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Hermen Hulst: "Live service games will come day and date on PS5 and PC"

The copium in this thread is something else lol. Not really sure why this is news, Sony has been doing this for years already and just reiterated that they will continue to do so. Also, everyone seems to win in this scenario. PS5 gamers continue to get exclusive games to their systems, PC players get ports that they didn't get in the past and Sony gets extra revenue years later when game sales seem to dry up.

I do find the whole idea of getting PC players some games with the hope of making them buy a PS5 for sequels a tad bs though. Like yea, I'm sure there are some people that do that, but that number is probably pretty small. It also doesn't seem to make sense on why they release games when they do. Like let's say GoT2 is expected to release in 2025. Wouldn't you want to drop the PC port like 3 months before the second game releases? In the hope that the PC player enjoyed the first so much that they want to jump into the second right away. I really think it's just about some easy money for them, and if they get some PC players over, no matter how small an amount, it's just an added bonus.
 

DenchDeckard

Moderated wildly
I'm a PC player. I bought a PS5 specifically to play big games I don't want to wait for as soon as they come out. I still can't play Demon's Souls or GT7 on PC. I wanted to play FF7:Rebirth ASAP. Same with GTA 6. Their strategy is aimed precisely at people like me who refuse to wait.

Your a PlayStation player then.

PC gamers will wait. 99.9% of them, if that helps lol

As soon as Sony gets their psn account link up working 100 percent they will see the data that the vast majority of pc players aren't signing into ps5s to play the sequel.

The thing is, no one is really starved for games when you take into all available titles. Least of those are PC players. Waiting two years is nothing really. People are more patient than we think.

I'm sure if 1 out of ten buy a ps5 that Sony might be happy with that for the foreseeable future.

I think from this statement from our boy hulst that there won't be a change in strategy this generation...maybe not for like 5 years. They are going to be running out of games to port soon.
 
Your a PlayStation player then.

PC gamers will wait. 99.9% of them, if that helps lol

As soon as Sony gets their psn account link up working 100 percent they will see the data that the vast majority of pc players aren't signing into ps5s to play the sequel.

The thing is, no one is really starved for games when you take into all available titles. Least of those are PC players. Waiting two years is nothing really. People are more patient than we think.

I'm sure if 1 out of ten buy a ps5 that Sony might be happy with that for the foreseeable future.

I think from this statement from our boy hulst that there won't be a change in strategy this generation...maybe not for like 5 years. They are going to be running out of games to port soon.

They will always have games to port that are 2 years + old
 

Gaiff

SBI’s Resident Gaslighter
There's already data out in the wild showing 1/3rd of PC gamers own a console, while Sony themselves have 3-4 years of real world data.
I thought it’d be way more than 1/3 but then I think about regions where consoles are nonexistent and people without much disposable income who absolutely need a PC, and this makes more sense.

If you surveyed just North America, I bet that number would be above 50%.
 

cormack12

Gold Member
That's kind of the point of a GaaS, no? Largest possible audience. It makes no sense to release it in waves based on platform.

With regards to the others, we always think of how many console players own a PC. Well flipping that on its head, how many PC owners also have a console? If you want to play the game you suffer through the limitations. You could sneer at the Switch resolution and aliasing. You could sneer at 30fps on console etc. But if it's the only way to play, a lot of principles go out the window.
 

Heisenberg007

Gold Journalism
All day one PC launches FUD shot down by Hermen.

crushed noo GIF
 

Fredrik

Member
There's already data out in the wild showing 1/3rd of PC gamers own a console
Yes those who previously played on console, as said in another post, the double dippers now, and those who said Xbox isn’t needed last gen since they had a PC.
PC-only gamers moving to console, which is needed to sell new consoles in this strategy. I doubt there is a market for that. I’ve never seen that happen irl, it’s just something said on boards like this but even here it’s rare. Console gamers move to PC. PC gamers don’t move to console, unless it’s Nintendo and then it’s a secondary platform, often for the family.
 
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Killjoy-NL

Member
Yes those who previously played on console, as said in another post, the double dippers now, and those who said Xbox isn’t needed last gen since they had a PC.
PC-only gamers moving to console, which is needed to sell new consoles in this strategy. I doubt there is a market for that. I’ve never seen that happen irl, it’s just something said on boards like this but even here it’s rare. Console gamers move to PC. PC gamers don’t move to console, unless it’s Nintendo and then it’s a secondary platform, often for the family.
Does it matter if Playstation would be bought as a secondary platform?
 

Leonidas

Member
Glad I sold my PS5 last month. Will continue waiting for the SP games to appear after a few years, and then will wait a few more years for price drops.

In the meantime I'm playing through my seemingly endless backlog.
 

mckmas8808

Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
For the time being.

lol @ the idea of PC players buying a console for a sequel that will come to PC anyway.

Not all PC players are freaks that need the latest Nvidia 4090 tech to enjoy games. Some of them just have a decent laptop to play games. Once a PS console is on sale for $349 maybe that PC gamers decides to buy it. Not that hard of a concept to understand.
 

mckmas8808

Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
Your a PlayStation player then.

PC gamers will wait. 99.9% of them, if that helps lol

As soon as Sony gets their psn account link up working 100 percent they will see the data that the vast majority of pc players aren't signing into ps5s to play the sequel.

The thing is, no one is really starved for games when you take into all available titles. Least of those are PC players. Waiting two years is nothing really. People are more patient than we think.

I'm sure if 1 out of ten buy a ps5 that Sony might be happy with that for the foreseeable future.

I think from this statement from our boy hulst that there won't be a change in strategy this generation...maybe not for like 5 years. They are going to be running out of games to port soon.

You say this as if Sony will stop making games.

lol pc players are not going to buy sequels on ps5. They will simply wait.

Okay, and Sony will profit once they wait to buy it on PC. Everyone wins!

With regards to the others, we always think of how many console players own a PC. Well flipping that on its head, how many PC owners also have a console? If you want to play the game you suffer through the limitations. You could sneer at the Switch resolution and aliasing. You could sneer at 30fps on console etc. But if it's the only way to play, a lot of principles go out the window.

And not every PC gamer is some "I need muh games to run at 177 fps and in 4K" snobs either. Many PC gamers have decent systems that compare to the PS5 and XSX today.

Yes those who previously played on console, as said in another post, the double dippers now, and those who said Xbox isn’t needed last gen since they had a PC.
PC-only gamers moving to console, which is needed to sell new consoles in this strategy. I doubt there is a market for that. I’ve never seen that happen irl, it’s just something said on boards like this but even here it’s rare. Console gamers move to PC. PC gamers don’t move to console, unless it’s Nintendo and then it’s a secondary platform, often for the family.

This is just literally not true at all. Actual data says this is a lie.
 

yazenov

Member
Not all PC players are freaks that need the latest Nvidia 4090 tech to enjoy games. Some of them just have a decent laptop to play games. Once a PS console is on sale for $349 maybe that PC gamers decides to buy it. Not that hard of a concept to understand.

Once GTA 6 hits the regular PS5 with a price drop and PS5 pro, they will crumble due to FOMO.

Their patience is going to be tested. :p
 

Fredrik

Member
Does it matter if Playstation would be bought as a secondary platform?
Tbh I don’t think that’s a thing. I don’t think consoles are getting bought by previous PC-only gamers even as a secondary platform. (Nintendo is different as said, they’ve somehow carved out their own market.) If I generalize I think the PC+console players are previous console-only gamers who has bought a PC, not PC-only gamers who bought a console. And I don’t think a trailer or hype for a console exclusives is ever too good to pull PC-only gamers in on a console purchase. And now those exclusives are timed so we’re talking about a $300-500 investment to not have to wait.
 
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Killjoy-NL

Member
Tbh I don’t think that’s a thing. I don’t think consoles are getting bought by previous PC-only gamers even as a secondary platform. (Nintendo is different as said, they’ve somehow carved out their own market.) If I generalize I think the PC+console players are previous console-only gamers who has bought a PC, not PC-only gamers who bought a console. And I don’t think a trailer or hype for a console exclusives is ever too good to pull PC-only gamers in on a console purchase. And now those exclusives are timed so we’re talking about a $300-500 investment to not have to wait.

But Sony's strategy change, relatively speaking, is still recent. These are long-term strategies.

I think most people apply Xbox' situation onto Sony, while Sony has a very different approach, because they understand the value of exclusivity.

It's why Playstation is market-leader and apparently why PS5 is the most profitable gen for Sony. It's all part of their Playstation Beyond Borders concept.
 
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Fredrik

Member
But Sony's strategy change, relatively speaking, is still recent. These are long-term strategies.

I think most people apply Xbox' situation onto Sony, while Sony has a very different approach, because they understand the value of exclusivity.

It's why Playstation is market-leader and apparently why PS5 is the most profitable gen for Sony. It's all part of their Playstation Beyond Borders concept.
It would be super easy to make Playstation the King of the industry for all time.

Make everything exclusive. Zero ports. And shut down emulators.

Nintendo knows how to do it. They’ve sold more Switch than Xbox Series and PS5 combined.

But just like Microsoft Sony too are now thinking about short-term gains at the cost of the platform long-term. Spreading out. They want to sell more copies on other platforms after sales are down on Playstation. And here I am, waiting on Spider-Man, Final Fantasy XVI, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Stellar Blade to arrive on PC even with a PS5 on my shelf. I’m over double dipping and don’t want to waste my first playthrough on console when I know I rather play on PC. With no ports I would’ve bought all those games day 1. Just like I do with Nintendo’s games.
 

Killjoy-NL

Member
It would be super easy to make Playstation the King of the industry for all time.

Make everything exclusive. Zero ports. And shut down emulators.

Nintendo knows how to do it. They’ve sold more Switch than Xbox Series and PS5 combined.
Kind of a flawed argument, as Switch is at the end of it's life-cycle and PS5 is still mid-gen

Also, there's still the question of whether Switch 2 will repeat the success of Switch.

(PS5 won't outsell Switch though)
But just like Microsoft Sony too are now thinking about short-term gains at the cost of the platform long-term. Spreading out. They want to sell more copies on other platforms after sales are down on Playstation. And here I am, waiting on Spider-Man, Final Fantasy XVI, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Stellar Blade to arrive on PC even with a PS5 on my shelf. I’m over double dipping and don’t want to waste my first playthrough on console when I know I rather play on PC. With no ports I would’ve bought all those games day 1. Just like I do with Nintendo’s games.
What makes you think Sony is thinking short-term?
What Hulst said is quite clearly their long-term strategy.
 
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Laptop1991

Member
I think this is about the double dip money. They know some PS gamers have a PC too from last gen when saying Xbox weren’t needed when MS started porting their games to PC. So they hope FOMO will kick in so those people buy first on PS and then again on PC for better performance and graphics and ultrawide support and mods etc.
Yeah, FOMO never affected me, i bought GTA V once and didn't mind waiting a year and a half for the PC version, but some will double dip, some gamers bought GTA V three times, so yeah FOMO does work.
 

Fredrik

Member
What makes you think Sony is thinking short-term?
What Hulst said is quite clearly their long-term strategy.
Long term would be locking up exclusivity so people know if they want to play Sony’s games there is just 1 option. Invest in the ecosystem.
First they can do it with console exclusivity, then with PC launcher exclusivity and finally subscription service exclusivity once we’re out from physical hardware.

All they do now is making people fully expect that everything will come to PC. And when backing out of the account requirement on Helldivers 2 they’re making people expect that everything will be on Steam.

Great for people like me, fantastic even, it’s perfect if you no longer want to invest in the ecosystem and just want to use Steam. Everything is awesome on Steam now. But I don’t think that was their long-term plan…
 

Killjoy-NL

Member
Long term would be locking up exclusivity so people know if they want to play Sony’s games there is just 1 option. Invest in the ecosystem.
First they can do it with console exclusivity, then with PC launcher exclusivity and finally subscription service exclusivity once we’re out from physical hardware.

All they do now is making people fully expect that everything will come to PC. And when backing out of the account requirement on Helldivers 2 they’re making people expect that everything will be on Steam.

Great for people like me, fantastic even, it’s perfect if you no longer want to invest in the ecosystem and just want to use Steam. Everything is awesome on Steam now. But I don’t think that was their long-term plan…
Unless they approach PC like a drug-dealer approaches junkies with a new product.
 
" To entice PC players to buy sequels"

I think this is why they haven't released Bloodborne or Demon souls remake on PC yet.

They of course know how successful souls and especially Elden ring was on PC.

BUTTT they also know From Software fanboys are a bunch of nutters and will buy any console for the next FROM game.

When the inevitable Bloodborne remake/remaster comes out I think it will be a PS5 exclusive.
 

wolffy66

Member
The problem with his idea is that he's not looking at the big picture of pc. You will have to wait for single player games, but they will be there. And so will all their other games. Plus all pc games, plus all xbox games.

The one thing left is day and date 1st party single player games. And those aren't exactly being made frequently.

Pc gets you a lot. And in a stroke of luck for Nintendo, a PC and a Switch gets you practically every game made.
 
I can wait. And the window how long it takes for PC releases seems to be getting smaller and smaller. No reasons to buy another console I don't need.
Thinking people will go out and buy a console just to jump right into the sequel of a game after playing part 1 is absurd. They just wait if it comes anyway.
Leo Dicaprio Shrug GIF
 

nemiroff

Gold Member
I don't think they understand how patient I can be

After all, I backed Star Citizen and still believe :messenger_tears_of_joy:

Yeah, he's kinda being delusional about this. But with that said, definitely happy that they're at least onboard with PC ports of SP titles in post. And as a PC gamer through and through don't even mind "waiting" for them being on sale :D
 
I can wait. And the window how long it takes for PC releases seems to be getting smaller and smaller. No reasons to buy another console I don't need.
Thinking people will go out and buy a console just to jump right into the sequel of a game after playing part 1 is absurd. They just wait if it comes anyway.


Completely agree. Especially when none of these sequels innovate or do much very interesting. Like god of war 1 > 2 or Horizon 1 > 2. I can wait for these expansion packs.

This staggered launch of PC sp games is just a phase in my opinion.
 

Darsxx82

Member
I sincerely believe that it is the most balanced measure or decision that could be taken at this time where multiplatformity is necessary when costs and production times are these today.

Personally, I think it is more of a trial of possibilities and after a while with results in hand they will make a decision with a basis and foundation. PC users money is very greedy, but you cannot jeopardize the loyalty of the users you now have and therefore also your ecosystem/garden.

In addition, AAA SP first party games become fewer and fewer every year and you are going to launch the Gass games (the most profitable ones) on PC one day.
 

vkbest

Member
Soon enough it will be single player games too - you would be a fool to think otherwise.
Wont happen overnight - and it might take awhile - but it will happen.

Plus if the next 'consoles' have Steam integrated - pretty much all games will be on all consoles.
Its a new era of gaming - thats for sure. Gonna be some major growing pains for the diehards.
Do you understand, main Playstation business is PSN? And steam is a PSN competitor? That day you are talking about, it's the day when Sony is killing hardware and becoming a medium/big publisher
 

ProtoByte

Member
I sincerely believe that it is the most balanced measure or decision that could be taken at this time where multiplatformity is necessary when costs and production times are these today.
The most balanced approach would be just going back to the way things were. Ie online only games go to PS and PC, everything else is PS exclusive.

Again, as displayed throughout this thread, Sony's not going to win a game of chicken with PC players, and there's no real long term benefit to losing it. There's no hidden audience for these games waiting to be found on Steam, people who want to play PS games, certainly at or above the level of the PS5 itself, would just buy the console if they had no other choice.
 
It's stupid to give up on backbone to somewhere like PC on day 1 where it can be exploited.
It's obvious why Sony want these GaaSy games on PC. We all saw that coming after HD2 lol
 

Vlodril

Member
Not all PC players are freaks that need the latest Nvidia 4090 tech to enjoy games. Some of them just have a decent laptop to play games. Once a PS console is on sale for $349 maybe that PC gamers decides to buy it. Not that hard of a concept to understand.

You mean most pc players aren't people that buy the latest graphic cards. By steam survey most steam users have setup's that would be considered archaic by gaf standards. Let us not pretend we represent the majority of gamers in any way shape of form, just a small subsection.
 
I'm a PC gamer and these live service games can come out in any order they want and at any time, i won't be buying them on PC and i won't be buying a PS5 to buy and play them either, after all they just want you to keep paying money over and over after you've bought the games anyway.

This is one of the prime reasons. GaaS are build to suck our pockets to nil.
 
nah, only GG and Bend are making live service games. Horizon 3 will come as single player but they are also making horizon mp.

most of the other single player studios are making single player games.
egJBkFO.png

GG and Bend should've stayed to Single Player and Bungie should've been shifter to multi genre. Too much gaas already.
 

DenchDeckard

Moderated wildly
If pc players are patient and do end up buying sony exclusives 2 years later then there is no reason to go day and date ;)

This is true. They only lose out on the buzz and some games don't perform as they should because pc players always have new games coming out.

Its obviously working for Sony and they are happy so it's all good.
 

Sentenza

Member
Can't wait for Sony to notice that "day 1 GAAS"games do far better on PC than (VERY) late port and conclude that they should work on less single player titles in general...
 
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