Sony’s new old strategy: Why exclusives make me feel like collateral damage as a PC gamer

If Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier is to be believed, top-tier PlayStation Studios titles may no longer be ported to PC in the future. And of all things, Valve may be one of the reasons behind that: the upcoming Steam Machine is expected to bring Steam’s enormous game library directly into the living room. Compared to conventional consoles, the selection of games on PC is not only larger, especially in the indie segment, but often cheaper as well. While AAA productions from companies such as Nintendo now often cost $80, prices on PC are usually lower, even if exceptions still prove the rule.

So it is understandable that Sony is getting nervous. If things go as announced, the Steam Machine could combine the biggest strengths of PC and console on a single platform. PlayStation, however, still has one major lever left: exclusives. Sony has managed to build large fan bases around brands such as Ghost of Tsushima and God of War. If it becomes clear that such games will only be released on PlayStation in the future, potential buyers may think twice about which console to choose. The specifications of the PS6 are still unknown, but I would argue that emotional attachments to stories or characters can absolutely influence such purchasing decisions. A good example of this is Microsoft, which is clearly lagging behind in today’s console market. A good friend of mine was an almost religious Xbox advocate in our youth. The reason was simple: Halo was only available there.

Personally, I turned my back on the console market years ago because, for me, the advantages of PC clearly outweigh those of consoles. But I have been a gamer for far longer than that. It all started with the PS1 and PS2. Metal Gear comes to mind here – and that brings us right back to the subject of exclusives. Later came the Xbox 360 and eventually the PC. The fact that Sony started bringing its AAA titles to PC on a regular basis in recent years was a welcome development for me and probably for many other PC gamers as well. I was especially taken with God of War and God of War Ragnarök. I had also been eagerly waiting for the first details about the next chapter in the story of Kratos and Atreus. For a while, there were rumors that the two could end up in Egyptian mythology. As things currently stand, however, I probably will not get to experience that – at least not on PC.

I can absolutely understand why it might make sense for Sony to tie buyers to its own console through exclusives. But as a PC gamer, I still feel like collateral damage in all of this. I have considered buying a PlayStation as well. However, common sense tells me that spending several hundred euros on a comparatively small selection of games would not be a particularly good idea. So I guess I have no choice for now but to say goodbye to Kratos and Atreus. Even if it is with a heavy heart.