Sony's PlayStation has always been the lone brand of the gaming industry, mainly because PlayStation has consistently tried to remain in its circle without venturing too far from its community of gamers. While Xbox appeared more approachable towards the idea of crossplay for specific games, PlayStation had declined this at first. However, the climate of the industry has evolved, and PlayStation has had to change along with it.
In March 2020, PlayStation announced that the well-received Horizon Zero Dawn from Guerrilla Games was coming to PC, with a strong focus on performance that allowed players to push the game to 60fps and beyond. This came as a shock to everyone, but PlayStation's trick was bringing in a slew of new players into their community by giving them a taste of what to expect from PlayStation exclusivity.
PlayStation President Jim Ryan recently confirmed in an interview with GQ Magazine that PlayStation-exclusive Days Gone will be coming to PC this spring. Days Gone originally came out for PlayStation 4 in 2019 and saw a tremendous amount of success; it would even go on to have more first-week sales than God of War. While the release of Days Gone on PC won't be as impactful due to PlayStation 5 already offering a 60fps boost for the game, it makes enough impact on PC exclusive players.
Why Sony's Exclusives Coming To PC Is Smart
A side advantage of Sony sharing its exclusives is the growth of PlayStation exclusive developers. Bend Studios is a fairly small developer compared to some of the behemoths exclusive to PlayStation, meaning this kind of widespread attention will surely bring more interest in their future games. Although, Bend Studios will also likely need some help moving forward after losing two key developers John Garvin and Jeff Ross, both of them having worked on Days Gone.
Reaching a larger community means future PlayStation exclusives won't merely be thought of a just another console release for PC players, as they begin experiencing what's on offer. The exciting notion of even more high-quality games will undoubtedly get player attention, which is likely what PlayStation is hoping for in order to expand its horizon. Chances are, PlayStation is looking to capitalize on that excitement and translate it to their latest console release, which is still a struggle to purchase anywhere due to scalpers.
As of November 2020, Sony revealed that the PlayStation 4 had sold more than a staggering 114 million units. However, by the end of 2021, Sony expects PS5 to reach upwards of 18 million sales. On top of this, Sony aims for the PS5 to sell 100 million units or more over its lifetime. Judging only by the success of the PS4, as well as its exclusives, it's safe to say that Sony may very well carry out its goal. However, Sony will need to open the lock on its library of exclusive games to impress new buyers. After all, most people who have a PS4 will likely upgrade to the new console, but an exclusive PC or Xbox player may need convincing.
On top of reaching a new audience, Sony would also likely be securing players who will remain for the long run, meaning they may very well create an audience that'll follow into future console generations. While Microsoft is looking to expand its reach via Xbox Game Pass and xCloud, Sony needs to focus solely on expanding its audience via its exclusive games and the appeal of their new console. Sony has also hinted that a "whole slate" of PlayStation games will also be making their way to PC, meaning PlayStation is only beginning its mission to expand their community and open their games to a larger audience.
Overall, it's an interesting view, watching Sony becoming more open to the idea of sharing their PlayStation exclusivity with PC players. It'll also be interesting to see what games are included in the plan of porting games to PC( fans have been asking of a PC version of Bloodborne for a while now). Either way, it's safe to say that Sony is looking ahead and will likely reach its goal of 100 million units sold by the end of the PS5's lifetime.
Source: GQ Magazine