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Should Sony Release PS4 Exclusives on the PC 3 to 4 Years After Release?
- Thread starter HStallion
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<Insert here the ages old comment about the disadvantages of multiplatform games, for consumers and developers alike, and how first party games manage to consistently hit the highest degree of quality>
I would love to have literally any game on PC thought, which is the main reason why I'm a huge enthusiast for emulators, but I understand the importance of having different closed ecosystem.
I would love to have literally any game on PC thought, which is the main reason why I'm a huge enthusiast for emulators, but I understand the importance of having different closed ecosystem.
Or they'll just wait for the PC port indefinitely since Sony created a precedent for porting old exclusives.
Callibretto
Member
it would do both, it would bring new audience sure, but it will also decrease the value of playstation console.
the question is if the positives of new audience can offset the negative of decreasing ps console value, and imo, it totally didn't make up for it.
Myspcr_Shadow
Member
I agree with this. Say they release the exclusive 2 years later pc guys get it, they announce the next exclusive/sequel shortly after. If the game is great they will be tempted to get the next console instead of waiting.
Kssio_Aug
Member
Besides I'm sure they won't (at least not in their actual position) I think that would be pretty cool. Would be nice to allow everyone to play it later on PC, and I really don't think it would affect their console sales, at least not if releasing it 2~3 years later. AND, if it did, I'm pretty sure they would recover it with the extra sales.
davepoobond
you can't put a price on sparks
I'm sure steam would love skimming off their profits.
Eh don't need them to do that. As much as the great games they make and publish, there's many more equal and better on PC with way more flexibility. We'll see how successful MS is with their new commitment. If Sony is going to ever release games on PC they shouldn't have to wait 3 to 4 years after release to do it. The subset of players that would even be interested in buying would be super tiny imo
copelandmaster
Member
Speaking hypothetically - it doesn't have to be Steam.
They could open their own store, like GOG and Origin.
Competitive advantage wise
Steam: popular, sales hype, ecosystem, steam controller, steam exclusives
Origin: they make popular games that people like and pulled their new releases from other platforms
GOG: DRM free
UWP: Former Xbox exclusives, Play our Xbox games here and on several other platforms phone/tablet platforms and Xbox
Sony: Play our Sony games here and nowhere else, except for PS4
People are saying recently that Microsoft is devaluing the value of the of the Xbox brand, and that Sony doing the same thing would crush the sales of the PS4.
At the same time - other people like saying on GAF all the time how PC gamers with 970s and above (or even the bear minimum like the 750ti) are such a small number, according to that damn Steam Hardware survey.
By that reasoning, I see nothing wrong with this, really. Console gamers who don't like PC for all of their reasons (the alleged majority that make Sony and MS all of their money) would still play on PS4. How about all of those PC/PS4 games that keep on happening? Do you think those deals were just devastating to Sony's bottom line due to competition with PC?
Game comes out on PS platforms and makes money. Game comes out on a PC based PSN, makes money.
Sony could still sell 3rd party games through that store. They would just have find/exploit a competitive advantage.Technically, they are way ahead of the game vs steam on penetration into other markets thru DD.
On their Store:
Movies
Music
TV Shows
Some of these (Powers, correct?) are exclusive to their platform. They could still make money through a variety of avenues, using their PlayStation Ecosystem Exclusives as one such advantage. If they did a quality job, PC users would be up for it. These extras can be found on other PC based dd platforms like Netflix/Hulu? Perhaps utilize PS+ in some way. Spin it off, make it enticing.
Or, per this thread, fuck those cheap ass PC port beggers, right everyone?
On this thread's topic: No. Late hand me downs are a missed opportunity.
In this hypothetical wonderland, they should come over as soon as possible, ideally day and date to maximize that day 1 hype money. Worked for MGSV, worked for DS2, worked for DS2:SotFS, worked for DS3. No reason why it couldn't work out for Sony.
EDIT: Hell, I just realized.
They have an entire back catalog of 1st/3rd party stuff that's only ever been on PS1, PS2, PS3, PSP, PS VITA.
Do like SEGA does with genesis junk and throw that shit in official (continuously updated) emulators that run through the client. Sure, we do have a lot of PC based emulators, but the competitive advantage in this case would be "official-ness" of the whole thing. Easy to use, bought it on console PSN for PS3/4/P/V? You own it! Enjoy on PC; Import games, etc.
A bit iffy, and a space with fierce competition, but there could definitely be an audience for that.
Lmfao.
Or they can just wait to play the sequel on PC...
Of course it would hurt them.
You want those unique games, you buy a ps4, period.
I will never buy an Xbox one since I can get all the games on PC.
Why don't you ask for Nintendo to release Zelda on PC while you're at it.
As for emulation, it's NEVER happening. Modern protection is too strong. Ps4 can't be hacked and it's impossible to reverse engineer or decrypt anything it does. You ll never see a wii u emulator also.
mikefrails
Banned
They would lose all appeal in owning their console.
StrongBlackVine
Banned
No they will just wait. They have been conditioned to wait for sales and late ports.
There's already an emulator thats in the early stages that runs Super Mario 3D World at 60 fps.
PuppetMaster
Member
Sony already does this.
It is called Playstation Now!
It is called Playstation Now!
Beerman462
Member
Yes, but only on a Sony store. Hardware margins are razor thin as is. Releasing even a few months later should let them milk the impatient and then maybe get some double dips.
There will still be plenty of people that want the $300-400 machine with no fuss.
It won't happen with first party.
Right now they will wait for a used/dicounted console and buy used games. Total loss for Sony.
There will still be plenty of people that want the $300-400 machine with no fuss.
It won't happen with first party.
Right now they will wait for a used/dicounted console and buy used games. Total loss for Sony.
Is this a joke post?
Just like all the PC Souls fans got PS4s for Bloodborne instead of clamoring for a port. Oh wait...
Console manufacturers make a lot more from 3rd party liscenes and subs than first party game sales. Porting The Order, Knack, Killzone, LBP probably wouldn't even recoup the porting cost whereas Uncharted, inFamous and Bloodborne might. On top of that, they now have to pay 30% on every sale to Steam if they go that route, with the requisite reduced price from being a late port. Then, the PC gamers, who are already conditioned to wait for deep sales wait to buy the games and then play their backlog until the next port comes a few years later, not run out and buy the console. That's exactly what I would do. Hell, I waited a decade for a FF9 port and a few years for FF12/Dragon's Dogma.
StrongBlackVine
Banned
I doubt Sony or Nintendo considers it a loss. You guys know you are missing out on some awesome game's though. Thus topic would not exist otherwise. Voting with wallet literally means nothing to them because plenty of people will continue to happily buy their hardware to experience their software.
while we're at it, tell Microsoft to port their games to PlayStation and Nintendo since a sale is a sale.I mean people in this thread makes ports sound so easy and cheap. No doubt they'll sell way more copies of halo/gears/forza on playstation and make hundreds of millions of dosh with no downside. What does Microsoft have to lose by porting their games to other consoles anyway since they're all about playanywhere. Unless they just mean their platforms.
Am i doing this right guys?
Am i doing this right guys?
This thread is ridiculous
But the ecoooooosystem.
I think, had the OP said "Last generation and EoL hardware exclusives", you'd have more in agreement than you do now, because a lot of the arguments would held less weight - who, for instance, is going to pick-up a PSP new nowadays? I mean, really? And if they do, are they really going to tie themselves into its ecosystem?
Having slept on it, I think the discussion is also confused due to conflating issues and groups.
The OP title asks "Should Sony", not "Could Sony" or "Will Sony". Obviously, from a gaming perspective, they should - at base, the more who have the opportunity to play a game, the better for gamers. Same goes for every game released (wasn't the XCOM 2 thread full of this kind of argument?). Now, the OP also asks "could it be a sensible move", which is where the business reasons to not do so come in.
And then we have things like this... No-one knows how many PC gamers have bought PS4s for Bloodborne. Anecdotally, I can tell you at least 1, because it's the only PS4 game I care about, and I'll be getting a Neo. But to outright state that no PC gamers bought a PS4/Bloodborne is silly.
Hmmmm, spending £300 on a console vs spending a minimum £500 getting a decent PC. Again, it's conflating users and issues - consoles are now just PCs designed for a specific use. If someone sees more benefit getting a PS4 than a PC, then it'll still sell.
Again, generalisation. I know some are tired of people quoting Dark Souls 3 numbers, but it's just under 1m sold, and it's not been discounted on Steam yet. It's as generalised as me saying earlier that anyone buying a PS4 and games will buy them second-hand - it's not useful to the conversation, even if for a (large?) number of people its true. Hell, every game I've bought on PSN has been on sale, but I'm not going to say that every PS user is like that.
Again, different consumers, different markets - some people will wait (a whole generation) for a port to come, but others won't. Just like some console gamers will buy a game Day 1, and others will wait for a sale, or second-hand. Conflating these groups doesn't help discussion, it hinders it. One user questioning whether a port is financially viable and another saying PC users will just wait doesn't provide us any insight. People might think that the MS situation is a good indicator, but I think Sony has more "stickiness" with its consumer-base than MS does this generation.
Also, is it a port-begging thread? Well, when the OP says "Extend the life of their games, preserve and grow multiplayer player pools", I personally would say it's a valid discussion point. For instance, PS3 emulation is running, but it's not great, and 30 years down the line, who knows how many PS3s will still play games.
(btw, I have a PS3 and Demon's Souls)
Melchiah
Member
It's funny how those who use the word often sound like one themselves.
Yarrrrr - if there were one word I could remove entirely from the English language, it would be fanboys. It just doesn't help any discussion, if only because people can end-up focusing on that word.
(it's a close run thing between that and "irregardless", though)
orthodoxy1095
Banned
The thing is, it's actually not totally stupid for Microsoft. It has potentially to work out in their case.
That's not the case with Sony though. They'd be dumb to make the same move.
Doctor Ironic
Member
You're taking my quote out of context, and imagining that the question I'm asking is the same as the one in the OP. It's not, it's separate. As I went on to explain like a sentence later.
I have no opinion on exclusives being pro- or anti-consumer, and there are arguments to be made for both (though I think everyone can agree it's shady-ass shit to pay someone to make a game that's already being made into an exclusive [fuck you Oculus]) but the question in the OP was specifically "should Sony make their exclusives available elsewhere?" and I said "The economic realities prevent this, but wouldn't it be great if we could play our games wherever we want to?" at which point you told me the economic realities prevent it. Like... yeah.
Chronospherics
Member
This is neat and all, but for what it's worth, the Playstation Store in general is notoriously awful, and with a competitive range of platforms on PC, that would need to change before they could even consider running a store on PC.
The store on Vita crashes when I go to my download
The store on PS3 hardcrashes my PS3 relatively frequently
The store on PS4 is better, but I've known it to randomly close, and even it has hardcrashed my console on two occasions
I don't think Sony could effectively maintain their network while expanding it to PC. Even the PS4 OS becomes slow when using networked features (friends, messages) during busier periods of network activity. It's not uncommon to have to wait 20+ seconds to view my friends or a message.
I like the PS4 and the OS but some elements of it are third rate compared to their competition, and I wouldn't like to see a large expansion of their gaming services until those issues were fixed. Not only that, but I doubt they could achieve the level of quality that many would expect.
Personally speaking, the talk of preserving is entirely genuine. Which is why above I shifted the question to "last generation and EoL hardware exclusives", and also why I'm not making the case to put a PS4 exclusive on NX or XBox. Because shifting an exclusive from one closed system chunk of hardware without full backwards compatibility to another does nothing for preservation in the long-run.
I get why you might be wary of the argument, though, so I'll give you an example of why preservation of console games is good - the original Final Fantasy VI on the SNES features a scene where a female soldier is being tortured. Every subsequent release has that scene cut, due to the Japanese ratings board. So, there's two places to get that version of FFVI - the original SNES cartridge, and a ROM dump of that cartridge. And when my SNES stops working (because it will eventually), the only place to play through that scene will be the ROM dump played on an emulator. Not the best scenario by any means.
Hope that makes sense, and that you can see why some people would want to preserve games on the PC, but with an official release.
Unlikely. The PC audience have nothing but disdain for consoles as a platform and would rather: a) wait for a port and b) go without instead of buying what they see as inferior hardware.
Some anecdote clarification. I love Sony and it's platforms, this is the first gen where I've not clamoured for a console. If they bring out their games on PC, I can happily not desire one forever, I don't require to sit on games immediately after release to enjoy them. For this reason, I'll never get an Xbox, the games are coming across to PC so there is no point now.
Of all the consoles, I'd get a Nintendo. It has a library of games that I won't be able to play anywhere else and the experience is so distinct from PC to make it worthwhile.
Diluting your own unique selling points kills your platform. Sony turned the previous gen around by continually rolling out its own unique software knowing full well it wasn't competing on a third party front. Having your own catalogue is so so so important.
Don't know man, alot of this disdained pc audience have 240p 3ds and WiiUs as far I see it
Everybody has a soft spot for Nintendo left from their childhood.
I think it would be better for consumers. I also think it can make the PS platform reach more people.
It'll never happen though. Or at least, not in the foreseeable future.
It'll never happen though. Or at least, not in the foreseeable future.
I sort of hope that's where we're going. It's the One Console future of years past. Instead of buying several high-prices boxes you could just have one.
Did a bit of an edit that agrees with you.
The more thread like this shows that people want to play those exclusive games.
And that is the reason of "why you need to buy the console"
If you erase that reason, there is less appeal to get the console as everything can be played on PC.
People kept using "dont want to spend few hundred for few games" but the library of exclusives will grow over the years.
It wont be a few games in the end.
Guess some people have created a thread "Now we can play PS4 games on PC, are there any more reason to get a PS4?" somewhere.
PC master race, all they do are begging for a port thread.
And that is the reason of "why you need to buy the console"
If you erase that reason, there is less appeal to get the console as everything can be played on PC.
People kept using "dont want to spend few hundred for few games" but the library of exclusives will grow over the years.
It wont be a few games in the end.
Guess some people have created a thread "Now we can play PS4 games on PC, are there any more reason to get a PS4?" somewhere.
PC master race, all they do are begging for a port thread.
Alot of them have it for Sony ips as well when I look at this thread
Yeah then I agree with you
You can play PS4 games with PSNow.
Releasing a downgrade version will spawn lots of inferior ports thread.
dr guildo
Member
Daredevil.shark
Banned
If consoles didn't existed such exclusive games wouldn't existed. The amount of resources and care that are given in Uncharted 4 is because of Sony. Otherwise it would be another good game. Plus there would be no appeal for exclusive games. For example, Witcher 3 is a good game. But if it was PS4 exclusive then the attraction would be much higher.
Some people needs to understand that not all of their wishes will come true. The want to play all games in your preferred platform is kinda arrogant. Sometimes you have to accept reality. Peace.
Some people needs to understand that not all of their wishes will come true. The want to play all games in your preferred platform is kinda arrogant. Sometimes you have to accept reality. Peace.
We can see a lot of Remastered Sony exclusives in Steam nowadays.
I tried to make this point yesterday, but was told that third-party exclusives are different to first-party exclusives.
Which is weird when you think about something like Demon's Souls or Bloodborne - third party dev, paid for by Sony, obviously system-sellers, not on PC - and contrast with Helldivers and Rapture. The latter two are also third party dev, paid for by Sony, but not system-sellers (that is, no-one has bought a PS4 just for Rapture, I'm pretty sure), and on PC.
Could it just be as simple as people using the word exclusive when they kind-of-mean IP? Because that would make a lot more sense.
At which point, it also becomes clearer cut - reframe the question as:
"Should Sony Release PS4 Uncharted/Last Guardian/Bloodborne on the PC 3 to 4 Years After Release?"
Answer: Well, no, that would be silly. Even I'm saying that, and I think exclusives are stupid.
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