"There are literally millions of people who are gaming on PC, more than PlayStation, Xbox and Switch combined and a large percentage of them also own consoles - including PS5"
Oh really? Where did you got this stats? Did you surveyed millions after millions of PC owners?
"In the 2025 PC and Console Gaming Report from Newzoo, global data indicates that more players started playing games on PC than they did on console. According to the report, PC player numbers rose 3.9% year-over-year (YoY) from 873.5 million to 907.5 million in 2024. Console players growth, on the other hand, while still up, only grew 2.3% from 615.6 million to 629.5 million".
And if there's hundreds of millions of PC gamers more than PS, Xbox, and Nintendo combined then Sony should earned more than 2% revenue from PC release and scale up their PC strategy right? The math doesn't add up here with your claim and more of a hard proof that the majority of PC gamers didn't buy consoles.
Your math definitely doesn't add up. When the "2% revenue from PC" figure is mentioned, that's first party revenue on PC compared to PlayStation's total revenue. The largest part of PlayStation's total revenue comes from the 30% cut PlayStation gets from 3rd party games, micro-transactions and DLCs. From PlayStation's total revenue, only 15-25 % are first party revenue, from games and DLCs published by PlayStation.
The revenue from the PC ports accounts for 30% - 40% of PlayStation's first party revenue. PlayStation doesn't have a revenue from 3rd parties on PC because they don't have a PC store/launcher to sell 3rd party content.
That PC percentage would of course be higher if PlayStation games would release day 1 on PC in a better technical state, as some PC ports according to reports don't run smoothly. But it's on Sony to decide where they want to allocate their resouces and if they want to improve their PC releases.
Sony hoped for good PC sales to co-finance the development of the big, identity-shaping titles with absurd budgets.
Without this perspective (which should be the case for a few years now, seeing the poor PC sales), Hulst (or his successor) will hesitate to give his OK for development even more.
Abandoning Steam will also put more pressure on those 1st party studios to meet sales expectations on PlayStation consoles. Based on reports, Days Gone was deemed a success only after it launched on PC. Without that PC launch Bend Studio might have been closed by now.
The bottom line is that Sony's multiplatform efforts have been underwhelming from a commercial point of view. Indeed, last we heard, port sales make up just 2% of the Japanese giant's total income; a relative drop in the ocean.
PlayStation is returning to exclusives, Xbox is thinking about returning to exclusives, Nintendo always had their games exclusive. Maybe Rockstar can make GTA exclusive to their own launcher, Activision Blizzard can make Overwatch, Diablo and Call of Duty (after any multi-platform contracts expire) to battle.net And next generation, you need to buy 3 different $ 1000 consoles and a $ 1500 gaming PC if you want to play all big games.
I think this trend is going into the wrong direction making games less affordable for casual gamers, pushing most players towards subscriptions and live-services.
Saints Row was a more extreme take of the GTA open world with a parody of the gang culture of the 90s and early 00s. Of course that setting was still present in the early 2000s. A spiritual successor of Saint's Row would need to look at what is currently going on.
A hypothetical spiritual successor could be an extreme take on GTA, where you play a patriotic US fighter, joining a government agency called "Terrestrial Watch And Tactical Squad" huntig illegal extra terrestrials who disguise themselves as left-winged climate protesters. Side quest could include dispersing protests, interrogation of the aliens and beating up people who disagree in online debates with the main character.
@Max_the_German You could read it that way, but in the context of what she's talking about I took it to mean they will recommit to the Xbox console specifically.
"We will celebrate our roots with a renewed commitment to Xbox starting with console which has shaped who we are"
"We will recommit to our core Xbox fans and players, those who have invested with us for the past 25 years"
I understand it's a difficult position, she wants to get the Xbox fans on board but is basically also saying they're going to continue down the path they're currently on.
I think you read to much into it using traditional "console wisdom". The 2 main people in Microsoft Xbox's division are leaving the company, 2 people who are well connected in the gaming industry and understand the console business very well. Since Microsoft decided to acquire Activision-Blizzard-King, those 2 had less to say at Xbox. Xbox is celebrating 25 years and these 2 key players, who lead Xbox for the past 10 years are leaving before that event. Whatever the reasons are why those 2 are leaving, their vision was definitely not in line with Microsoft's plans for the future of Xbox.
A "renewed commitment to Xbox starting with console which has shaped who we are" doesn't mean there's an Xbox console in the future. They are starting that commitment to the Xbox brand by looking at the console which started all: an attempt to bring Windows into the leaving rooms on every TV.
We will break down barriers so developers can build once and reach players everywhere without compromise
How do you achieve that? By removing the different consoles out of the process.
I'm sick and tired of this whole kumbaya WHEN EVERYONE PLAYS, WE'RE STRONGER crap. Just look at how many copies Spiderman 2 sold on PC vs PS5 lmao. It's nothing but scraps and I still think Sony should completely abandon porting their first party single player titles to PC because they're not selling well AT ALL.
Seriously, why is it such a huge problem for you personally, if a game which was at some point PlayStation exclusive, releases on other platforms like PC or Switch 2? Are you going to enjoy those games less, just because more people can play them and you don't like that? What exactly are you losing?
You're trying to make a point that Sony should abandon releasing PlayStation games on PC. But 40% of Stellar Blade's units were sold on PC despite releasing 1 year later. Helldivers 2 has actually sold more units on PC than on PS5.
Any studio should be very wary, if they are approached by some guy from Sony with cheque book in hand , "hey ,you wanna join the playstation family"
It's a gamble. Many studio owners will see all the money they would get from such a large corporation trying to acquire the their studio, which is hard to turn down.
And being independent doesn't necessarily keep your studio safe from a closure. Both Insomniac Games and Bungie at one point were celebrating their independence before being bought by Sony, as being part of a larger organization often comes with benefits, like higher chances of getting a new project and shared knowledge & technology across studios.
If a studio of theirs isn't making money, or is losing money, do you just keep them going? Of course you can do this to an extent, you can have a few loss leaders, but not many. If the books don't balance, they don't balance, you don't usually offset with profits from elsewhere. One part a business can be failing while another is thriving. Still a shame this was their solution, surely there was a better way...
I've always been curious how sustainable PlayStation first party studio games are?
One could argue, that despite Bluepoint Studio's games underperforming from a sales perspective, PlayStation as a whole would invest into them, as the Demon's Souls Remake helped promote the PlayStation hardware at the launch of the PS5. So it's money invested in marketing the platform through exclusive games.
But with changing market conditions, like Xbox phasing out of the console hardware business and component prices rising, pushing a PS6 launch further back, the question is: Does PlayStation need to continue investing money in studios like Bluepoint or Studio Japan, if their games are not profitable and there is no need to invest in promotoing the PS5 hardware the same way they did in the past?
This of course puts a lot more pressure on PlayStation 1st party studios, as game development is expensive and there are higher expectations on return-of-investmemt on their projects.
But how does shutting BP games help?! You'd think a relatively cheap remake studio would be a reliable pillar to keep doing what it does best in the background.
The question is if there are actually cheaper external options for Sony to remake/remaster games?
There are studios like Virtuos ( MGS Delta Oblivion Remastered, Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster), d3t (Alan Wake Remaster), Toys For Bob (Crash N Sane Trilogy, Spyro Reignited, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 +2), Blue Moon (Until Dawn Remastered), so there are plenty of options.
Sony would only need to pay them per rematser project, so no expenses for studio managers, human resources, studio rent, tool licenses, staff trainings and Sony wouldn't need to think about keeping the studios occupied between projects.
Question: What if Bluepoint Studio would have ported and released the Demon's Souls Remake to other platforms such as PC and Nintendo and by doing that secure their studio for the next 2-3 years? Wouldn't that be better than the current scenario?
Given that Bluepoint Studio's last game was over 5 years ago. So I guess studios like Media Molecule and Bend Studio could be next, if they don't have anything new to release in the near future.
The general reaction has been one of shock, followed by anger directed squarely at the platformer holder.
The sad thing is, no matter how angry people are right now, in a week's time it will mostly be forgotten, they will move on and will be excited about what's new. Nothing will change.
Maybe there is a way for companies to combine video games, gambling and erotic... Oh right, there are already gatcha games like Wuthering Waves and Genshin Impact. 😅
because i didn’t feel like being specific, you knew what i meant.
let’s not act like player numbers don’t matter with f2p games too, whether it’s a sale or player count
I think you wanted to say "live-service" games, but your argument loses any impact if your statement is contradictory.
@StitchJones
@nomither6 Maybe xbots would flock to a free to play game on the xbox.
What do you think where those "xbots" go when they don't like Xbox anymore? PlayStation. A lot of the PlayStation playerbase at some point had an Xbox.
And what do you think are some of the most popular games on PlayStation? Free-to-play games.
5 of the top 10 most played games on PS5 are free-to-play (Fortnite, Call of Duty, Roblox, Rocket League, Rainbow Six Siege). Saying that "xbots would flock to a free to play game" clearly shows that you are ignoring that it's exactly the same case with the PlayStation playerbase: https://newzoo.com/resources/rankings/top-ps5-games
I mean gamepass is basically designed to wreck the industry and shun all developers out of the real $$$ they could be making by selling their game the old fashion way, in the name of giving xbots a slew of games for a cheap monthly price. Its technically designed to promote "mooching" or "freeloading". WIth that said, free to play would be perfect for a collection of moochers.
You basically described the situation on PS Plus. People each month celebrating which games they get for "free" and don't need to buy anymore.
I see an issue with the size limits of blu ray discs and the trend of growing game install sizes.
Since 2+ discs are more expensive, Microsoft decided to turn game discs into key cards, where the majority of a game is downloaded from the internet. Sony are part of the Blu Ray Disc Association, and have means of manufacturing blu ray discs, so the licensing and manufacturing costs for them are lower. But at which point does it become unfeasible for them as well? 4-5 discs? We'll see.
Either way, the PS6 will most likely have a disc drive as an optional attachment. Mainly for those who have a large PS4/5 disc collection.
I was thinking of skipping the ps6 due to how this generation has not been great for me. The games released just haven't been my cup of tea.
Honestly, I am currently more excited playing old games on my Evercade handhelds (like the original Tomb Raider, Duke Nukem 3D, Earthworm Jim) than any new current gen releases. Even on console, I tend to play old games.
Evercade has been the best gaming experience for me last year and Iook forward to see which old games get released on that platform.
I think this generation will be remember as the one where console gaming became unaffordable for casual players. Rising console, game and service prices.
@kmtrain83 Gaming PC is hardware running a Windows, Linux (Steam OS) or Mac OS operating system with an open ecosystem for purchasing games (Steam, GOG, Epic Games, Microsoft Store, Ubisoft store), open for cumminity mods, open for non-licensed accessories and potential with a certain degree of upgrade options, though that's no always a given in case of laptops or handheld devices such as the Steam Deck.
It can be a desktop tower with a monitor, keyboard and mouse, it can be a small factor device with a controller connected to the TV, it can be a laptop, it can be a handheld device. You can connect a PC with Steam OS to your TV, run it in big screen mode and use a controller like you do on a console. That also includes gaming devices from Dell, HP, Asus, Lenovo, etc. All modern PC graphics cards have an HDMI to connect them to TVs. Valve's recently announced Steam Machine is basically going to be the sort of "console"-like gaming PC which can prove their viability on a big TV screen setup
im curious to how this next xbox will even work will it just be a pc then a console? i mean mac has steam , but most games aren't playable on a mac ( with out a work around).
Based on what has been reported officially and unofficially, it's pretty likely that the next "Xbox" hardware is a Windows PC.
Like with the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds from Asus, it will probably boot into an "Xbox full-screen" mode similar to console dashboards and Steam OS, with the option to switch to the full Windows desktop view. Storefronts will be integrated as full screen apps.
According to reviewers of the ROG Xbox Ally the full screen experience isn't as streamlined and smooth as on a console or the Steam Deck. There are separate settings menus from Xbox, Windows and Asus, the OS is using the Windows updates for system updates and there are multiple options for how to uninstall games. There's still a lot of work ahead for Microsoft to get the Windows and the Xbox full screen mode in a good shape.
It's an unknown how compatibility to Xbox console games will work. This has been mentioned by some, but no details are known yet. Personally I think Microsoft might implement a translation layer for Xbox to Windows system operations, similar to the community project XWine1. That would allow Xbox console games to run on Windows OS.
It seems like whatever Microsoft is currently building, it might not be exclusive to a specific "Xbox hardware". It seems like most of the work is going into Windows OS to bring the PC gaming experience closer to a console experience, and everyone on a Windows device would benefit from it. Valve has proven with Steam OS that it's possible.
@graymamba At this point, what options does Microsoft have for the Xbox? Their Xbox hardware sales are drastically declining, as a game publisher they are too large and games are too expensive to make them Xbox exclusive, Xbox is the in 4th place for many game developers in terms of release priority with Xbox support often being neglected, Windows is still the most used OS for PC gaming.
As no one buys Xbox consoles anymore, Microsoft has 3 options: 1. Go the Sega way and stop any Xbox hardware, 2. Sell the Xbox brand (not sure who would want it), or 3. Transfer to PC.
Microsoft doesn't care what is good for consumers, they care what is good for their business. And if this move strengthens their OS business then they will likely go that way
@TrollOfWar PC is a different beast. Xbox is releasing 1st party on PS because they are a sinking ship and in desperation mode. A console can release on PC and it will not affect console sales. PC is not really a direct competitor to a console like xbox vs. PS is. Ps5 just reached 94million units sold, while releasing games on PC since 2020. Horizon zero dawn released on pc in Aug of 2020. Xbox's #'s this gen have been abysmal while they go multiplat. The proof is in the numbers
While Xbox and PlayStation were competing directly, I think by this point people need to realize that Xbox as a console platform stopped competing. The Xbox Series prices are not competitive with PS5 prices and they stopped making games exclusive to Xbox.
And while PlayStation is not competing directly with PC, indirectly it is. Gamers on PC looking to play the newest games will buy and play on PC not on PlayStation, as the majority of all newly released games are on both systems.
Microsoft has definitely lost the console wars, they admitted that. But it's a clever move of them to transfer the Xbox platform to PC, if they can really pull it off, as PC will dominate the future of gaming. Xbox's move to PC is already in progress. Question is, what will Sony/PlayStation do when the majority of gamers is on PC?
@graymamba Yes. 👍 Definitely proves that company strategies shift with changing dynamics of the gaming industry. What was a good practice in the past might not be all that valid in the next 5-10 years.
I guess the "Store Rating" category is for the numbers of ratings rather than the average rating score. Otherwise Black Ops 7 would not be included in that list.
Doesn't need any more build-up until the month before release imo. Sony often overexposes their exclusives with too many trailers and dedicated deep-dive state of plays. Just tires me out for games that I'm dead-set on playing anyways.
The thing is, people who follow gaming news are well informed about upcoming games and come here to PushSquare, are actually in the minority of the PlayStation playerbase.
There are tens of millions of casual players, who might be remotely interested in the newest "Marvel" game and are not up to speed with Playstation news. That's why Sony is spending hundreds of millions of dollars in marketing with multiple trailers, showcases, deep-dives, adverts, so even the most casual gamers are engulfed by the hype and get more PS5 units sold to those who didn't need one yet.
But I think for me the biggest head scratcher is why you'd want to faff about getting certain games running and you can't tell me that's not a thing because it is. Now you'll have to forgive me because I'm older guy and I've never gamed on PC, I'm just going off of what my son and his friends game on and tell me and he spent a fair amount on his "build" around £900 and he told me "oh it's future proofing" but it's struggling to run the latest games coming out while my 5 year old PS5 does it just fine and now he's looking for another graphics card, he hates me because I take the piss all the time, then when his friend is around they try and gang up 😆
I'm not surprised if your son doesn't like you making fun of him. I think he would expect from you, as a fellow gamer, to show more understanding, but you seem to mock him and ignore what is going on on the PC gaming Side.
I don't know how performant your son's PC is, but you cannot compare the price of a PC directly to a price of a console. While PCs are open platforms and hardware manufacturers aim to make a profit on sold hardware, consoles (until now at least) have been subsidized. The platform holders would sell the console at a loss and would gain back the costs via sold games, subscriptions and licensed accessories. A "£ 900" PC doesn't match the performance of a PS5, but it's an open platform where your son is not restricted in how he is using it and where he is buying games. He doesn't need to pay for online gaming either.
It is also commonly known that PC ports of console games haven't been that great in recent years. Unreal Engine 5 games have been stuttering due to shader compilation issues (shaders are pre-compiled on games for consoles) and other games are just terribly optimized (like the recent Monster Hunter Wilds which the community found out that the game is constantly performing checks for DLCs on PC impacting the performance). On PC at least you can try to fix those performance problems with the game settings and the help of community mods. On consoles if you have performance issues, you can only hope for developer team to fix it.
@TrollOfWar I agree with you about PCs being more flexible and customizable than consoles but I think ‘plug and play’ is a big part of the appeal of consoles.
I think that classic 'plug and play' benefit for consoles is gone (unless you game on Switch 1 or Evercade). You need to connect your console to the internet, you need have an account, you need to install games you purchase on discs, many modern games don't fit on a disc so they often need to be downloaded from the internet, you need to download system updates, game updates and controller updates. You need a subscription to play online and store your save games in the cloud. Some games let you choose between "quality" and "performance" mode. You need to disassemble your PS5's cover plate and choose the right SSD it you want to expand the storage. Consoles have been slowly becoming more PC-like over the last 10 years.
That is why so many rival storefronts have had problems getting traction against Steam though all offer free access and some hand out free games periodically.
I think it's a benefit for PC players if they have several storefronts to choose from where they buy their games.
Another big part of the appeal of consoles is the subsidized hardware. While consoles are pricier than ever and thats bad, the problem is the skyrocketing price of computer components.
Yes, initial costs are higher for gaming PCs than for consoles in many western countries.
But PCs are cheaper in countries like China, Brazil, India. And with Steam's regional pricing games on PC are much cheaper than on the PlayStation store in regions like Argentina and Turkey.
Many people buy a PC for work, school and gaming, so in those cases PC gaming is the cheaper option.
@TrollOfWar you would say that already released Accessibility controller is not patented by Sony? And anyone can make such copy-cat design? I doubt that.
I believe Sony also has a patent on the PlayStation Access adaptive controller.
Accessibility peripherals are usually already quite expensive, which is making them often unaffordable for people who are already struggling to get a job. If no name hardware manufacturers could create cheaper copy-cat products then yes I am totally for it, because the option for cheaper accessibility peripherals is more important than the profit margin of large corporations.
Nnnnnope, absolutely dumb idea. There is no better feeling than smashing those buttons or aiming with the analag sticks - that cannot be replaced. It would feel like emulating on a phone.
Maybe Sony is aiming to capture that Gen Z audience who grew up playing on smartphones and has no clue how a controller with actual buttons works. 😄
This is a fairly weak patent. Mobile games and streaming services like Xcloud had this feature for several years on touchscreens. Apple MacBooks used to have a customizable touchscreen bar above the keyboard and there are several programmable touchscreen keyboards. I wouldn't call the idea something Sony invented.
Regarding customizable controller layouts, Turtle Beach (Stealth Pivot Wireless) and Thrustmaster (ESwap Pro) already have a controller which allows you to do that.
Also, as the article is describing this as an "accessibility needs" feature, I personally think it's wrong to lock accessibility features behind a patent unless they plan to make it available for free for any hardware manufacturer.
@DKG-85 PC is more flexible and customizable than a console. It offers a lot of freedoms where consoles are very restricted.
You have the option of multiple digital store fronts from where you can buy games (or even get them for free) like Steam, GOG, Epic Games, Microsoft Store, Itch.io, etc.
There is no fee for online gaming and cloud saves on PC.
You can customize game settings for graphics to fit your needs and use mods to add more. For example, someone created a VR mod for Cyberpunk 2077. If you only have a PS5 and PSVR2, you cannot play that.
As already mentioned above you can connect any controller (Xbox, DualSense, Steam Controller, third-party) to a PC. It's also well known, that mouse and keyboard are more effective in strategy games, shooters (where aiming is quicker and more precise) and MMO RPGs (where you need multiple shortcuts and a keyboard if you want to quickly type a message).
Physical media is not what it used to be: If you for example have The Crew, Anthem or Concord on a physical disc, you wont be able to play them. The more games require an online connection the less future proof they are. Also it's becoming a trend where only a small part of the game is included on the disc and everything else is downloaded from the internet. This is due to the growing size of games and the limits of blu-ray discs. You also see similar problems with the Nintendo Switch 2 key cards.
People treat PC like it's some kind of complex platform, but with time and patience you learn that it's fairly easy and PC gaming has been becoming easier over the last decade with automated updates and games auto-detecting your hardware.
@Naughtyottsel92 I guess it's obvious that most people don't want to have to buy 2 expensive consoles which have similar specs and capabilities, play 90% of the same games, with the only big difference being the "exclusives".
That's why people would prefer to be able to play all games on the console of their choice.
Comments 590
Re: Sony Quietly Decided to Scale Back PC Ports Last Year, Insider Claims
@PuppetMaster
"In the 2025 PC and Console Gaming Report from Newzoo, global data indicates that more players started playing games on PC than they did on console. According to the report, PC player numbers rose 3.9% year-over-year (YoY) from 873.5 million to 907.5 million in 2024. Console players growth, on the other hand, while still up, only grew 2.3% from 615.6 million to 629.5 million".
Link: https://insider-gaming.com/pc-gaming-gained-more-players-than-console-in-2024/
Your math definitely doesn't add up. When the "2% revenue from PC" figure is mentioned, that's first party revenue on PC compared to PlayStation's total revenue. The largest part of PlayStation's total revenue comes from the 30% cut PlayStation gets from 3rd party games, micro-transactions and DLCs. From PlayStation's total revenue, only 15-25 % are first party revenue, from games and DLCs published by PlayStation.
The revenue from the PC ports accounts for 30% - 40% of PlayStation's first party revenue. PlayStation doesn't have a revenue from 3rd parties on PC because they don't have a PC store/launcher to sell 3rd party content.
Link: https://www.techspot.com/news/109514-pc-sales-now-account-nearly-third-sony-first.html
That PC percentage would of course be higher if PlayStation games would release day 1 on PC in a better technical state, as some PC ports according to reports don't run smoothly. But it's on Sony to decide where they want to allocate their resouces and if they want to improve their PC releases.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 622
Hidden Cats in Istanbul
Cathedral
The Sword of Ianna
Re: Rumour: Sony Backtracking on PC Strategy, Shifting Towards PS5 Exclusivity Again
@Max_the_German
Abandoning Steam will also put more pressure on those 1st party studios to meet sales expectations on PlayStation consoles. Based on reports, Days Gone was deemed a success only after it launched on PC. Without that PC launch Bend Studio might have been closed by now.
Re: Rumour: Sony Backtracking on PC Strategy, Shifting Towards PS5 Exclusivity Again
@Contimaloris
I hope not, but maybe they are next after Bluepoint.
Re: Rumour: Sony Backtracking on PC Strategy, Shifting Towards PS5 Exclusivity Again
Comparing apples to oranges. The revenue from the PC ports accounts for 30% - 40% of PlayStation's first party revenue. Source: https://www.techspot.com/news/109514-pc-sales-now-account-nearly-third-sony-first.html
Re: Rumour: Sony Backtracking on PC Strategy, Shifting Towards PS5 Exclusivity Again
PlayStation is returning to exclusives, Xbox is thinking about returning to exclusives, Nintendo always had their games exclusive. Maybe Rockstar can make GTA exclusive to their own launcher, Activision Blizzard can make Overwatch, Diablo and Call of Duty (after any multi-platform contracts expire) to battle.net And next generation, you need to buy 3 different $ 1000 consoles and a $ 1500 gaming PC if you want to play all big games.
I think this trend is going into the wrong direction making games less affordable for casual gamers, pushing most players towards subscriptions and live-services.
Re: For Some Reason, Sony Apparently Got Gran Turismo 7 Running on Switch 2
Gran Turismo 7 on Switch 2. Let's go!
Re: Saints Row Is 'Dead' Says Design Director After Prequel Pitch 'Ghosted' by Embracer Group
Saints Row was a more extreme take of the GTA open world with a parody of the gang culture of the 90s and early 00s. Of course that setting was still present in the early 2000s. A spiritual successor of Saint's Row would need to look at what is currently going on.
A hypothetical spiritual successor could be an extreme take on GTA, where you play a patriotic US fighter, joining a government agency called "Terrestrial Watch And Tactical Squad" huntig illegal extra terrestrials who disguise themselves as left-winged climate protesters. Side quest could include dispersing protests, interrogation of the aliens and beating up people who disagree in online debates with the main character.
Re: Incoming Xbox Boss Promises a 'Renewed Commitment to Console', But Will Still Publish on PS5
@get2sammyb
I think you read to much into it using traditional "console wisdom". The 2 main people in Microsoft Xbox's division are leaving the company, 2 people who are well connected in the gaming industry and understand the console business very well. Since Microsoft decided to acquire Activision-Blizzard-King, those 2 had less to say at Xbox. Xbox is celebrating 25 years and these 2 key players, who lead Xbox for the past 10 years are leaving before that event. Whatever the reasons are why those 2 are leaving, their vision was definitely not in line with Microsoft's plans for the future of Xbox.
A "renewed commitment to Xbox starting with console which has shaped who we are" doesn't mean there's an Xbox console in the future. They are starting that commitment to the Xbox brand by looking at the console which started all: an attempt to bring Windows into the leaving rooms on every TV.
How do you achieve that? By removing the different consoles out of the process.
Re: Stellar Blade Will Seemingly Be the Next PS5 Exclusive to Come to Rival Consoles
@Judal27 Maybe the additional time and budget will allow them to make the sequel bigger and better.
Re: Stellar Blade Will Seemingly Be the Next PS5 Exclusive to Come to Rival Consoles
@Judal27 It seems like the sequel is being developed for multiple platforms, based on previous statements from ShiftUp.
Releasing the first game on additional platforms generates additional budget for the sequel and increases the size of the sequel's audience.
Re: Stellar Blade Will Seemingly Be the Next PS5 Exclusive to Come to Rival Consoles
@Divergent95
Seriously, why is it such a huge problem for you personally, if a game which was at some point PlayStation exclusive, releases on other platforms like PC or Switch 2? Are you going to enjoy those games less, just because more people can play them and you don't like that? What exactly are you losing?
You're trying to make a point that Sony should abandon releasing PlayStation games on PC. But 40% of Stellar Blade's units were sold on PC despite releasing 1 year later. Helldivers 2 has actually sold more units on PC than on PS5.
Re: Opinion: Sony's Disgraceful Bluepoint Closure Should Concern Every PS Studios Fan
@lazarus11
It's a gamble. Many studio owners will see all the money they would get from such a large corporation trying to acquire the their studio, which is hard to turn down.
And being independent doesn't necessarily keep your studio safe from a closure. Both Insomniac Games and Bungie at one point were celebrating their independence before being bought by Sony, as being part of a larger organization often comes with benefits, like higher chances of getting a new project and shared knowledge & technology across studios.
Re: Opinion: Sony's Disgraceful Bluepoint Closure Should Concern Every PS Studios Fan
@themightyant
I've always been curious how sustainable PlayStation first party studio games are?
One could argue, that despite Bluepoint Studio's games underperforming from a sales perspective, PlayStation as a whole would invest into them, as the Demon's Souls Remake helped promote the PlayStation hardware at the launch of the PS5. So it's money invested in marketing the platform through exclusive games.
But with changing market conditions, like Xbox phasing out of the console hardware business and component prices rising, pushing a PS6 launch further back, the question is: Does PlayStation need to continue investing money in studios like Bluepoint or Studio Japan, if their games are not profitable and there is no need to invest in promotoing the PS5 hardware the same way they did in the past?
This of course puts a lot more pressure on PlayStation 1st party studios, as game development is expensive and there are higher expectations on return-of-investmemt on their projects.
Definitely good points you brought up.
Re: Opinion: Sony's Disgraceful Bluepoint Closure Should Concern Every PS Studios Fan
@Fyz306903
The question is if there are actually cheaper external options for Sony to remake/remaster games?
There are studios like Virtuos ( MGS Delta Oblivion Remastered, Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster), d3t (Alan Wake Remaster), Toys For Bob (Crash N Sane Trilogy, Spyro Reignited, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 +2), Blue Moon (Until Dawn Remastered), so there are plenty of options.
Sony would only need to pay them per rematser project, so no expenses for studio managers, human resources, studio rent, tool licenses, staff trainings and Sony wouldn't need to think about keeping the studios occupied between projects.
Re: Opinion: Sony's Disgraceful Bluepoint Closure Should Concern Every PS Studios Fan
Question: What if Bluepoint Studio would have ported and released the Demon's Souls Remake to other platforms such as PC and Nintendo and by doing that secure their studio for the next 2-3 years? Wouldn't that be better than the current scenario?
Re: Opinion: Sony's Disgraceful Bluepoint Closure Should Concern Every PS Studios Fan
Given that Bluepoint Studio's last game was over 5 years ago. So I guess studios like Media Molecule and Bend Studio could be next, if they don't have anything new to release in the near future.
Re: 'I'm Confident in the Direction We're Headed': Under-Fire PlayStation Boss Tries to Explain Baffling Bluepoint Closure
The sad thing is, no matter how angry people are right now, in a week's time it will mostly be forgotten, they will move on and will be excited about what's new. Nothing will change.
Re: Sony Makes Shocking Decision to Shut Down Bluepoint Games
There go ny hopes of a Bluepoint developed Bloodborne Remake. 😔
Re: Mobile App Addictions Are Quickly Becoming a Serious Threat to Video Games, Report Claims
Maybe there is a way for companies to combine video games, gambling and erotic... Oh right, there are already gatcha games like Wuthering Waves and Genshin Impact. 😅
Re: Seems Like PS5 Will Be the Only Console You Can Play Silent Hill Townfall at Launch
@nomither6
I think you wanted to say "live-service" games, but your argument loses any impact if your statement is contradictory.
@StitchJones
What do you think where those "xbots" go when they don't like Xbox anymore? PlayStation. A lot of the PlayStation playerbase at some point had an Xbox.
And what do you think are some of the most popular games on PlayStation? Free-to-play games.
5 of the top 10 most played games on PS5 are free-to-play (Fortnite, Call of Duty, Roblox, Rocket League, Rainbow Six Siege). Saying that "xbots would flock to a free to play game" clearly shows that you are ignoring that it's exactly the same case with the PlayStation playerbase: https://newzoo.com/resources/rankings/top-ps5-games
You basically described the situation on PS Plus. People each month celebrating which games they get for "free" and don't need to buy anymore.
Re: Seems Like PS5 Will Be the Only Console You Can Play Silent Hill Townfall at Launch
@nomither6
How are free-to-play games being sold if they are "free-to-play"? 🤔
Re: Seems Like PS5 Will Be the Only Console You Can Play Silent Hill Townfall at Launch
@tameshiyaku Isn't that what all these "console wars" are about?
Re: Here's Why Shawn Layden Thinks Sony 'Can't Get Away' with Making PS6 Digital Only
I see an issue with the size limits of blu ray discs and the trend of growing game install sizes.
Since 2+ discs are more expensive, Microsoft decided to turn game discs into key cards, where the majority of a game is downloaded from the internet. Sony are part of the Blu Ray Disc Association, and have means of manufacturing blu ray discs, so the licensing and manufacturing costs for them are lower. But at which point does it become unfeasible for them as well? 4-5 discs? We'll see.
Either way, the PS6 will most likely have a disc drive as an optional attachment. Mainly for those who have a large PS4/5 disc collection.
Re: Sony Will Offset Soaring RAM Prices by Further Monetising PS5 Players
@LeeBB_Art
Honestly, I am currently more excited playing old games on my Evercade handhelds (like the original Tomb Raider, Duke Nukem 3D, Earthworm Jim) than any new current gen releases. Even on console, I tend to play old games.
Evercade has been the best gaming experience for me last year and Iook forward to see which old games get released on that platform.
Re: Xbox RPG Avowed Snubs PS5 Pro Support
Maybe the lack of PSSR on PS5 Pro is a benefit given the issues found in other UE5 games (like Silent Hill 2).
Re: Sony Will Offset Soaring RAM Prices by Further Monetising PS5 Players
I think this generation will be remember as the one where console gaming became unaffordable for casual players. Rising console, game and service prices.
Re: 'Not Likely': Spider-Man 2 Dev Crushes Xbox Port Dreams
@kmtrain83 Gaming PC is hardware running a Windows, Linux (Steam OS) or Mac OS operating system with an open ecosystem for purchasing games (Steam, GOG, Epic Games, Microsoft Store, Ubisoft store), open for cumminity mods, open for non-licensed accessories and potential with a certain degree of upgrade options, though that's no always a given in case of laptops or handheld devices such as the Steam Deck.
It can be a desktop tower with a monitor, keyboard and mouse, it can be a small factor device with a controller connected to the TV, it can be a laptop, it can be a handheld device. You can connect a PC with Steam OS to your TV, run it in big screen mode and use a controller like you do on a console. That also includes gaming devices from Dell, HP, Asus, Lenovo, etc. All modern PC graphics cards have an HDMI to connect them to TVs. Valve's recently announced Steam Machine is basically going to be the sort of "console"-like gaming PC which can prove their viability on a big TV screen setup
BTW I found this statistics by Newzoo from last year on how PC player numbers have grown in 2024 compared to console player numbers 3.9% increase to 907.5 million on PC, 2.3% increase to 629.5 million on consoles): https://insider-gaming.com/pc-gaming-gained-more-players-than-console-in-2024/
Re: 'Not Likely': Spider-Man 2 Dev Crushes Xbox Port Dreams
@twitchtvpat
Based on what has been reported officially and unofficially, it's pretty likely that the next "Xbox" hardware is a Windows PC.
Like with the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds from Asus, it will probably boot into an "Xbox full-screen" mode similar to console dashboards and Steam OS, with the option to switch to the full Windows desktop view. Storefronts will be integrated as full screen apps.
According to reviewers of the ROG Xbox Ally the full screen experience isn't as streamlined and smooth as on a console or the Steam Deck. There are separate settings menus from Xbox, Windows and Asus, the OS is using the Windows updates for system updates and there are multiple options for how to uninstall games. There's still a lot of work ahead for Microsoft to get the Windows and the Xbox full screen mode in a good shape.
It's an unknown how compatibility to Xbox console games will work. This has been mentioned by some, but no details are known yet. Personally I think Microsoft might implement a translation layer for Xbox to Windows system operations, similar to the community project XWine1. That would allow Xbox console games to run on Windows OS.
It seems like whatever Microsoft is currently building, it might not be exclusive to a specific "Xbox hardware". It seems like most of the work is going into Windows OS to bring the PC gaming experience closer to a console experience, and everyone on a Windows device would benefit from it. Valve has proven with Steam OS that it's possible.
Re: 'Not Likely': Spider-Man 2 Dev Crushes Xbox Port Dreams
@graymamba At this point, what options does Microsoft have for the Xbox? Their Xbox hardware sales are drastically declining, as a game publisher they are too large and games are too expensive to make them Xbox exclusive, Xbox is the in 4th place for many game developers in terms of release priority with Xbox support often being neglected, Windows is still the most used OS for PC gaming.
As no one buys Xbox consoles anymore, Microsoft has 3 options: 1. Go the Sega way and stop any Xbox hardware, 2. Sell the Xbox brand (not sure who would want it), or 3. Transfer to PC.
Microsoft doesn't care what is good for consumers, they care what is good for their business. And if this move strengthens their OS business then they will likely go that way
Re: 'Not Likely': Spider-Man 2 Dev Crushes Xbox Port Dreams
@StitchJones
While Xbox and PlayStation were competing directly, I think by this point people need to realize that Xbox as a console platform stopped competing. The Xbox Series prices are not competitive with PS5 prices and they stopped making games exclusive to Xbox.
And while PlayStation is not competing directly with PC, indirectly it is. Gamers on PC looking to play the newest games will buy and play on PC not on PlayStation, as the majority of all newly released games are on both systems.
Microsoft has definitely lost the console wars, they admitted that. But it's a clever move of them to transfer the Xbox platform to PC, if they can really pull it off, as PC will dominate the future of gaming. Xbox's move to PC is already in progress. Question is, what will Sony/PlayStation do when the majority of gamers is on PC?
Re: 'Not Likely': Spider-Man 2 Dev Crushes Xbox Port Dreams
@graymamba Yes. 👍 Definitely proves that company strategies shift with changing dynamics of the gaming industry. What was a good practice in the past might not be all that valid in the next 5-10 years.
Re: 'Not Likely': Spider-Man 2 Dev Crushes Xbox Port Dreams
Remember when Insomniac Games said the same about the PC port? 😊
Re: Saros Succumbs to the Pay Extra to Play Early Trend
"This is for the shareholders" 😄
Re: Here Is Why Sony Put Helldivers 2 on Xbox
Congrats to Arrowhead and Sony PlayStation.
I guess the "Store Rating" category is for the numbers of ratings rather than the average rating score. Otherwise Black Ops 7 would not be included in that list.
Re: PS5's Wolverine Won't Be at This Week's State of Play
@tameshiyaku
The thing is, people who follow gaming news are well informed about upcoming games and come here to PushSquare, are actually in the minority of the PlayStation playerbase.
There are tens of millions of casual players, who might be remotely interested in the newest "Marvel" game and are not up to speed with Playstation news. That's why Sony is spending hundreds of millions of dollars in marketing with multiple trailers, showcases, deep-dives, adverts, so even the most casual gamers are engulfed by the hype and get more PS5 units sold to those who didn't need one yet.
Re: PS5's Wolverine Won't Be at This Week's State of Play
@themightyant Yeah, global warming is shifting the seasons. It's spring already. 😅
Re: Romeo Is a Dead Man (PS5) - Absurd, Entertaining, and Tedious All at Once
I was really hyped for this game, I like Suda 51 games. But with a "6/10" I guess I'll wait for a discount or until it's on PS Plus.
Re: Sony Finally Confirms Horizon Co-Op Game, Horizon Hunters Gathering for PS5, PC
I wonder if this will also release on Xbox and Switch 2. 🙂
Re: GDC Survey Reveals Developers Are Twice as Interested in Making Games for PS5 Than Xbox
@DKG-85 All good. The important thing is that you all are enjoying your games, no matter which platform you and your son choose to play on. 😉
Re: Want a Head Start on Forza Horizon 6 PS5? Cross-Save Lets You Begin on PC and Xbox
@dskatter
There are a lot of people who mainly play on PlayStation but use GamePass to try games. This cross-save feature is perfect for them.
Re: GDC Survey Reveals Developers Are Twice as Interested in Making Games for PS5 Than Xbox
@DKG-85
I'm not surprised if your son doesn't like you making fun of him. I think he would expect from you, as a fellow gamer, to show more understanding, but you seem to mock him and ignore what is going on on the PC gaming Side.
I don't know how performant your son's PC is, but you cannot compare the price of a PC directly to a price of a console. While PCs are open platforms and hardware manufacturers aim to make a profit on sold hardware, consoles (until now at least) have been subsidized. The platform holders would sell the console at a loss and would gain back the costs via sold games, subscriptions and licensed accessories. A "£ 900" PC doesn't match the performance of a PS5, but it's an open platform where your son is not restricted in how he is using it and where he is buying games. He doesn't need to pay for online gaming either.
It is also commonly known that PC ports of console games haven't been that great in recent years. Unreal Engine 5 games have been stuttering due to shader compilation issues (shaders are pre-compiled on games for consoles) and other games are just terribly optimized (like the recent Monster Hunter Wilds which the community found out that the game is constantly performing checks for DLCs on PC impacting the performance). On PC at least you can try to fix those performance problems with the game settings and the help of community mods. On consoles if you have performance issues, you can only hope for developer team to fix it.
Re: Rumour: Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 Skips PS5 Exclusivity, Will Be Multi-Platform Straight Away
@Reyzore
... and the PS5 is still selling just as well as the PS4 did, despite a huge lack of exclusive games.
Re: GDC Survey Reveals Developers Are Twice as Interested in Making Games for PS5 Than Xbox
@Carnage
I think that classic 'plug and play' benefit for consoles is gone (unless you game on Switch 1 or Evercade). You need to connect your console to the internet, you need have an account, you need to install games you purchase on discs, many modern games don't fit on a disc so they often need to be downloaded from the internet, you need to download system updates, game updates and controller updates. You need a subscription to play online and store your save games in the cloud. Some games let you choose between "quality" and "performance" mode. You need to disassemble your PS5's cover plate and choose the right SSD it you want to expand the storage. Consoles have been slowly becoming more PC-like over the last 10 years.
I think it's a benefit for PC players if they have several storefronts to choose from where they buy their games.
Yes, initial costs are higher for gaming PCs than for consoles in many western countries.
But PCs are cheaper in countries like China, Brazil, India. And with Steam's regional pricing games on PC are much cheaper than on the PlayStation store in regions like Argentina and Turkey.
Many people buy a PC for work, school and gaming, so in those cases PC gaming is the cheaper option.
Re: New PlayStation Patent Could Let You Put Controller Buttons Where You Want
@REALAIS
I believe Sony also has a patent on the PlayStation Access adaptive controller.
My point is that, despite all the negativity EA gets, they at least make their accessibility pantents free to use for everyone else.
See: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/ea-makes-eight-new-accessibility-patents-free-to-all
Accessibility peripherals are usually already quite expensive, which is making them often unaffordable for people who are already struggling to get a job. If no name hardware manufacturers could create cheaper copy-cat products then yes I am totally for it, because the option for cheaper accessibility peripherals is more important than the profit margin of large corporations.
Re: New PlayStation Patent Could Let You Put Controller Buttons Where You Want
@BloodyBlact
Maybe Sony is aiming to capture that Gen Z audience who grew up playing on smartphones and has no clue how a controller with actual buttons works. 😄
Re: New PlayStation Patent Could Let You Put Controller Buttons Where You Want
This is a fairly weak patent. Mobile games and streaming services like Xcloud had this feature for several years on touchscreens. Apple MacBooks used to have a customizable touchscreen bar above the keyboard and there are several programmable touchscreen keyboards. I wouldn't call the idea something Sony invented.
Regarding customizable controller layouts, Turtle Beach (Stealth Pivot Wireless) and Thrustmaster (ESwap Pro) already have a controller which allows you to do that.
Also, as the article is describing this as an "accessibility needs" feature, I personally think it's wrong to lock accessibility features behind a patent unless they plan to make it available for free for any hardware manufacturer.
Re: GDC Survey Reveals Developers Are Twice as Interested in Making Games for PS5 Than Xbox
@DKG-85 PC is more flexible and customizable than a console. It offers a lot of freedoms where consoles are very restricted.
People treat PC like it's some kind of complex platform, but with time and patience you learn that it's fairly easy and PC gaming has been becoming easier over the last decade with automated updates and games auto-detecting your hardware.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue 618
Sea of Thieves
Cathedral on Evercade
Re: GDC Survey Reveals Developers Are Twice as Interested in Making Games for PS5 Than Xbox
@Naughtyottsel92 I guess it's obvious that most people don't want to have to buy 2 expensive consoles which have similar specs and capabilities, play 90% of the same games, with the only big difference being the "exclusives".
That's why people would prefer to be able to play all games on the console of their choice.