PS与PC相遇：PlayStation的多平台战略，实现长期可持续发展
观点 | 然而，这也伴随着一个费用，但希望能带来更美好的未来 (Guāndiǎn | Rán'ér, zhè yě bànsuí zhe yīgè fèi yòng, dàn xīwàng néng dài lái gèng měihǎo de wèilái)
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Xbox expands to multiple platforms while PlayStation focuses on PC gaming.
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If I had to describe the gaming industry in February 2024 in one word, it would be “multiplatform.” With recent layoffs across the industry, both Xbox and PlayStation are advocating for a multiplatform approach to ensure long-term sustainability. While Microsoft has already brought some of its games to PS5, Nintendo Switch, and even PC, PlayStation is now setting its sights on the PC market.
PlayStation has been gradually releasing its big PS4 and PS5 exclusives on PC about a year after their initial console debut. This renewed push towards PC is not surprising. Games like Returnal, The Last of Us, Marvel’s Spider-Man, God of War, and Uncharted have all made successful transitions to PC, gaining a second wind in the process. But it seems like this is just the beginning of Sony’s PC plans. Unlike Microsoft, however, Sony hasn’t revealed much about its future PC releases.
PS Meets PC
In Sony’s latest earnings report, chairman Hiroki Totoki stated that the main purpose of first-party titles, like those on PS4 and PS5, was to make the console popular. But now, Totoki emphasizes that these titles can flourish on multiple platforms. Sony is aggressively pursuing a multiplatform strategy, with a clear focus on expanding to computers.
These statements came just weeks before Sony shocked everyone with the announcement of laying off 900 people across its studios, including Insomniac, Naughty Dog, Guerrilla, and the complete closure of its London Studio. Microsoft had a similar story earlier this year, cutting nearly 2,000 people from its gaming division. Despite some remarkable games and sequels released in 2023, the past year has been challenging for the industry. It’s clear from recent developments that launching games on other devices is one way to turn things around.
“Delivering narrative-driven stories and maintaining the quality PlayStation Studios is known for requires a re-evaluation of how we operate,” explains Hermen Hulst, the Head of PlayStation Studios. “Launching games on additional devices such as PC and mobile requires a different approach and resources.”
Xbox boss Phil Spencer echoed similar sentiments during a recent Xbox Podcast, where they unveiled their multiplatform strategy. He stated, “Over the next 5 or 10 years, exclusive games, games that are exclusive to one piece of hardware, are going to be a smaller and smaller part of the game industry.” Clearly, launching games on multiple devices is essential for fixing the issues plaguing the industry.
The Only Good Bug Is a Dead Bug
While Sony hasn’t explicitly revealed changes to its PlayStation to PC strategy, it has already made a small start this year with the release of Helldivers 2. This multiplayer shooter is the first PS5 console exclusive to launch simultaneously on PC, and it has made a remarkable impact. Helldivers 2 became the biggest PlayStation Studios game launch on Steam within 24 hours, even surpassing the likes of Destiny 2 and Starfield, which were released simultaneously on Xbox and PC.
This seems like a strategy PlayStation can adopt moving forward, similar to Xbox’s approach of bringing smaller, social-focused experiences to PC to increase player counts and reinvestment potential. Helldivers 2, developed by Arrowhead Game Studios, isn’t owned by PlayStation, nor is it a definitive system-seller. Yet, the cross-platform demand for this shooter has been incredible. There’s clearly an appetite, not just for a fantastic multiplayer shooter (which we’ve been missing for a while), but also for Sony’s distinct experiences to be widely available.
Sony made its play for the PC market by launching the PlayStation Portal at the end of last year. While it may not compete with the likes of the powerful Windows/Linux-based portable PCs, such as the Steam Deck or Asus ROG Ally, it showcases PlayStation’s strategy of diversifying its previously walled-garden approach to releases.
Sony needs to shed more light on its plans soon. With confirmation that the PS5 won’t receive any major existing franchise titles before April 2025 and the cancellation of several unannounced titles due to corporate restructuring and layoffs, the future looks uncertain for the platform. As of now, PS5 exclusives for this year are limited to Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth, Rise of the Ronin in March, Stellar Blade in April, and very few others. None of these are slated for simultaneous PC releases either.
If multiplatform is the key to saving the gaming industry, then Sony, PlayStation, and hopefully Nintendo too someday, need to embrace it wholeheartedly and without delay. Perhaps the silver lining in all this turmoil will be the end of the console wars and extreme territorialism. We can only hope.
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附加话题：Q&A
问：是否有其他计划将PlayStation独占游戏发布到PC上？
不幸的是，索尼尚未提供关于其未来PC发行的具体细节。但是，基于他们最近的策略，更多PlayStation独占游戏很可能会登陆PC平台。请留意索尼的公告和更新。
问：多平台策略会影响PlayStation游戏的质量吗？
PlayStation工作室致力于保持他们以沉浸式、叙事性体验而闻名的游戏，同时拓展到其他平台。这可能需要在资源和方法上进行一些调整。最终，他们的目标是将他们的游戏带给更广泛的受众，而不会妥协质量。
问：任天堂会采取类似的多平台策略吗？
尽管目前还不确定，多平台发布的成功以及游戏行业的变化可能会影响任天堂未来的策略。只有时间能告诉我们，任天堂是否会像Xbox和PlayStation一样接受多平台策略。
问：多平台游戏如何有益于玩家？
多平台游戏让玩家可以在不同设备上体验他们喜爱的游戏，提供了更多的灵活性和可访问性。它还促进了跨平台游玩，让不同设备上的玩家能一起享受游戏。此外，多平台发行对游戏开发也会产生积极影响，带来更多资源和再投资的潜力。
参考资料
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