Former PlayStation exec Shuhei Yoshida has admitted porting PlayStation-exclusive video games to PC is “nearly like printing cash”, and supplies a chance to put money into additional video games.
In an interview with Sacred Symbols+ (by way of Push Sq.), Yoshida revealed he wished to convey first-party video games to PC sooner, however this wasn’t Sony’s enterprise mannequin on the time.
“Releasing on PC does many issues: it reaches a brand new viewers who don’t personal consoles – particularly in areas the place consoles are usually not as in style,” he mentioned. “The thought is that these folks might turn into followers of a specific franchise, and when a brand new recreation in that sequence comes out, they might be satisfied to buy a PlayStation.”
Past these advantages, it additionally permits Sony to reinvest cash into different initiatives.
“It additionally provides extra earnings, as a result of porting to PC is means cheaper than creating an unique title,” he mentioned. “So, it is nearly like printing cash. And that helps us to put money into new titles now that the price of video games has elevated.”
What’s extra, releasing video games on PC permits PlayStation to unfold to new areas the place that platform is extra in style – China, specifically.
“China is a large PC recreation market,” mentioned Yoshida. “And China is a rising however very small console market. In an effort to attain the viewers in nations like China then it is essential to launch on PC. So, I imagine PC variations actually attain a brand new viewers.”
Starting with Horizon Zero Daybreak in 2020, Sony has progressively been porting its PlayStation unique video games to PC.
Most not too long ago, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 launched on PC, whereas The Final of Us Half 2 Remastered is about to observe in April.
And whereas these releases have seen diminishing returns when it comes to participant numbers on Steam not less than, the discharge of Helldivers 2 was an enormous success for Sony – it was PlayStation’s quickest promoting recreation owing to large success on PC. That success was hampered, although, by Sony’s insistence on requiring PSN to play.
In the identical interview, Yoshida additionally mentioned Sony’s reside service plans, revealing he performed Naughty Canine’s ill-fated The Final of Us On-line, which he described as “nice”.
