Sony PlayStation cross-platform game strategy

[Metal_Spirit]

I see the possibility of one or two exclusives on PC, months before a new version is released on PS5, as a positive thing.
But only one or two, and as a promotion to the console.
HZD can be a show off of what Sony can get out of a 1,84 Tflops. And a new HZD on a next gen console can move consoles.

BUT...

This is a maybe. As a fact we have fans breaking their consoles. We have people claiming they are not going to buy the consoles. We have fans asking for their money back because the game was labeled Playstation Exclusive.

Consoles move passions... and move hates too. Sony seems to be forgetting that. And risks losing some of the most harcore fans, people who are with them since Playstation 1.
In that regard, seeing Cory Barlog replying with a reflecting emoticon when asked when will GOD OF WAR be available on PC is not a good sign. This is making fans angry.

And seeing people thanking for the game since now they can play them on their Microsoft Windows PC, using their Microsoft Xbox controller is kind of vexatory to Sony.

Speaking for myself, I will not like seeing Playstation exclusives on PC. For that I would be better off with a PC, where I can play Xbox, PS4 and PC exclusives.

Above all I think Sony should come out and be 100% clear about their intentions. Angry fans are never a good thing.

 

[mrcorbo]

I see the possibility of one or two exclusives on PC, months before a new version is released on PS5, as a positive thing.
But only one or two, and as a promotion to the console.
HZD can be a show off of what Sony can get out of a 1,84 Tflops. And a new HZD on a next gen console can move consoles.

BUT...

This is a maybe. As a fact we have fans breaking their consoles. We have people claiming they are not going to buy the consoles. We have fans asking for their money back because the game was labeled Playstation Exclusive.

Consoles move passions... and move hates too. Sony seems to be forgetting that. And risks losing some of the most harcore fans, people who are with them since Playstation 1.
In that regard, seeing Cory Barlog replying with a reflecting emoticon when asked when will GOD OF WAR be available on PC is not a good sign. This is making fans angry.

And seeing people thanking for the game since now they can play them on their Microsoft Windows PC, using their Microsoft Xbox controller is kind of vexatory to Sony.

Speaking for myself, I will not like seeing Playstation exclusives on PC. For that I would be better off with a PC, where I can play Xbox, PS4 and PC exclusives.

Above all I think Sony should come out and be 100% clear about their intentions. Angry fans are never a good thing.

Losing them to what? What are those "fans" going to do instead? Buy Nintendo systems? There's no other alternative vendor that offers console exclusives.

Most likely they throw a huge hissy fit and then, when the next game they want to play/system they want to buy comes along all will be forgiven/forgotten.

I understand why exclusives can be a good thing for technical reasons (development focused on and optimized for a specific hardware platform) and I get why console vendors may want them to create a competitive advantage, but people getting upset because a game goes from exclusive to non-exclusive is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard.

 

[Deleted member 13524]

As a fact we have fans breaking their consoles.

Quotation needed.

We have fans asking for their money back because the game was labeled Playstation Exclusive.

Where?

people getting upset because a game goes from exclusive to non-exclusive is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard.

Especially when we're talking about 3 year-old titles whose sales are residual at this point.
I wouldn't even be surprised if HZD comes out as a plus title in the same month it launches on PC.

 

[goonergaz]

If they port it after the PS version, then that won't happen. If they release it simultaneously, it depends on the devs how much effort the game gets. Rockstar releases on all platforms yet it doesn't suffer technically. Doom ethernal is up there with the best looking games also.

Outliner arguments FTW

R* are the biggest game company with a bottomless resource and Doom is just Doom, it’s fun but it’s no great story/adventure.

 

[PSman1700]

Doom is just Doom, it’s fun but it’s no great story/adventure.

I replied doom because he said technical. Technically doom didnt suffer much from being on more platforms, it is up there with the best.
Its not even a bad game.

All in all i agree with phil spencer, the former GG dev, and the ceo of gow studio.

 

[mrcorbo]

Aside from the caveat of the benefits of hardware-specific development, exclusive games are not inherently better than games that are not exclusive. In any way.

 

[manux]

I'm happy horizon comes to pc. If that doesn't convert some sony sucks, pc rules people to like sony first party titles nothing will. Horizon is such a good game everyone should at least be able to try it.

Long term it's probably content not hw play. Good that sony at least is willing to entertain options outside playstation hw.

I wonder if pc version has been upgraded somehow or if it's just a direct port? Would love to see some kind of horizon vr experience. Even if it was just on the rails jurassic park kind of thing or even if it was just vr video.

 

[PSman1700]

I wonder if pc version has been upgraded somehow or if it's just a direct port? Would love to see some kind of horizon vr experience. Even if it was just on the rails jurassic park kind of thing or even if it was just vr video.

Probably like DS, higher fps, native 4k and higher, ultra wide, and perhaps upped settings (textures, assets popin etc), maybe RT? and the ability to ise other controllers then ds4.
VR probably not, for jurassic park you probably need to wait for mods, sounds cool btw, fits the game with the dinosours/jungle.

 

[MrFox]

MODS: please intervene and stop the three quarters of the posts being about "how other people feel" and "why are you angry, how quaint" with the incessant condescending tone. It's just provocation until someone bites, then it becomes sly personal attacks. This discussion will be going nowhere.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

I totally agree with MrFox here. How random people on the internet feel about stuff isn't a B3D discussion. Never has been.

I axed some of the worst content focussing on on reference to 'people feel.' If you have a view about fan backlash affecting Sony's brand or earnings, please use good quantitative data to avoid the tiresome back-and-forths over what exactly the numbers represent. "People are outraged" isn't a suitable source as it's uncounted. Are more people outraged than not? "Hundreds of people on Facebook" - what does that represent of the whole console audience?

If you find yourself getting bogged down in back-and-forths, take a step back and see if you can restructure your argument to focus on meaningful data. Don't cite examples from social media as evidence of anything - you can find an example of any and every opinion on the internet. If you want to use social media analysis, use large-scale stats, like trending hashtags.

Can I also remind people (all people, not singling anyone out) that how they express their opinions can cause confusion and arguments for no reason. eg. Taking ToTz's (now deleted) post:

If it looks like a troll, smells like a troll and quacks like a troll, then it's probably a troll.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1237695981107531776

Of course, those looking for fringe cases on the internet to support their fake theories of great outrages will always find what they want.

It's not clear what the message is here. I might well be obvious if you have been following AP, but an awful lot of human beings aren't. ToTz then clarifies...

All I did was ask for sources. You pointed out the same guy on twitter which is the only source that suggests people are destroying their consoles because he uploaded a super blurry video of something that may be a PS4 on the floor.
The same guy who then posted he was laughing at the whole situation. (i.e. it's an internet troll)

These points could and should be included with the original replies. Instead of saying,

"If it looks like a troll, smells like a troll and quacks like a troll, then it's probably a troll."
​

he could have said,

"the guy is trolling and isn't genuinely outraged. This is his follow up Tweet where he says he doesn't actually care and finds the whole thing funny."​

If viewpoints and interpretations are expressed alongside the evidence, we can avoid all the confused misinterpretations and second-guessing. Certainly myself, I find quite a few posts where I don't really know what is being expressed as I'm missing half the dots. Don't assume people are following who's saying what, especially in off-board conversations.

TLDR; A moment's more time to write a clearer point is a good investment in avoiding a lot of later time arguing over what was meant.

 

[Tkumpathenurple]

I'm skeptical about this being a wise move from Sony. It's no skin off my nose - I'm not a shareholder - but I doubt it's beneficial to them.

PSNow seemed like the best way of enabling PC gamers a way of accessing PS exclusives: PC gamers get to play them, but they still need to buy a PlayStation if they want to experience them at their best.

Evolving that idea still seems like the most sensible course of action IMO: allow any owned game in your library to be streamed via PSNow. This would ensure that the PlayStation [n] would still be the best place to play the game, but PC gamers could buy PlayStation exclusives and build up a library. In time, that library might grow large enough to warrant a PlayStation in addition to their gaming PC.

But releasing one of their highest profile 1st party exclusives of this generation, on their main competitor's platform, with better performance than PS4Pro gamers can attain, mere months before the launch of their next generation console? It strikes me as, at best, a little bit silly.

Sure, there's plenty of hyperbole out there (I was reading through some comments on the European PlayStation blog and... well, the human race is buggered) but if I'm at all successful in sifting through their colourful language, people are justifiably doubtful of whether they need to bother buying a PlayStation in order to play PlayStation exclusives. Exclusives sell (or, maybe, sold) consoles, and if you buy just one console, you'll also play 3rd party games there, some of those 3rd party games generate ungodly amounts of money. I don't see why you would slaughter your dairy cow because you want a steak.

 

[mrcorbo]

I'm skeptical about this being a wise move from Sony. It's no skin off my nose - I'm not a shareholder - but I doubt it's beneficial to them.

PSNow seemed like the best way of enabling PC gamers a way of accessing PS exclusives: PC gamers get to play them, but they still need to buy a PlayStation if they want to experience them at their best.

Evolving that idea still seems like the most sensible course of action IMO: allow any owned game in your library to be streamed via PSNow. This would ensure that the PlayStation [n] would still be the best place to play the game, but PC gamers could buy PlayStation exclusives and build up a library. In time, that library might grow large enough to warrant a PlayStation in addition to their gaming PC.

But releasing one of their highest profile 1st party exclusives of this generation, on their main competitor's platform, with better performance than PS4Pro gamers can attain, mere months before the launch of their next generation console? It strikes me as, at best, a little bit silly.

Sure, there's plenty of hyperbole out there (I was reading through some comments on the European PlayStation blog and... well, the human race is buggered) but if I'm at all successful in sifting through their colourful language, people are justifiably doubtful of whether they need to bother buying a PlayStation in order to play PlayStation exclusives. Exclusives sell (or, maybe, sold) consoles, and if you buy just one console, you'll also play 3rd party games there, some of those 3rd party games generate ungodly amounts of money. I don't see why you would slaughter your dairy cow because you want a steak.

PC isn't anyone's platform. It's open to anyone. That's what a lot of people like about it.

As far as why buy a console, because it's cost-effective and (relatively) hassle-free. Again, if the device's capability at its core function isn't enough to justify a purchase then the device must not be very good.

 

[Tkumpathenurple]

PC isn't anyone's platform. It's open to anyone. That's what a lot of people like about it.

You're right, but still, Windows is owned by Microsoft, who also own PlayStation's main competitor. Phil Spencer has done a great job unifying their PC and console branches, so I think the perception is stronger than ever that PC+XBox is Microsoft's.

As far as why buy a console, because it's cost-effective and (relatively) hassle-free. Again, if the device's capability at its core function isn't enough to justify a purchase then the device must not be very good.

True, and that's one of the reasons I think a lot of the drama over this is wildly exaggerated. Personally, I'll keep buying PlayStation consoles as long as they're not shit. But, for a lot of people, exclusives are a component, a USP, and if that USP vanishes or diminishes, you risk being like an Android smartphone: a droplet in the ocean.

Another thing regarding the peculiar timing of this move:

Microsoft are going to have to spend a goodly amount of time reversing the current perception that they have no exclusives. They're very well positioned to do so, and I'm sure they'll succeed, but it will still take time in the collective mind of the casual masses. That's time in which Sony can capitalise on their existing perception of their exclusives. This move might hamper that somewhat. How much? God knows. I don't even know where I'd look. Sales of the PS5 and XSX in 3 years' time?

 

[RDGoodla]

SONY strategy is consistent. They try to attract more players to PlayStation. Their approach is always close to Nintendo’s: having powerful IP which are only on consoles. This has been proved to be the most robust approach in all generations.


Most important of all, selling a 1st-party game on Playstation can bring 3~4x revenue for SONY than selling a 3rd-party game (SONY only has royalties ). Nintendo earned much money by maximizing 1st partly games sales. If SONY 1st-party games have the same market share in Playstation as Nintendo, SONY’s profit will increase very much.

SONY top games already sell more than Microsoft’s, but still a significant gap behind Nintendo. This time porting Horizon 1 to PC can promote Sony’s brand to PC gamers.

 

[PSman1700]

They try to attract more players to PlayStation.

True, PlayStation isn't going to be a device for ever. Sony wants to reach out to the bigger pc market too.

 

[Deleted member 13524]

New I'm skeptical about this being a wise move from Sony. It's no skin off my nose - I'm not a shareholder - but I doubt it's beneficial to them.

It's apparent that some execs and key stakeholders share your opinion. Sony isn't releasing H:ZD + God of War 2018 + Uncharted 4 + Spider-Man + The Last of Us Remastered on the PC.
The fact that they're letting go of just one platform exclusive shows how careful they're being with this strategy.

I personally think it's a good strategy, to attempt to hook a number of PC gamers on a couple of their critically acclaimed single player 1st-party games, just to release their sequels on the PS5 with significantly improved graphics just a couple of months later.
The PS4 is probably going above the 120 million lifetime sales. Now that the tablets and smartphones have gobbled away all the casual gamers, there aren't that many markets they can expand into. Having the sole ambition of keeping your current userbase is usually always a bad strategy too. You need to always shoot for market expansion.
Trying to bring some PC gamers to their platform looks like on of the very few paths they can take, to expand their platform.

I have said before that if Sony came up with a portable PS4 they'd probably take a huge chunk out of the Switch's current market and it would be another way to expand their market. I guess this would be hard to achieve on a reasonable price point before 5nm and LPDDR5 becoming widespread.

 

[iroboto]

It's apparent that some execs and key stakeholders share your opinion. Sony isn't releasing H:ZD + God of War 2018 + Uncharted 4 + Spider-Man + The Last of Us Remastered on the PC.
The fact that they're letting go of just one platform exclusive shows how careful they're being with this strategy.

I personally think it's a good strategy, to attempt to hook a number of PC gamers on a couple of their critically acclaimed single player 1st-party games, just to release their sequels on the PS5 with significantly improved graphics just a couple of months later.
The PS4 is probably going above the 120 million lifetime sales. Now that the tablets and smartphones have gobbled away all the casual gamers, there aren't that many markets they can expand into. Having the sole ambition of keeping your current userbase is usually always a bad strategy too. You need to always shoot for market expansion.
Trying to bring some PC gamers to their platform looks like on of the very few paths they can take, to expand their platform.

I have said before that if Sony came up with a portable PS4 they'd probably take a huge chunk out of the Switch's current market and it would be another way to expand their market. I guess this would be hard to achieve on a reasonable price point before 5nm and LPDDR5 becoming widespread.

Just following along the lines of this.
While none of us know where this is headed in 5-10 years. I think the most important aspect in understanding decisions comes down to timing. You could have the right action, but poorly timed will be detrimental. This is like any game we've ever played; there is a counter move, but played at the wrong times means you lose the game.

So if Sony feels this is the way to play it, even if they intend to do what MS is doing, the speed at which they are doing so is strategic in their favour.

iirc all the conversations about MS as they transitioned through this as well; a lot of people jumped into (well they should just release everything right away) and it just doesn't work like that. Even if that's where they want to go, timing is everything.

 

[PSman1700]

Trying to bring some PC gamers to their platform looks like on of the very few paths they can take, to expand their platform.

It's the other way around, they are experimenting with expanding to the pc platform, as pc gamers aren't going to buy their box anyway. During the PS2 generation, sony had much more and better quality exclusives, i'm sure many pc gamers have been aware since then what those games where about. The pc gaming market has only gotten bigger, that isn't going to decline anytime soon, it's a more realistic idea to expand to that market instead of steal users from that market. PC gamers are a different type, they are not going to migrate anyway. Even the PS4 Pro didn't really help, nor did launching detroit, and other PS only games on PC.

Rather many PS only titles have been appearing on pc lately, detroit, death stranding, heavy rain, quantum break, predator hunting grounds, tetris, Nioh, and even classics like Okami and ZOE2 the 2nd runner (masterpiece in 4k btw). Now we also start to see first party sony game coming to pc. The GoW ceo expressed he wants his studio's game to appear on pc aswell. It is the inivitebale in the long run. PlayStation as only one device in the (perhaps long) future is maybe not going to be it. Big corps like Sony need to think and plan for the long run.
MS is doing it, and Sony wants a piece of that market, experimenting with that isn't a bad idea.

I have said before that if Sony came up with a portable PS4 they'd probably take a huge chunk out of the Switch's current market and it would be another way to expand their market. I guess this would be hard to achieve on a reasonable price point before 5nm and LPDDR5 becoming widespread.

Doubt it, Wii wasn't portable but was a huge success even compared to PS3 and PS4.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

Epic are throwing money at the problem by giving free games. Unless you have something of the profitability of Fortnite, you can't compete with EGS. We'll see what happens to EGS when the free games stop coming.

My EGS gaming library is already packed and there are some cracking games in there, I've been on the verge of springing for Assassin's Creed Syndicate for a while then BAM! Last week, that's my free game. Ditto Subnautica a few weeks earlier.

 

[mrcorbo]

Most important of all, selling a 1st-party game on Playstation can bring 3~4x revenue for SONY than selling a 3rd-party game (SONY only has royalties ).

And they also paid 100% of the development cost for these titles and all of the ongoing operational costs for the studios who created them.