Cliff Notes – Sony’s PlayStation exclusive policy is a disaster that’s killing the PS5
- Sony’s decision to release previously exclusive titles like Everybody’s Golf and Patapon on Switch and PC has raised concerns about the brand’s identity and focus, leading to accusations of a lack of direction.
- Critics argue that this shift undermines the PlayStation 5’s value, as it blurs the line between console exclusivity and third-party development, potentially diminishing the platform’s appeal.
- The absence of clear communication regarding upcoming titles and a perceived decline in quality single-player games have contributed to growing discontent among PlayStation fans, prompting some to consider alternatives like PC and Switch for future gaming needs.
Sony’s PlayStation exclusive policy is a disaster that’s killing the PS5 – Reader’s Feature
Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots – some fans are teed off (Bandai Namco)
A reader is unimpressed at the idea that PlayStation exclusives have started to arrive on Switch and feels Sony has lost focus with the PlayStation 5 and its games.
You don’t normally think of Nintendo as suffering from leaks but there were two big ones for this week’s Direct. One leak didn’t name the games, but it said that the biggest news at the showcase would not be a Nintendo game and so it was, because Patapon and Everybody’s Golf have gone multiformat and are now set to be released on Nintendo’s console.
These games were formally only on PlayStation but all of a sudden they’re on Switch and PC. Sony has not acknowledged this; there’s no annoucement or explanation on the PlayStation Blog and they’re getting Bandai Namco to publish them on Switch because… they’re embarrassed?
They seem to be ashamed and to be honest I understand why. The once mighty PlayStation brand is bleeding away everything that used to make it distinctive and special and for no reason at all. It is the biggest self-own in gaming history. Sony seems to think it’s a mystery why the PlayStation 5 has peaked earlier than expected but any PlayStation fan could tell you exactly why.
There’s been a lot of anti-exclusivity rhetoric in recent years and it’s all been led by Microsoft, for two reasons: they have very few games people care about, so they’d lose far less than Sony if exclusives went away, and Microsoft boss Satya Nadella doesn’t understand gaming and thinks exclusives are a bad idea in general.
Now, if I was in charge of Sony I’d use that as a reason to make even more, to put more daylight between Xbox and PlayStation. But because Sony seems to be run by idiots now, they’ve done the opposite. They’ve devalued the PlayStation 5 by releasing exclusives on PC and now they’re even doing it with the Switch – and no doubt Switch 2.
Do Sony want to just be another third party developer like EA, Ubisoft, and Xbox? If that’s all they’ve ever wanted they could have done it decades ago, but their popularity and money has been made by being a console manufacturer. They make the default console of every generation, the one that has every third party game and tons of great first party ones on top.
Now they’re losing that. The only difference between the PlayStation 5 and a PC is that the PC has better graphics and Sony exclusives take a little longer to turn up sometimes, but they always get there in the end. Now they’re even going through the back catalogue and bringing over even more ex-exclusives.
At the same time we’ve got less single-player games than ever, more flop live service games than ever, and no communication about what’s coming out or when. When’s Wolverine out? It was announced four years ago and we still don’t even know what year it’s coming out. Intergalactic apparently won’t be until at least 2027… so where have all the games gone?
I’m losing faith, I don’t mind telling you. To me the best bet for the next generation looks like a PC and a Switch 2. That gives me access to every game and is considerably cheaper (all PC games are cheaper than on consoles) and less frustrating than getting a PlayStation 6.
The whole PlayStation brand feels like it’s just being left to rot. There’s no direction, no one obvious in charge, and no games. To think how amazing the PlayStation 4, and even the first two years of the PlayStation 5, was I can’t believe we’re in the position we are now.
By reader Tom Meadows
Patapon 1+2 Replay is also coming to Switch and PC (Bandai Namco)
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