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Sony understands the importance of PlayStation 4 exclusives as it highlighted them in its investor relations presentation earlier today – but president Andrew House is well aware of the fact that the platform holder's first-party lineup is looking a little light this year. "Our first-party lineup is a little sparse this year," he told an audience of financially engaged attendees, "so I think that this places even greater emphasis on getting good third-party support."

We've already discussed in detail why we think the manufacturer's E3 2015 press conference is going to be packed with multiplatform titles, and House appeared to all but confirm our assumptions. "We are working very hard to continue very strong support from third-party publishers and developers," he explained, before clarifying that full third-party exclusives – outside of the already announced Street Fighter V – are unlikely.

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"Given publishing dynamics and development costs, those are increasingly difficult to secure," he said, adding that the Japanese giant's been encouraging external organisations to take advantage of features such as Share Play, while also trying to secure exclusive content and add-ons. We already know that it's working closely with Star Wars: Battlefront right now, but expect it to establish a similar partnership with Destiny's inevitable standalone expansion – and more beyond.

"I would characterise 2015 as the beginning of a harvest period for the PS4," House concluded, using an awkward analogy. "The beginning of a harvest period. That being said, we are also undertaking to invest in the future, and 2015 will also be a year of investment." We think what he's saying is that the system will reap the rewards of its massive install base this year, but the organisation's not resting on its laurels, and is spending liberally to ensure that it remains in first place.

[source gamesindustry.biz]