- Former Sony boss says older PlayStation games are cheap to develop for PC.
- They almost feel like printing money, which can be used to invest in new titles.
- It also increases exposure which can lead to people buying a PlayStation later.
For the last couple of years, PlayStation has been actively releasing PC ports for PlayStation-exclusive titles. It kicked off back in 2020 with Horizon: Zero Dawn, and since then almost every major release has jumpshipped platforms sooner or later.
Former Sony Interactive Executive says that PC ports for older PlayStation games are really easy to develop and they are great for revenue, which helps them invest in new games.
Why it matters: With game development costing absurd amounts of money these days, all major companies have turned their attention towards multiplatform releases including Sony and Microsoft.
Talking to Sacred Symbols+ on Patreon, Shuhei Yoshida discussed the need for PC ports. He stated that when he was in charge, he pushed for PC releases, but that wasn’t Sony’s model at that time. Later they felt the need for it and adopted it.
Porting to PC is way cheaper than creating an original title. So, it’s almost like printing money
– Shuhei Yoshida
He addressed that many fans have wondered why Sony took the step because the games were selling quite well on the PlayStation already. However, PlayStation PC ports are easy and cheap to make and almost feel like printing money.
The additional income that is received from the PC version can be used to invest in other new games. Moreover, it also increases exposure as people can become fans of certain franchises and buy a PS5 down the line to experience the latest release.
The early ports like Horizon and God of War did sell pretty well, but things haven’t looked that good for newer ones like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Until Dawn, and more. So, there are some things Sony should look into.
Nonetheless, this is a win-win situation for gamers as more companies adopt the multiplatform strategy. Microsoft has already announced that most of their major titles will be released on the PS5 along with PC and Xbox.
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News Reporter
Abdullah is an avid gamer who primarily plays single-player titles. If you can’t find him anywhere, he’ll probably be at his desk playing The Witcher 3 for the millionth time. When he isn’t playing games, he’s either reading or writing about them.