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[Fredrik]

Nope.

It takes a lot of effort to try and manage the multitude of platforms on PC. I don't have anything wrong with porting them eventually, but day 1 means longer game cycles that are already extremely long.

There are already many devs that are releasing games on more than one platform with reasonable dev cycles. I don’t think this is something to worry about. If they use an engine that can run on multiple hardwares things are going to fall into place nicely.

The downside is that the coding to the metal will disappear. Won’t push the hardware as much and use all low level advantages. Optimizing code for several platforms is tricky too.

The upside is that games will reach more people, more money for the devs, potentially better games.

In the end I think it’s safe to say that having games exclusive to a platform people can’t even buy is not ideal. They’re doing more cross gen games this year but potentially holding games back with last gen versions is not ideal either. Going with PS5 and high end PCs would be a nice alternative I think, once UE5 is out it should be a lot smoother to develop for that hardware combo.

 

[DJ12]

Yet Sony just bought a porting studio for funsies.

PC gamers are so starved for games they just sit and wait for the next 1st party Sony game to come and look at Excel the rest of the time.

And yet we have articles like this pretty regularly.

Go figure huh....

 

[Godot25]

Why not?
Microsoft is showing that despite them putting all first-party games on PC day one, their consoles are selling in record pace, while being heavily supply restrained.

That's because they realised, that people are playing on console because they want to have easy machine to game on and they don't want to spend 1500+$ on gaming rig and maintain it. And there is also huge chunk of PC players that are willing to buy your first-party games, but don't want a console in theirs household. And only way to capture them is to release your games on PC

 

[Kagey K]

And yet we have articles like this pretty regularly.

Go figure huh....

Because nobody is going to argue they want less games (regardless of quality.)

Imagine saying it's too much, and stop putting titles out.

Gsmepass users do this jokingly, but we all want more games even if it's impossible for us to play them all

 

[Robb]

I don’t really mind either way. If I want to play their games, I’ll get a PlayStation. Playing on the TV with a controller will always beat having a big PC setup at home to me.

 

[rofif]

It’s not so obvious. Maybe this would devalue PlayStation?
Maybe people would feel they are playing inferior version because 3k usd pc can do better.

 

[Elog]

This discussion is slightly confusing to me.

Porting Sony 1st party exclusives to PC: Almost a given business decision due to the development efforts that go into the creative aspects of a game today. Marginal additional development cost and significant incremental revenue.

However, Day 1 on PC does not make any business sense to me. A customer on Playstation hardware is so much more worth than a PC customer that there must be a clear incentive to be part of the Playstation garden - and that means by necessity that there should be a delay in time between PS release and PC release (6+ months or so).

 

[rofif]

Flameshields in advance but looking at this thread, Gatekeeping Gaming Tribalism at its finest.

Why wouldn't you want other people to have experiences that are amazing? Sony makes top AAA games. This won't even matter in the next 10 years when all of you will be subbed to Cloud Services from each company anyways. Then we can all fight about who's controller or streaming codec is the best.

This godforsaken platform war will never end. I'd be happy for anyone who has access to gaming.

Everyone can buy a PlayStation….
And if you start putting games everywhere day one, the console version could lose some of that exclusive development optimisation sauce.

I never understood what’s the big deal. It’s not gatekeeping. PS4 slim was 200 bucks in 2017 when I got it. Seriously. You own 2k usd pc, 1000 usd smartphone and can’t get 200 usd console to play the damn games you desperately wait for

 

[Kagey K]

This discussion is slightly confusing to me.

Porting Sony 1st party exclusives to PC: Almost a given business decision due to the development efforts that go into the creative aspects of a game today. Marginal additional development cost and significant incremental revenue.

However, Day 1 on PC does not make any business sense to me. A customer on Playstation hardware is so much more worth than a PC customer that there must be a clear incentive to be part of the Playstation garden - and that means by necessity that there should be a delay in time between PS release and PC release (6+ months or so).

What about these consumers that would never buy a console?

You can still hit them with the hype machine and cause FoMo.

A few years later they just think they waited this long, so buy it on sale or see if EGS offers it for free

 

[systemr123]

Whats the benefit to them doing day one releases on PC?

So that the author of the article, who can not afford to buy a PS5 but spends hundreds of dollars on cigarettes and alcohol each week, can play the most awesome games day one also.

 

[mxbison]

If they want to sell less PS5's and pay 30% Steam cut on a lot of their game sales, they should totally do that.

 

[Arun1910]

It’s not so obvious. Maybe this would devalue PlayStation?
Maybe people would feel they are playing inferior version because 3k usd pc can do better.

Yes to both.

There is 0 point in buying Sony's own console if the PC versions are there day 1. And seeing a PS game Day 1 just looking better on PC (which it would) would just be annoying for PS gamers who bought into Sony's console.

I can't see why anyone would think it would be a good business decision on Sony's part to put their games on PC Day 1 at all.

 

[Elog]

What about these consumers that would never buy a console?

You can still hit them with the hype machine and cause FoMo.

A few years later they just think they waited this long, so buy it on sale or see if EGS offers it for free

And that is ok - the opportunity loss from that is less than the profit increase by protecting the garden. That is the whole point.

Even at full price, a PC customer is worth less than a 1/3 (roughly) of a customer that bought the same game through the PS online store due to the attached external profit generators in the garden (primarily PSN as well as the chance 3rd party games will be bought through the PS Store as well).

 

[Vognerful]

Everyone should release their games on PC.

For Nintendo, you can already emulate their games.

 

[Kagey K]

And that is ok - the opportunity loss from that is less than the profit increase by protecting the garden. That is the whole point.

Even at full price, a PC customer is worth less than a 1/3 (roughly) of a customer that bought the same game through the PS online store due to the attached external profit generators in the garden (primarily PSN as well as the chance 3rd party games will be bought through the PS Store as well).

100% of 0 dollars is still 0.

You aren't getting some PC boys to buy a console ever.

They are worth less than 0.

Imagine using the words protecting the garden in 2022 as a consumer.

 

[TidusYuna]

All right, all right, all right.

 

[ImmersiveProjection]

I don’t really mind either way. If I want to play their games, I’ll get a PlayStation. Playing on the TV with a controller will always beat having a big PC setup at home to me.

I have the comment of the same nature, but instead of purchasing a PlayStation console I would get myself a subscription to PlayStation Now, it's more convenient that way. I was able to complete "The Last of Us Part II" while it was available on the service as well as to try "God of War" for the first time, I was blown away by the way those games felt and whether the decision to release any upcoming games on PC day 1 will take place or not, I fully support their software in the best way I can.

 

[Portugeezer]

100% of 0 dollars is still 0.

You aren't getting some PC boys to buy a console ever.

They are worth less than 0.

Imagine using the words protecting the garden in 2022 as a consumer.

GOW seems to be doing well despite the 4 year wait and being on the most successful console last gen.

Waiting a few years to port a game doesn't seem to be a problem here. I don't see the need to rush out day one PC release and devalue their platform.

As you say, some will never buy a console anyway, but some will. But can we quantify that? If not, then we can't discuss this point with much meaning.

 

[Kagey K]

As you say, some will never buy a console anyway, but some will. But can we quantify that? If not, then we can't discuss this point with much meaning.

So like every other thread on Gaf except this one....

A bunch of baseless stuff gets said everyday, but we can't discuss this one?

 

[Elog]

100% of 0 dollars is still 0.

You aren't getting some PC boys to buy a console ever.

They are worth less than 0.

Imagine using the words protecting the garden in 2022 as a consumer.

Last post: The above is correct but you need to also calculate those PS customers that then choose to play it on PC instead - that is the loss from the Day 1 release move. Given the differential in value of 3x or so it is hard to create a case where delayed PC released is not the most rational choice.

And analysing something is not the same as advocating for it - I am simply stating what Sony most likely will do due to the economics. It has nothing to do with what I want or feel.

 

[Kagey K]

Last post: The above is correct but you need to also calculate those PS customers that then choose to play it on PC instead - that is the loss from the Day 1 release move. Given the differential in value of 3x or so it is hard to create a case where delayed PC released is not the most rational choice.

And analysing something is not the same as advocating for it - I am simply stating what Sony most likely will do due to the economics. It has nothing to do with what I want or feel.

Sony want money, it's easier if they collect it themselves.

That isn't hard math, but as they protect thier $walled garden$ they might find themselves sitting on the outside of it.

 

[mansoor1980]

NO

 

[Portugeezer]

So like every other thread on Gaf except this one....

A bunch of baseless stuff gets said everyday, but we can't discuss this one?

Of course, but we don't have a number so it holds little weight for sake of argument. We know they exist, but how many? Is it worth thinking about?

Because we can also talk about some negatives without being able to quantify them: the people that would buy a PS console who now wouldn't. Bad business.

We can also talk about people who double dipped who now wouldn't. Bad business.

We can also talk about someone who pirates a PC version instead of buying on their console. Bad business.

Edit: typo

 

[El Pistolero]

What about these consumers that would never buy a console?

You can still hit them with the hype machine and cause FoMo.

A few years later they just think they waited this long, so buy it on sale or see if EGS offers it for free

They can wait an extra year to play the game...
I think that some people fail to realize that Gamepass is a feather in PC's cap, so to speak. If you add a day one PS titles option to the advatage of subscribing to gamepass, I bet you that many players will start migrating from the Playstation, at least in the west...Not necessarily the majority, but enough for Sony not to consider that scenario.
I believe Sony will transition smoothly and gradually: The day and date thing might happen some time during next generation...But not now.

 

[Kagey K]

They can wait an extra year to play the game...

Yeah I'm sure they can.

Most people could go a lifetime without playing it.

Thanks Mr Obvious.

For A group that loves to cheerlead how m7ch money and sales they made, you really hate to see them try extra avenues for money or sales.

 

[captainnapalm]

I don't know about day one, that probably will never happen, but it does need to be way quicker than it is at the moment, and I'm sure we'll see that soon.

There's no point going as far as they're going now and then kind of undercutting the whole thing by waiting 3-4 years.

I think they're working through a backlog of some of their recent blockbusters and then the gap will start to shorten quite a bit. Anything else really doesn't make sense.

 

[El Pistolero]

Yeah I'm sure they can.

Most people could go a lifetime without playing it.

Thanks Mr Obvious.

For A group that loves to cheerlead how m7ch money and sales they made, you really hate to see them try extra avenues for money or sales.

You failed to grasp the gazillion arguments put forward as to why it does not fucking make sense for Sony to do that right now, Mr Not So Obvious.

 

[mejin]

MS changed its strategy mid gen and started to launch day one games on PC for a matter of necessity. They failed in the console space.

Sony's heads are just pursuing some millions cause of greed. They sure can use the 40, 50M they get from PC with each game and after bank development costs of Future games, but we still don't know the impact of this decision in long term. Even worse if they bring day one to PC.

 

[Kagey K]

You failed to grasp the gazillion arguments put forward as to why it does not fucking make sense for Sony to do that right now, Mr Not So Obvious.

Tell me about those again, since I'm so dense.

Spoiler: Spolier

They all end in lining Sony pockets

As a consumer you should demand more, but as obvious here, nobody gives a shit and would champion thier overoards siphon more money from them.

 

[Little Chicken]

Sony will follow the money.

If Sony shareholders want more money via day one PC releases then it'll happen.

 

[sinnergy]

They should , but they won’t

 

[Panajev2001a]

You failed to grasp the gazillion arguments put forward as to why it does not fucking make sense for Sony to do that right now, Mr Not So Obvious.

He did not fail, he got them just decided to ignore ‘em .

 

[ZywyPL]

No.

First party exclusives benefit from being designed around a set spec and utilising all unique aspects of the hardware. It should be the job of third party port houses to figure out how to translate that to PC after the fact.

If PC is considered for launch, I feel like we would lose exclusives that truly take advantage of the console hardware and instead just feel like third party PC ports.

Except there's nothing unique in the consoles anymore hatdware-wise, they're just PCs now, if anything with lacking features/performance. And as seen with everyone except Sony, releasing games the same day on multiple platforms is easily doable.

 

[Clear]

Except there's nothing unique in the consoles anymore hatdware-wise, they're just PCs now, if anything with lacking features/performance. And as seen with everyone except Sony, releasing games the same day on multiple platforms is easily doable.

Nonsense.

Not only is everything in your post factually inaccurate,. but the sentiment behind it is ignorant of the economics of why consoles exist in the first place.

 

[Utherellus]

Day one is too much. Sony won't do it.

I think something of a "One year initiative" program where PS will get all the focus, while Nixxes or outsourcing studios working on PC port, released an year later.

 

[mcjmetroid]

Yes please

 

[DJ12]

Sony will follow the money.

If Sony shareholders want more money via day one PC releases then it'll happen.

They sure will, which is selling in their own eco system, getting the lions share of the funds from a higher price point.

PC will be second priority, as long as they still make PlayStation consoles.

Time will tell if Sony stick to the system of releasing a PC port when a sequel is due on PS.

The chances of day 1 on PC from Sony, is slim to none.

Xbox to PC is a matter of changing a few settings in the ini file, and little fixes here and there, porting a PS game, involves actual work.

 

[DonF]

I support day one on PC for multiplayer games, to have a bigger player base and thats it.

I want my exclusives to be developed with fixed hardware in mind. And the. Ported to PC.

 

[FrostyLemon]

If this happens, it will make it really easy for me to move over to PC when I'm ready for next gen. On the fence currently.

 

[Haggard]

I don't see Sony cannibalizing their own eco system to make PC Mains like me happy.

They will port more and more, probably everything at some point, but it will never be day one imho.
They'll always make sure that there is a long enough waiting time to force everyone who really wants to play purchase a PS and possibly a PS Plus subscription.

 

[Neff]

Microsoft tried to go big with the Xbone, and it damn near killed them.

This is a huge exaggeration. Xbone massively damaged the Xbox brand but Microsoft was doing just fine.

Ironically it's not an exaggeration to say that PS3 almost killed Sony, precisely because they tried to compete with 360 on specs and features. PS4 literally saved them. And we have rumours that Sony is intending to have its own gamepass-style service imminently. Sony isn't the bulletproof entity you think it is forging its own path regardless of the competition. They're very aware of MS and Nintendo's ability to eat into PlayStation customers' wallets and frequently strategize to match them.

PC releases are, to them, little more than advertising that people pay for to drive interest in their newest console sequel.

PC releases are partly to offset the skyrocketing costs of development which the $60 unit model was struggling to recoup, hence the move to $70 units. While it's true that PC releases can promote the PlayStation brand, said releases are put out primarily because they can generate profits from a player base not in direct competition with PlayStation, hence no ports on Switch/Xbox. If there was ever a likeliness that PC gamers would consider picking up PlayStation hardware in significant number, you wouldn't be seeing these ports.

 

[Ebidramon]

Everyone can buy a PlayStation….

But I DON'T WANT to buy a fucking PlayStation, and be forced to endure 30fps.

 

[BaneIsPain]

There is more chance playing playstation on the moon than this.

 

[Gameplaylover]

Sony's heads are just pursuing some millions cause of greed. They sure can use the 40, 50M they get from PC with each game and after bank development costs of Future games, but we still don't know the impact of this decision in long term. Even worse if they bring day one to PC.

The thing is, Sony doesn't know if their previous strategy worked or how well it worked, because they just don't know why a customer bought their console. They can only speculate. They only know it if a person's only games are exclusive games and Sony doesn't give a shit about those customers, they would rather have them on pc.

With the pc strategy they instantly have exact numbers and if they like those numbers, they will keep going.

 

[lastmessiah]

PC gamers don’t really give a shit about Sony, in my experience. I know I don’t. People seem to forget that a Microsoft release on Windows is first-party just as it is on Xbox.

 

[Topher]

PC gamers don’t really give a shit about Sony, in my experience. I know I don’t. People seem to forget that a Microsoft release on Windows is first-party just as it is on Xbox.

PC gamers sure are buying the hell out of God of War.

Steam Search

store.steampowered.com

And Microsoft would be considered "first party" on their own store, but not on Steam. Hard to say you are first party when you are paying fees to Valve.

 

[GrayFoxPL]

But I DON'T WANT to buy a fucking PlayStation, and be forced to endure 30fps.

 

[lastmessiah]

PC gamers sure are buying the hell out of God of War.

Steam Search

store.steampowered.com

And Microsoft would be considered "first party" on their own store, but not on Steam. Hard to say you are first party when you are paying fees to Valve.

That’s a meaningless metric though. If they are using Direct X 12 on Windows, it is first party. So what if they sell their games on Steam too, that is just more revenue for them.

And GoW sales on PC are middling at best.

 

[winjer]

And yet we have articles like this pretty regularly.

Go figure huh....

This is just clickbait. And most people still bite, so they just keep writing this stuff.

Remember a few years back, when there were constant articles about the PC is going to die. Then the consoles are going to die.
They know it's not true. But it sells clicks and ads.

Maybe if we were to stop giving so much attention to clickbait, journalists would stop this crap.

 

[Topher]

That’s a meaningless metric though. If they are using Direct X 12 on Windows, it is first party. So what if they sell their games on Steam too, that is just more revenue for them.

And GoW sales on PC are middling at best.

Plenty of devs use DirectX 12. That has nothing to do with being "first party".

You do understand what the top sellers list is, right?