A few years in the past, the thought of PlayStation-exclusive video games being ported to PC would have appeared extremely unlikely, however instances have modified. Insomniac’s Spider-Man video games, Housemarque’s Returnal, and the Horizon sequence are just some of the massive PlayStation properties which have not too long ago made their technique to PC since 2020, and former PlayStation boss Shuhei Yoshida not too long ago spoke about how doing so was nearly like having a license to print cash.
“Releasing on PC does many issues: it reaches a brand new viewers who don’t personal consoles–especially in areas the place consoles aren’t as well-liked,” Yoshida stated in an interview with Sacred Symbols+ (by way of Push Square). “The concept is that these folks could turn into followers of a selected franchise, and when a brand new sport in that sequence comes out, they might be satisfied to buy a PlayStation. It additionally provides further earnings, as a result of porting to PC is method cheaper than creating an authentic title. So, it is nearly like printing cash. And that helps us to spend money on new titles now that the price of video games has elevated.”
The profit to Sony’s push into PC gaming is that it has additionally allowed it to succeed in very profitable markets like China, the place PCs are way more well-liked than consoles. “China is a rising however very small console market. With a purpose to attain the viewers in nations like China then it is essential to launch on PC. So, I consider PC variations actually attain a brand new viewers,” Yoshida added.
Sony’s subsequent PC port can be The Final of Us Half 2 Remastered, which comes shortly after the discharge of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 earlier this 12 months. Yoshida has participated in a number of interviews since he bid farewell to Sony in January, an organization he labored at for 38 years. Beginning in 2019, Yoshida was put answerable for a brand new indies initiative for Sony, a place that he says he had no alternative to just accept on the time because it was both that or he would have been compelled to go away the corporate.
Yoshida has additionally spoken candidly about how he would have tried to “resist” the push into live-service video games had he nonetheless been SIE president and why there is no such thing as a Bloodborne remaster but.