Day One PlayStation Exclusives on PC Inevitable Amid First-Party Growth Aims

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Avinash Jaisrani

At HI Digital I test and write about different hardware configurations to show other PC users what they can expect from their build. My end goal is to educate the masses to make the right decision when they are looking for new PC parts to buy

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PlayStation’s approach to exclusivity and first-party content has been commendable over the years. Propelling the gaming giant to the top, this focus has kept it ahead of the competition, but the gaming industry is changing rapidly.

This change demands more growth and profits in the wake of increasing game costs and development timelines. According to PlayStation chairman Hiroki Totoki, the gaming giant will now look toward platforms like PC more frequently for first-party growth.

Why it matters: Despite record revenue this quarter, Sony’s PlayStation division saw worse profits year-on-year, highlighting the limitations of modern console ecosystems.

Sony President Hiroki Totoki says he wants to go aggressive in improving margins by growing 1st party with multi-platform #PlayStation

“In the past, we wanted to popularize console and the 1st party titles' main purpose was to make the console popular. It is true, but there is a… pic.twitter.com/28zwgLrFxb

— Genki✨ (@Genki_JPN) February 14, 2024

Following Sony’s recent financial earnings report, Hiroki Totoki reflected on PlayStation’s past strategy of growing console sales through a first-party portfolio.

However, he seems interested in going a different route this generation, using other platforms like PC for growth in addition to the existing PlayStation user base.

If you have strong first-party content, not only with console but also platforms like computers(PC), first-party can be grown.

-Hiroki Totoki

Following the retirement of Jim Ryan, Hiroki Totoki will take on the role of interim CEO of PlayStation. He intends to implement this strategy, emphasizing an aggressive push.

The Sony president believes this move will vastly improve operating profits, making it worth releasing PlayStation’s library on PC.

I would like to go aggressive in improving our margin performance.

-Hiroki Totoki

Not too long ago, we discussed how Helldivers 2 could become a catalyst for day-one PC releases from PlayStation. Since then, the game has become an even bigger success, reaching 200K concurrent players.

To prioritize profits at any cost, PlayStation might go on to establish a separate storefront on the platform, maximizing revenue from each sale. In turn, this investment could lead to a commitment to day-one PC releases.

While many believed this would be the obvious next step for Sony’s gaming business, Hiroki Totoki suggests that it has become a necessity. As an executive focused on growth and profits, he intends to steer PlayStation toward a sustainable future.

This would also put both PlayStation and Xbox in a similar position, with PC becoming a common platform due to its control of the market. Past statements from Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida have echoed similar thoughts on the future of PlayStation.

However, Hiroki Totoki has been more direct in his explanation. Since he will soon take over the role of PlayStation’s CEO, his time at the gaming giant could decide whether Sony goes all-in on first-party titles across multiple platforms.

For the time being, Horizon Forbidden West is the next game to arrive on the platform.

Featured Image Credit: Zuby_Tech

Avinash Jaisrani

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