PS5 exclusives boost Sony's PC sales to $1.2 billion, but Steam Machine could change the equation

Alinea Analytics has released fresh data showing that PlayStation games are thriving on Steam. On the strength of former PS4 and PS5 exclusive games, Sony’s gross revenue now exceeds $1.5 billion. However, PC gamers are more attracted to a popular multiplayer live-service title. The new report also discusses what impact the Valve Steam Machine may have on future cross-platform sales.

Valve’s cut of PlayStation’s revenue ranges from 20% to 30%, with the percentage falling as the volume of Steam Sales grew. Alinea projects that after fees, Sony earned $1.2 billion, while Valve kept more than $350 million. The analysis also includes the performance of individual PlayStation titles, with Helldivers 2 dominating.

Helldivers 2 was responsible for 12.7 million of the 43 million copies of PlayStation-published titles sold on Valve’s marketplace. Rhys Elliott also notes that twice as many buyers purchased the game on Steam as on the PS5. The co-op squad-based shooter is Sony’s most lucrative PC port, generating $400 million in revenue.

At 4.5 million units sold, Horizon Zero Dawn checked in at second place, followed by God of War, Days Gone, and Spider-Man Remastered. Still, the fact that a live-service game is providing consistent income may justify Sony’s approach to cross-platform games.

So far, the company has hesitated to launch any single-player PS5 exclusive games on Steam. Yet, it seems more open to releasing multiplayer-focused projects on PCs and Xbox. In a potential shift, rumors of a new PS5 PC cross-buy option have surfaced. Insiders have speculated that the feature could signal a PlayStation Windows launcher to bypass Valve’s fees.

The Steam Machine could also affect Sony’s thinking about PC gaming. If the system entices console fans, PlayStation may need to rethink its stance on exclusivity. Even so, critics believe that Valve’s device won’t have mass appeal if it costs substantially more than the PS5.