Sony's recent release of Helldivers 2 on both PlayStation and PC has been met with exceptional success. This co-op shooter, published by PlayStation and made available on Steam simultaneously with the PS5 version, has surpassed expectations and garnered impressive engagement. The successful day-and-date launch on multiple platforms marks a significant shift in Sony's approach to releasing games.
While Sony has gradually expanded its presence in the PC gaming market by bringing their major titles to the platform after their initial release, the simultaneous launch of Helldivers 2 showcases Sony's willingness to experiment and embrace a new strategy. This move has proven to be fruitful, as the game achieved a concurrent peak player count of 155,000, more than double that of God of War, one of PlayStation's flagship franchises.
This bold move by Sony signifies a potential transformation in their game release approach going forward. It is likely that big, single-player exclusive games will continue to launch solely on PlayStation consoles initially, with PC releases following at a later date. The time gap between console and PC releases may also significantly decrease, potentially reaching two years or even less. This strategy allows Sony to maintain the allure and excitement of their exclusive titles while expanding their reach to a broader audience.
However, in light of the success of Helldivers 2, it is improbable that Sony will restrict the releases of their planned live service games exclusively to PlayStation platforms. The player count, necessary for the sustained success of such games, can be better achieved by tapping into the vast PC gaming community. Furthermore, live service games prioritize player engagement and participation in the long-term, with revenue streams derived from in-game purchases like battle passes and cosmetic items. Releasing these multiplayer titles simultaneously on PC and PlayStation proves to be a more strategic business move.
This inclusive approach may extend beyond traditional PlayStation-exclusive IPs as well. Even games closely tied to PlayStation, such as the upcoming multiplayer title based on the popular Horizon Zero Dawn franchise, could potentially receive day-and-date releases on PC. If not for the cancellation of The Last of Us Factions, it would have been prudent to launch that game simultaneously on Steam as well.
Sony is unlikely to adopt Microsoft's philosophy of releasing all exclusives on PC on the same day they launch on consoles or making all games available through services like PS Plus immediately. The budget constraints of these high-budget productions make such an approach impractical. Nonetheless, Sony's eagerness to expand beyond PlayStation consoles reveals their ambition to reach a wider audience and leverage the PC gaming market. The success of Helldivers 2 on both PlayStation and PC platforms suggests that Sony will continue to explore and be more flexible in their game release strategies.
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