more than is healthy, it's not like the device is going to vanish.

 

[Mr Majestyk]

As long as they keep coming, I'm not worried about the delays. My backlog of games is huge and these huge open world games can take me years to finish. I've haven't even finished Skyrim or started Witcher 3. When I finish AC Odyssey, I'll do W3, then HZD and Days Gone. That'll keep me going until 2024 for sure LOL.

Also by then I'll be on either RDNA 4 or Hopper and it will eat HZW for lunch at 4K.

 

[Rdmetz]

Why PlayStation owners would be angry over this? I thought they love their console more than is healthy, it's not like the device is going to vanish.

It scares them into thinking they become second class citizens or something and it terrifies them to think the Xbox fanboys will have something to hold over their head as to WHY their console is not needed.

 

[Rdmetz]

Hopefully the gap between release and PC release will narrow. I can't imagine that they need to wait three full years. By that time they have given it away on PS Plus and the game can be purchased for $19.99 or less. Seems like it would be in their best interests to release PC games prior to them being on PS Plus and selling for less than $30. Maybe one year after launch.

That's where I assume they are aiming to get and I think some will be there sooner rather then later.

Death stranding while not technically their game was already under a year and is by most standards a Playstation "console exclusive" since we have to now spell that out for everyone. And if it comes to Xbox then we will have to retro actively call it a Playstation console TIMED exclusive! Lol

 

[Grayson93]

I agree that MS is more suited for day 1 games on both PC and Xbox and their GamePass is a good move - because of how they made it work. I also think competition will be more fierce (hopefully, I still need to see MS's 1st new great AAA game... still waiting on that for years) this generation too, but in the end I also think Sony will win again, even if not as roflstomping as in the PS4 era, it will still be a decent win, not by a millimeter.

As for how many people are in the PC + PS boat, well I think millions, if not dozens of millions actually...

This is one of the main reasons why Xbox consoles have sales numbers less than half of the PS ones, because a lot of people play MS games on PCs. They don't need an Xbox, it would be redundant, but a PS is a must (almost) - and I don't even mind having to buy a PS, because it's worth it. This gen will prove the same, even if MS will have 10 great new AAA games in the next 5 years I still think PS5 will sell at least double the number of Xbox.
Now when talking about total revenue - Xbox vs PS (not MS vs Sony, that's irrelevant), so gaming division vs gaming division, well it might be closer at the end of the generation, but we will see...

If MS would still have real exclusives to Xbox only (as in zero to PC) and they were as great as Sony's are for years now, I would be compelled to buy their console too... but I'm not, and have never been.

I guess only time will tell.. just to be clear, I also think PS5 is going to win this gen. Sony has too big of a fan base now and there wasn't any real reason to get a Xbox One over the PS4. Last gen was a disaster for Xbox and it's definitely going to bleed over to this gen. However, It does seem like MS learned their lesson - if Srarfield turns out great, If a new good Fallout game(unlike the last one) comes out and you can't play those games on PlayStation then you better believe a lot of people are going to think maybe I should have gotten an Xbox.

Again, and it's just my opinion, nothing I said here as anything to do with games releasing on PC. Releasing games on PC, for Sony and MS, is just going to make them more money.

 

[Kosmoz]

Why PlayStation owners would be angry over this? I thought they love their console more than is healthy, it's not like the device is going to vanish.

Unfortunately some, not all and maybe a minority of Ponies, like a minority of Xbots, are stupid. And those minorities in both case act and think like *****s.
There is no reason to fear this change of PS games coming to PC, because Sony won't copy MS: not all games will come to PC and not day 1 as confirmed already. If anything this will make more PS fans in the future, rather than alienating existing ones...

That's where I assume they are aiming to get and I think some will be there sooner rather then later.

Death stranding while not technically their game was already under a year and is by most standards a Playstation "console exclusive" since we have to now spell that out for everyone. And if it comes to Xbox then we will have to retro actively call it a Playstation console TIMED exclusive! Lol

Yes some will come sooner rather than later, but not 1st party games and not all of them for sure.

Death Stranding is a 3rd party game and that's why those 3rd party ones will always be (short) timed exclusives and will come much sooner to PC than 1st party PlayStation Studios games. Do not mix them up, there's a difference and so far facts back this up. If will be the same in the future too.

 

[Gezzer]

There is very little that makes PlayStation unique anymore. The move to release games on PC is a necessity for Sony at this point. They have to get additional income through PC.

PlayStation never really moved beyond its old business model. Of the three big console makers, PlayStation is really in the worst position. PlayStation fans like to brag about the exclusives, but, in reality, they don't sell nearly as well as people believe. Look at the top 50 best selling games. They are littered with multiplatform games and Nintendo games. Xbox didn't focus on multiplatforms for nothing. They knew that if they could have the better platform for multi-plats, that they would gain market share. They tried going the Nintendo route with Kinect, but, nothing can compete with Nintendo.

Nintendo sells, because it's Nintendo. They might not have top of the line hardware, but their innovations more than make up for it.

Xbox has innovated with GamePass. And they have the advantage of having Windows, meaning porting games between Xbox and PC are easy, and Gamepass works across both.

PlayStation has basically no advantage over the other two. The main thing keeping it alive is brand name and mind share. They have a loyal fan base, but it's dwindling. If they don't change something soon, PlayStation will be a thing of the past.

Put away your pitch forks. I'm not saying it's going to happen tomorrow. But it's quite clear that the PlayStation brand is on a downward trend, unlike Nintendo and Xbox. PlayStation can be here for one or two more generations if they don't change much. After that, it's game over, unless they actually learn to differentiate themselves in some shape or form.

I'd totally agree except for one reason. VR. Going forward if you want the best bang for buck VR experience it's going to be the second generation PS VR. PC is hands down the best if money is no option. But for most gamers cost is always a factor to be considered. And when you consider any other budget friendly options even the first gen is a great value, but 2nd gen is where the smart money will be.

 

[NightAntilli]

I'd totally agree except for one reason. VR. Going forward if you want the best bang for buck VR experience it's going to be the second generation PS VR. PC is hands down the best if money is no option. But for most gamers cost is always a factor to be considered. And when you consider any other budget friendly options even the first gen is a great value, but 2nd gen is where the smart money will be.

That is a fair point... But VR is not exactly latching on so much. At least not yet. It might be more prevalent in the future. If it does, then PlayStation will indeed have an upper hand again compared to Nintendo and Xbox.

 

[Gezzer]

That is a fair point... But VR is not exactly latching on so much. At least not yet. It might be more prevalent in the future. If it does, then PlayStation will indeed have an upper hand again compared to Nintendo and Xbox.

But that's where if Sony does things right they'll bring VR mainstream and be a dominate player. Think of it, a high quality VR experience for under a $1,000US? What gamer wouldn't want that? It's a moot point with all the current shortages, but if Sony had a third VR bundle at launch for that price? I think you'd find a lot of people jumping on the bandwagon. But I could be wrong on that...