Sony Cautions PC Threat to PS5 Dominance

Sony isn't concerned about losing PlayStation 5 (PS5) players to PC gaming, according to a company executive. This statement comes from a recent report outlining Sony's PC publishing strategy.

Despite launching first-party titles on PC since 2020 (starting with Horizon Zero Dawn), and significantly accelerating this strategy after acquiring Nixxes Software in 2021, Sony sees minimal risk of PS5 user attrition. A company representative stated during a 2024 investor Q&A that they haven't observed a significant trend of players switching to PC, and don't currently view it as a major threat.

PS5 Sales Remain Strong

This confidence is supported by PS5 sales figures. As of November 2024, 65.5 million PS5 units have been sold, closely mirroring the PS4's sales of over 73 million units in its first four years. Sony attributes the slight difference primarily to PS5 supply chain issues during the pandemic, rather than competition from PC ports. The sustained sales across generations suggest that PC releases haven't significantly impacted PS5 appeal.

Sony's PC Porting Strategy Intensifies

Sony plans to further accelerate its PC porting efforts, aiming to reduce the time lag between PS5 and PC releases. Marvel's Spider-Man 2, launching on PC just 15 months after its PS5 debut, exemplifies this "more aggressive" approach, a stark contrast to the two-year-plus exclusivity of Spider-Man: Miles Morales.

Other notable PC ports slated for release include Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on January 23rd, with several high-profile PS5 exclusives—including Gran Turismo 7, Rise of the Ronin, Stellar Blade, and the Demon's Souls remake—yet to receive PC release announcements.