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A question about Sony games on PC

Boss Mog

Member
I'm all for console exclusives coming to PC, though I much prefer Sony's approach of releasing them 2-3 years later compared to MS's policy to release them at the same time. It kind of makes their console redundant for those who have a good gaming PC. One thing MS does right though is sharing the XBOX environment across both PC and XBOX consoles. I'm curious as to why Sony isn't doing the same; having their own storefront to sell PC versions and a PlayStation ID that would work across both PC and PlayStation consoles. Why would they give Valve 30%? Sure Steam is popular but surely PC gamers who want PlayStation games wouldn't care if they had to get them via a new store/launcher, no? Maybe Sony has a deal with Valve where they pay less, I don't know but I just find it weird that a gaming giant like Sony doesn't have it's own storefront for releasing its games on PC and is instead relying on others while having to give them a cut.
 

reksveks

Member
I forget the tiers for valve but bigger games/publishers get a reduced rates but yeah, it won't be the 0% that having thier own store would achieve.

I am all for a Sony pc gaming store, competition is good.
 
If they start making multiplayer heavy hitters, I don't see why their own store wouldn't be successful. But if they just release single player games, they won't get anywhere as much traction as a good multiplayer game.

Using MS for example, have multiplayer in just about every game, and those same games sell bucket load after bucket load, because of the replayability. Look at the most popular games or games with the largest active user bases. They are all multiplayer driven for the most part.

If Sony can get this right, they can easily have a successful PC storefront.
 

ACESHIGH

Banned
Sony has a trash tier record when implementing things like stores. It would make the EPIC store look good.

Much better to rely on the tried and true PC stores. Look at what Microsoft is doing. Their games sell gangbusters on steam and they much rather take the steam cut vs selling 3 copies on the MS store and keeping all the money.
 

Guilty_AI

Member
I'm all for console exclusives coming to PC, though I much prefer Sony's approach of releasing them 2-3 years later compared to MS's policy to release them at the same time. It kind of makes their console redundant for those who have a good gaming PC.
If you own a console just to play exclusive games, you're already redundant in their account book.

One thing MS does right though is sharing the XBOX environment across both PC and XBOX consoles. I'm curious as to why Sony isn't doing the same; having their own storefront to sell PC versions and a PlayStation ID that would work across both PC and PlayStation consoles. Why would they give Valve 30%? Sure Steam is popular but surely PC gamers who want PlayStation games wouldn't care if they had to get them via a new store/launcher, no? Maybe Sony has a deal with Valve where they pay less, I don't know but I just find it weird that a gaming giant like Sony doesn't have it's own storefront for releasing its games on PC and is instead relying on others while having to give them a cut.
Its not like making your own store front is free of charge. They need the infra-structure and, more importantly, a way to advertise their games, especially considering they pratically never been into the PC ecosystem before. Its much easier for them to just release stuff on already existing platforms and pay a fee.

Not to say they'll never make a store front of their own. They might if they ever get into the MMO business.
 
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Sentenza

Member
though I much prefer Sony's approach of releasing them 2-3 years later compared to MS's policy to release them at the same time. It kind of makes their console redundant for those who have a good gaming PC

I'm still not sure why anyone should even begin to give a fuck if concurrent releases "would make a console redundant".

So fucking what? More power to the customers.
Some people clearly would still prefer to stick to the console no matter what, while other people that never wanted that console to begin with would have the option to buy elsewhere.

And the company releasing this stuff would still profit from software sales in both cases.
 
Considering the fact that pc parts are going to be rare and expensive af for the next 2 years, I doubt sony or ms will have to worry about their consoles. Exclusivity is meh but I'm fine with having Sony + PC vs MS + PC because PC master race and all that :).
 

RoboFu

One of the green rats
MS gains no matter if it’s a Xbox console or windows pc. They care more about the service as they see hardware being irrelevant in the future and can use Windows as a jumping off point.

Sony doesn’t have the same infrastructure in place.
 
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Kilau

Gold Member
No separate store, Steam is the key and should be on others also. I've said before I want them to have a unified login with PSN integration.
 
If Sony were going all in, it would make sense to launch a store. That would mean releasing all their games on pc at some point.

But if you release one off game, why not just launch it on Steam and use their service ?
 

Denton

Member
It kind of makes their console redundant for those who have a good gaming PC.
This is a good thing ffs. Why own multiple x86 boxes that do the same thing? It's a waste of money, resources and environment.

As for rest of your post, I have been also wondering why Sony does not make PSN available on PC for their PC versions. Hell, they could sell Steam version there! and get 100% of the money. Win-win for both them and gamers.
Yes they would obviously still have to offer the game on steam itself.
 
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Irobot82

Member
I'm all for console exclusives coming to PC, though I much prefer Sony's approach of releasing them 2-3 years later compared to MS's policy to release them at the same time. It kind of makes their console redundant for those who have a good gaming PC. One thing MS does right though is sharing the XBOX environment across both PC and XBOX consoles. I'm curious as to why Sony isn't doing the same; having their own storefront to sell PC versions and a PlayStation ID that would work across both PC and PlayStation consoles. Why would they give Valve 30%? Sure Steam is popular but surely PC gamers who want PlayStation games wouldn't care if they had to get them via a new store/launcher, no? Maybe Sony has a deal with Valve where they pay less, I don't know but I just find it weird that a gaming giant like Sony doesn't have it's own storefront for releasing its games on PC and is instead relying on others while having to give them a cut.
No respectable PC gamer is buying those games of the Microsoft store.
 

junguler

Banned
many people including me don't buy a game if it's not on steam, it's that simple. one of the reasons i easily switched to linux 6 months ago was that all of my games were on steam and proton made it possible to play them without any effort, steam is just the best option for pc gamers hands down.
 

odhiex

Member
I think it would be pointless for them to have a PC store now. They only have a handful titles available on PC. Once they have a big catalog of games on PC, then it would be make more sense to invest on a PC storefront/client.

However, I do feel that's not the direction that they are heading, at least not for the near future. I think Sony is playing safe (testing the waters), try to expand their audience while carefully pick the games to be released on PC. What would be their goals in the long run? I don't know, I'm Jim Ryan.
 
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Topher

Gold Member
Personally, I'd love a Sony store on PC if it meant actually trophy support for PS games on PC. But the simple reality is that Steam is king in PC gaming. PC gamers are incredibly dedicated to Valve and Steam. It isn't just a storefront. It is a community. Trying to compete with Steam on PC is incredibly futile. That's why Microsoft threw in the towel and dedicated all their future games to Steam. Is what it is.
 

KungFucius

King Snowflake
I'm all for console exclusives coming to PC, though I much prefer Sony's approach of releasing them 2-3 years later compared to MS's policy to release them at the same time. It kind of makes their console redundant for those who have a good gaming PC. One thing MS does right though is sharing the XBOX environment across both PC and XBOX consoles. I'm curious as to why Sony isn't doing the same; having their own storefront to sell PC versions and a PlayStation ID that would work across both PC and PlayStation consoles. Why would they give Valve 30%? Sure Steam is popular but surely PC gamers who want PlayStation games wouldn't care if they had to get them via a new store/launcher, no? Maybe Sony has a deal with Valve where they pay less, I don't know but I just find it weird that a gaming giant like Sony doesn't have it's own storefront for releasing its games on PC and is instead relying on others while having to give them a cut.
Why does making the console redundant hurt anything? Why should gamers have to choose between paying for a console just for a few exclusives or waiting 2-3 years for a chance to play some of them? You are right though, Sony should have a store on PC but they should sell all their games at most 6 months later. A PSN on PC would let gamers play games while maintaining their trophy/friends lists.
 

On Demand

Banned
Good. Couldn’t care less about PC. I buy PlayStation consoles for Sony to support THEIR platforms. Not a platform they don’t own nor control and take time away from their console and main audience. They better leave it at years old PS4 ports scraps. Makes no sense to follow the last place, in everything, company.
 

GHG

Gold Member
Sure Steam is popular but surely PC gamers who want PlayStation games wouldn't care if they had to get them via a new store/launcher, no?

People do care. What makes you think they wouldn't? If they do that then the quality of their launcher will be judged before the quality of their games are. Would you go to a restaurant where you are served high quality steak on plastic tables/chairs while being asked to eat off paper plates, all while still being charged a premium?

They actually want to sell games so 70% of something is better than 100% of nothing. There's a reason why Microsoft are also putting all their games on Steam day one as well now.

Also, you really want Sony to be responsible for building their own storefront/launcher on PC? Do you not remember how awful their Walkman software was? It still makes me shudder to this day.

They see the PC as bonus money and they are treating it as such. As long as the ports are good then they will sell and that's where Nixxes come in.
 
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Topher

Gold Member
Why does making the console redundant hurt anything? Why should gamers have to choose between paying for a console just for a few exclusives or waiting 2-3 years for a chance to play some of them? You are right though, Sony should have a store on PC but they should sell all their games at most 6 months later. A PSN on PC would let gamers play games while maintaining their trophy/friends lists.

Comes down to the console mentality of needing exclusives to make the console feel special. It is 2021 and we've still got console list wars popping up here and there. Does it hurt anything? Just feelings is all. No one is losing anything with Uncharted coming to PC. Just more gamers being able to play more games. I'll never see that as a bad thing, personally.

Sony store or not, I'd love to see Sony work with Valve to sync achievements to trophies. Seeing a Platinum trophy pop up while playing a PS game on PC would be a dream come true.
 

RoboFu

One of the green rats
Good. Couldn’t care less about PC. I buy PlayStation consoles for Sony to support THEIR platforms. Not a platform they don’t own nor control and take time away from their console and main audience. They better leave it at years old PS4 ports scraps. Makes no sense to follow the last place, in everything, company.

that’s stupid from a business sense though. Everyone sees dedicated hardware going away so they want / need to build up their IP fan base and a good way to do that is to release their games to new customers.

to put it simply when all platform holders move to service only apps they need their games to be able pull in the gamers to their app. If you want to play elder scrolls you will need to have the Xbox app. if you want to play horizon zero dawn you will need the PlayStation app.
 

On Demand

Banned
that’s stupid from a business sense though. Everyone sees dedicated hardware going away so they want / need to build up their IP fan base and a good way to do that is to release their games to new customers.

to put it simply when all platform holders move to service only apps they need their games to be able pull in the gamers to their app. If you want to play elder scrolls you will need to have the Xbox app. if you want to play horizon zero dawn you will need the PlayStation app.

Hardware and physical media isn’t going anywhere. You say this at a time where Switch is about to sell 100M and PS5 sold 10M faster than PS4 did and selling faster than Switch.

There will always be hardware to buy. All this future exaggeratory “2 billion gamers” and cloud gaming is a fantasy. It’s all potentially crunched data and hopes. It will never be the standard for obvious reasons.
 

Holammer

Member
Sony building a presence in the PC space now is in part preparatory work ahead of their upcoming multiplayer GaaS titles.
Such titles will be released on Playstation & PC simultaneously for maximum mind share. PC versions are important for that as we pay respects with "F", not whatever the corresponding button is on a gamepad.
Will they make a launcher and store eventually? Yes.
 

reksveks

Member
No respectable PC gamer is buying those games of the Microsoft store

"respectable PC gamer" is a stupid a term as "real gamer" but ehh.

PlayAnywhere is a meaningful reason to buy games off the MS store and hope that MS continues to push publishers to support it, it might get easier if Steam streaming becomes more of a thing in the future. That secondary revenue would have already started to be reduced by then.
 

GreatnessRD

Member
I'm still not sure why anyone should even begin to give a fuck if concurrent releases "would make a console redundant".

So fucking what? More power to the customers.
Some people clearly would still prefer to stick to the console no matter what, while other people that never wanted that console to begin with would have the option to buy elsewhere.

And the company releasing this stuff would still profit from software sales in both cases.
We desperately need more people like you in this world full of stupidity.
 

Irobot82

Member
"respectable PC gamer" is a stupid a term as "real gamer" but ehh.

PlayAnywhere is a meaningful reason to buy games off the MS store and hope that MS continues to push publishers to support it, it might get easier if Steam streaming becomes more of a thing in the future. That secondary revenue would have already started to be reduced by then.
Learn to take a joke. Wow you're super sensitive.

Edit: The beauty of PC gaming is that there is no limitation on anything. Hardware/Software/Stores. All are welcome and we get the freedom to choose.
 
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reksveks

Member
Learn to take a joke. Wow you're super sensitive.

Edit: The beauty of PC gaming is that there is no limitation on anything. Hardware/Software/Stores. All are welcome and we get the freedom to choose.
Cheers for assuming that I got upset, I was just stating it's a stupid term like 'real gamer'.

I agree with you that competition in the PC gaming space is great, I sadly probably don't agree with many PC gamers that signing exclusivity deals (aka EGS) is a part of competition.
 

Irobot82

Member
Cheers for assuming that I got upset, I was just stating it's a stupid term like 'real gamer'.

I agree with you that competition in the PC gaming space is great, I sadly probably don't agree with many PC gamers that signing exclusivity deals (aka EGS) is a part of competition.
I don't agree with the exclusivity. I think if EGS wants to compete and win hearts and minds they need features. Their store is a joke, their platform is a joke. The only thing I take from them is free games. But I always keep my eyes open. 99% of my games is Steam just because that's where I started. The rest is GOG for the classics I grew up with, free EGS games and I think I own State of Decay on MS Store.
 
Outside of GAF is the real world that is not all blue, people would simply hate it. They already cried their eyes out about Epic. Pc is Steam > all.
 

reksveks

Member
I don't agree with the exclusivity. I think if EGS wants to compete and win hearts and minds they need features. Their store is a joke, their platform is a joke. The only thing I take from them is free games. But I always keep my eyes open. 99% of my games is Steam just because that's where I started. The rest is GOG for the classics I grew up with, free EGS games and I think I own State of Decay on MS Store.
Don't disagree that the EGS store is a joke but don't believe that an equally functional store competes with Steam barring exclusives or doing loss leading as they are. I think exclusives are the bigger factor.

GoG market share isn't great as far as I remember. I need to recheck in on GoG Galaxy soon to see if the xbox store integration is any better.

I think this might be enough of a detour.

They (Sony) would need to include 3rd party games, right? If so, what rates do they ask for?
 
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ManaByte

Member
They care more about the service as they see hardware being irrelevant in the future

Why the hell do people keep saying this EVERY console cycle. First the Xbox One was the last Xbox, now the Series X is the last Xbox. Stop it, get some help.

 
Why the hell do people keep saying this EVERY console cycle. First the Xbox One was the last Xbox, now the Series X is the last Xbox. Stop it, get some help.

Eventually it will be 100% true. People just jumping the gun, but if you think it's not going to be true in 20-50 years in confident you are wrong.
 

Rykan

Member
I'm all for console exclusives coming to PC, though I much prefer Sony's approach of releasing them 2-3 years later compared to MS's policy to release them at the same time. It kind of makes their console redundant for those who have a good gaming PC. One thing MS does right though is sharing the XBOX environment across both PC and XBOX consoles. I'm curious as to why Sony isn't doing the same; having their own storefront to sell PC versions and a PlayStation ID that would work across both PC and PlayStation consoles. Why would they give Valve 30%? Sure Steam is popular but surely PC gamers who want PlayStation games wouldn't care if they had to get them via a new store/launcher, no? Maybe Sony has a deal with Valve where they pay less, I don't know but I just find it weird that a gaming giant like Sony doesn't have it's own storefront for releasing its games on PC and is instead relying on others while having to give them a cut.
I don't get it. Why do you prefer sony's approach to releasing games years after they came out as opposed to MS's approach which releases them the same day? How does that benefit you or any other consumer in any shape? How does it affect you if someone plays their game on a PC instead of the respective console?
 
I'm all for console exclusives coming to PC, though I much prefer Sony's approach of releasing them 2-3 years later compared to MS's policy to release them at the same time. It kind of makes their console redundant for those who have a good gaming PC.
I don't think this is a real issue. Microsoft is more committed to PC releases than ever, yet their new consoles are also their fastest-selling ever.
 

Holammer

Member
that's true but we press X to doubt on that too, don't discriminate on controller users.
That meme actually started with Playstation glyphs. Someone suggested "(X)" in a funnyjunk comment and the rest is history.
Game also had a six month'ish exclusive period on consoles.

d63.jpeg
 

hlm666

Member
EA dropped steam to go do their own thing and have all the money, didn't seem to work out seeing they recently went back to steam. Mind you they may have had more luck if origin wasn't the worst client ever, they must have tried hard to make something that bad.
 
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ArtHands

Thinks buying more servers can fix a bad patch
Sony 1st party exclusives doesn't have enough clout to have their own standalone launcher to attract PC players.
 
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