If you don't plan on buying a PS 5, forget about Sony's PC titles

In a new console saga twist, the soon to be PlayStation CEO Hermen Hulst, stepped up and dropped a bomb on gamers in a recent keynote:

We are releasing our titles simultaneously, so day and date, on PlayStation 5 and PC, but with out tenpole titles we’re taking a more strategic approach and we introduce our new franchises to new audiences. We’re finding new audiences that are potentially going to be very interested in playing, for example, sequels on the PlayStation platform.

Hermen Hulst

What’s the new PlayStation strategy on releasing games on PC?

In a more simple, non-formal translation, Hulst believes that bringing those titles to PC will eventually lure you into buying a PlayStation console because you will want to play some sequels to those games. So, if we’ve got this right, the strategy is pretty obvious: get the first game on PC to make players interested and know about your games, then drop the sequel exclusive to PS 5. So, if you really like the game and want to see what’s going on next, you’ll need to hit the store and buy a PlayStation.

While we understand the business model for this strategic move, there might actually be two outcomes here. In the first one, it might really work and some of the players will really go and buy those PS 5 consoles.

The second scenario is grimmer because if the players don’t know from the start that the sequels will only be featured on PS 5, Sony will deal with many angry gamers.

If we didn’t understand the strategy correctly and Sony will keep launching the sequels to the same title on PC, why would players flock to buy a PlayStation 5 console? PC players are usually tech savvy and nowadays, they can build gaming rigs that are a lot more powerful than a PS 5.

We’ve learned about this whole story from Tom Warren X post and the gamers’ comments point out exactly the same arguments:

Next, the co-CEO Hideaki Nishino explains Sony’s move, justifying that PlayStation experience is better than on PC.

In the end, the gamers will actually decide if this strategy is right or wrong, but it’s potentially damaging to lure players this way, unless you clearly point out that the sequels will be exclusive titles.

It’s a lot to debate on this, so let’s talk about it in the comments below.