Why are we getting so many PlayStation PC ports? Former president says it’s ‘like printing money’
- Shuhei Yoshida has discussed PlayStation PC ports in a new interview
- He said that they can help reach a new audience, especially where consoles are not popular
- They also generate money that can be invested in future games
Former Sony Interactive Entertainment president Shuhei Yoshida has discussed the rise of PlayStation PC ports in a new interview.
Speaking on gaming podcast Sacred Symbols (spotted by Push Square), he said that “releasing on PC does many things, it reaches a new audience who do not own consoles – especially in regions where consoles are not as popular.”
He went on to highlight the market in China as an important factor: “China is a huge PC game market […] and China is a growing but very small console market. In order to reach the audience in countries like China then it’s crucial to release on PC.”
On top of this, he argued that reaching a new audience may create new long-term PlayStation fans. “The idea is that those people may become fans of a particular franchise, and when a new game in that series comes out, they may be convinced to purchase a PlayStation,” he said.
He also claimed that there were simple economic reasons behind it. “It also adds additional income, because porting to PC is way cheaper than creating an original title,” he remarked. “So, it’s almost like printing money and that helps us to invest in new titles now that the cost of games has increased”
Right now you can buy (take a deep breath) Until Dawn, God of War Ragnarok, Helldivers 2, Ghost of Tsushima, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered, Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition, The Last of Us Part 1, Returnal, Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, God of War, Days Gone, and Horizon Zero Dawn on PC.
That’s an awful lot of PS5 games and there’s no sign that this trend will be slowing down any time soon, at least if this interview is anything to go by.