Sony Addresses Potential Loss of PS5 Users to PC Gaming

Summary

• Sony remains confident that PS5 users won't migrate to PC in significant numbers.
• PS5 sales are on track with PS4 sales, despite the lack of permanent exclusives.
• Sony aims to increase the frequency of PlayStation PC ports.

Sony remains unfazed by the potential of losing PlayStation 5 (PS5) users to PC gaming. This stance was articulated by a Sony official during a late 2024 Q&A session with investors, emphasizing that there's no confirmed trend of users shifting to PC, and it's not viewed as a major risk.

Sony initiated its strategy of porting first-party titles to PC back in 2020, starting with Horizon Zero Dawn. This move has been ramped up since the acquisition of Nixxes, a renowned PC porting specialist, in 2021. Although porting PlayStation exclusives to PC could theoretically dilute the unique value of Sony's hardware, the company's real-world experience suggests otherwise.

The PS5 has seen robust sales, reaching 65.5 million units sold by November 2024. This figure is comparable to the PS4's sales of over 73 million units in its first four years. The slight variance in sales numbers can be attributed more to the initial scarcity of PS5 units due to the global pandemic than to the absence of permanent exclusives. With steady sales across console generations, Sony believes that PC ports have a minimal impact on the PS5's overall appeal.

Looking forward, Sony plans to ramp up its PC porting strategy. In 2024, Sony President Hiroki Totoki announced a more aggressive approach to releasing PlayStation games on PC, aiming to reduce the time between PS5 and Steam releases. This shift is evident with Marvel's Spider-Man 2, slated for a PC release on January 30, just 15 months after its initial launch on PS5. This is a notable change from the previous game, Spider-Man: Miles Morales, which remained a PlayStation exclusive for over two years.

Additionally, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, another current PS5 exclusive, is set to hit Steam on January 23. Sony has yet to announce PC versions for several other high-profile PS5 exclusives, including Gran Turismo 7, Rise of the Ronin, Stellar Blade, and the Demon's Souls remake.