The recent announcement that Horizon Zero Dawn was leavings its comfy spot as a PlayStation 4 exclusive and heading over to PC has brought several types of responses, and among some is the misplaced confidence that we are seeing the end of exclusives as we know it. The truth is that exclusives are not going anywhere, not this year, not this decade either, not likely ever.
Rather than delude ourselves into thinking that exclusives could ever end, we will dive into the more important reasons for platform exclusivity as the norm in the video game industry for the foreseeable future.
Sony Exclusive Titles
For the unfamiliar, it is important to note that Sony’s PlayStation 4 is the dominant player in the console market. With over 100 million units sold worldwide, Microsoft’s Xbox One and the Nintendo Switch do not even come close with about 50 million units sold each. One way that Sony has been able to attain and keep its market control has been through the release of well-made exclusive titles.
The Last of Us, God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Marvel ’s Spider-Man are but a few of the exclusive titles on the PS4, and they are critical and commercial successes in a way that few other titles can measure up to. If consumers want to play what are subjectively considered to be among the best games, they need a PlayStation 4, and Sony is well aware of this fact. To shy away from exclusivity may be consumer friendly, but corporate idiocy. Sony is in the business of making profit, and exclusives are a great way to do so.
Sony Just Announced Horizon Zero Dawn For PC, They Must Be Caving!
No, not even a little but. The decision to port Horizon Zero Dawn to the PC is once again purely a decision for profit and maintaining a brand. It is not altruism, nor good will, it’s all profit. The same could be said if over the next few years God of War, The Last of Us, and Marvel’s Spider-Man were also ported to the PC.
This is because it is that initial window of exclusivity that is most important to Sony. Those first years of complete control over a game ensures that players are all using a PS4, because they have no other alternative. As time goes by, the amount of profit that the title can generate declines to the point where there is little more money to be made as an exclusive. So, what is Sony to do then?
Simple. Take something amazing like Horizon Zero Dawn, port it to the PC, and generate even more profit from those consumers who would love to play the game but never bothered with a console. As a bonus, they keep the game brand perpetually on the mind of consumers with this release. Porting the game to the PC is a license to print money, or so it would seem from the reactions of happy PC owners when they heard that the game was being ported.
Bringing Red Dead Redemption 2 to PC – A Recent Business Decision
Another recent example is when Red Dead Redemption 2 was finally announced as a PC port. For months it was speculated to happen, but not formally announced. Most doubt was removed when Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnickhas spoke to investors and described the idea of a port in only positive terms. “There is no downside to releasing the game on PC,” Zelnickhas stated, and the impressive sales of the game on PC are certainly a testament to that.
Sony Is Not Alone, Microsoft And Nintendo Do It Too
We’ve talked a lot about Sony, but the truth is that everyone hoards what they can. Nintendo has kept Super Mario Bros. as a series confined to its console for over three decades. Would we ever expect to see Super Mario Odyssey on a Sony or Microsoft console? It’s not impossible, but its highly unlikely.
Microsoft has recently been playing the role of altruistic organization, sharing its games with other consoles, but this too is purely profit driven. Ori and the Blind Forest was announced as a port for the Nintendo Switch and is an excellent version of the game that everyone should try out.
However, Microsoft did not do this out of the goodness of their heart. They did it to reap the benefits of reselling their old game to a new market of players, and to drum up free publicity for their sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps. If Microsoft were interested in ditching exclusivity, we would also have an announcement of the sequel for the Switch, but of course, we have nothing of the sort.
Ultimately, if there are different platforms vying for market dominance, consumers can expect exclusive titles meant to sway a buyer’s decision about where they play their games.
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