The strategy Sony is using to bring PlayStation games to PC players is one that many have wondered about. In a guest appearance on the What’s Up PlayStation podcast, ex-Chairman of SIE Worldwide Studios Shawn Layden explained how the aim of PC ports is to bring new fans into the PlayStation world. Sony is doing that by porting best-selling PlayStation titles whose console sales have reached saturation point.
Head of PlayStation Studios Hermen Hulst had already made clear that Sony was porting their games to PC so that they could “reach new gamers who haven’t yet experienced the great stories, characters, and worlds that we’ve built.” Layden clarified by explaining that they wanted to bring more people into the PlayStation world but they couldn’t do that if they “only talk to people who are already in the PlayStation world.” This meant going out to where the new fans could possibly be, and the easiest platform to reach was the PC gamers.
PlayStation exclusive titles that have already made it to PC include Days Gone and Horizon Zero Dawn. The logic behind porting these games is that they’re already best-selling PlayStation games. While they are still selling on the PlayStation 4 console, sales have pretty much plateaued. By bringing the titles to PC, Layden says there is “no losing in this transaction” because it’s “allowing people to have a glimpse inside the PlayStation world” without harming sales on the console platforms. There’s even the chance that some would go on to purchase a PS5 console for playing future PlayStation exclusive titles when “they might not have otherwise.” This was proven in renewed interest and conversation share Days Gone received with its PC launch two years after the PlayStation release.
Given this particular strategy, Layden also said he thought it was unlikely that PlayStation would ever release a game “day and date with PC,” but “never say never.” This is something Hulst has also previously hinted towards, saying PC ports would never come “at the expense of building an exciting lineup of great console games.” Regardless, the PC release strategy looks set to continue. Sony acquired Nixxes Studio to help with porting PlayStation IPs to PC. Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is due to bring Uncharted 5 and Lost Legacy to PC next year, as well as PS5.
[Source: What’s Up PlayStation via ResetEra]
