Sony Plans to Release More Games From PlayStation on PC
Sony is considering releasing games from its catalog on PC. As stated in the company's latest financial report, this is intended to encourage consumers to choose PlayStation as their target gaming platform.
Just a few years ago, it seemed like virtually every game released with Sony's support would have no chance of being released beyond PlayStation. Even now, after the releases of Death Stranding, Horizon: Zero Dawn and Quantic Dream's games on PC, many Internet users doubt the possibility of another franchise from the Japanese company appearing on PC, contrary to the rumors and reports of insiders. However, the latest financial report of the Tokyo-based company may shake the beliefs of these skeptics. In the summary of 'Corporate Report 2020' there was a reference to the possibility of publishing games from Sony's catalogue on PC. One of the reasons for this is the expected increase in 'competition from online PC games', as well as companies from outside the digital entertainment industry.
Exclusive titles have been an integral part of the competition between platforms for decades. Crash Bandicoot, God of War, The Legend of Zelda, Super Smash Bros. - are just a few of the many IPs that encourage (or have encouraged in the case of Crash) to choose a console from this or that manufacturer. Sony is certainly not giving up ground to Nintendo when it comes to exclusive games. Only in the last two years PlayStation owners have received exclusive access to Ghost of Tsushima, Days Gone, The Last of Us: Part II, NiOh 2, Spider-Man and several other titles, with Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Horizon: Forbidden West and Demon's Souls on the horizon. And let's not forget the additional content, due to some strange reasons usually released only on PlayStation 4 (vide recent Marvel's Avengers scandal), or hitting competiting platforms much later (the Call of Duty series).
So far, Sony has been reluctant to talk about the possibility of publishing titles from its catalog on competitors' platforms, even if it was only about the temporary exclusivity of other publishers' games. The fact that the company is now openly writing about considering PC ports of its own titles can be seen as a symbolic breakthrough. However, do not count on Sony to follow in Microsoft's footsteps. The Redmond giant can afford to de facto completely give up console exclusivity and treat Xbox and Windows 10 as a single, common platform. Sony makes it clear in the report that it intends to strengthen the franchises in its catalog so that, and we quote, 'consumers select PlayStation as their platform of choice' to play. In other words, the company will continue to use exclusive titles to encourage the players to buy its consoles.
Even if more Sony games may be released on PC, it is clear that we will have to wait months or even years after the games' PlayStation debut for these ports. Incidentally, there are still many outstanding titles that, despite their age, many players would love to check out on PCs. Enough to mention Bloodborne from 2015, which has recently been very often leaked in the context of Sony Interactive Entertainment releasing more games on PC. It may take a lot of time, but, well, better late than never.
