Hardware Unboxed opinion on Sony's PC strategy: "I'm surprised that's a strategy or that anyone would think that would work"

24 Jun 2022
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Who?

I swear if it's just me but ever since Herman stated their strategy, you can really see how his statement got PC gamers all up in their feels. PC gamers nowadays are extremely sensitive when you deny them.

They aren't being denied to. In fact you can argue they are being catered to more than PS console owners 1P-wise. They just don't get the big AAA releases Day 1 but for all we know, that could change by next FY.

I honestly have no reason to take SIE at their word when it comes to long-term promises for their console if they involve exclusivity. The cadence and volume of their ports can attest to this.
 
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SLB1904

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Shawn Layden was the first Sony exec to talk about PC ports back in 2018 and admitted it was his idea in a Playstation podcast a couple of years ago.

Here it is:

Speaking on YouTube's 'What’s Up PlayStation' he shared: "The idea of bringing Sony PlayStation content to the PC platform was something I’d been thinking about.


“The strategy as we were developing it when I was there was that we need to go out to where these new customers are, these new fans could be. We need to go to where they are because they’ve decided not to come to my house. So I’ve got to go to their house now, and what’s the best way to go to their house?”
Yeah I remember that. Maybe the “we” wording threw me off then you remember “we” in the corporate language is “I”. Jim Ryan got so much shit but he was the last dude that actually cared about PlayStation. Let’s hope Herman has something in it. But don’t forget he was a pc developer before getting bought by Sony
 

Polyh3dron

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Way to overblow that post. Yes, these people are fanboys. Their entire "career" is about sensationalist bullshit. No one should take anything they say seriously.
If we are specifically referring to Hardware Unboxed then yes, they have some odd takes at times but there is a sizable consensus around this one, you lumped in Shawn Layden to this and then implied that everyone in this consensus is a PC fanboy.

btw I do not think "overblow" means what you think it means.
 

Danja

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the type of game doesn't matter. He's the one who started this whole PC strategy.

it's funny how people keep praising this guy and shit on Jimbo.
Well I'm just stating he pushed to have the multiplayer games on PC and I support GaaS being on PC. The single player games being on PC well that's another thing and Jim Ryan deserved all the hate he got for many reasons... He didn't have a backbone to shut it down
 

ethomaz

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IMO.

Sony strategy is working.
People are not migrating from PS5 ecosystem (not matter what people says even heavy supply constrained PS5 is selling at record pace… if it was not Europe they should be ahead PS4 even globally).
They are still making half million revenue with very old ports on PC.

Now what didn’t work was Microsoft’s PC strategy.
Day and date release won’t ever work.
Gamepass day one releases doesn’t work.

Sony way is the only way to work.
Force PSN account and build a new launcher… create a ecosystem of PlayStation on PC with old ports.

Those that can wait 2 or more years will give the money to Sony when the PC port comes.
These that can’t wait will buy a PS5 and buy the game at release.

In both case Somy profits.
With the actual strategy whatever happen Somy will get some PC gamers revenue without lose PlayStation console revenue.

They needs of course improve in that path… a launcher, some better DRM solution, maybe always online games with logic on server side, etc.

Steam right now is what is giving Sony headaches… needs to drop it ASAP.
 

Papacheeks

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There's a lot of data that suggests people who own PC's also have a secondary console like a switch or PS5.

Usually those are people with disposable income and i dont know how many of those are the norm or the exception.
 
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ethomaz

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There's a lot of data that suggests people who own PC's also have a secondary console like a switch or PS5.

Usually those are people with disposable income and i dont know how many of those are the norm or the exception.
The only thing a know in PC is that the vocal PCMR crowd is very niche.
99% of the gamers doesn’t have a high-end ring to play games.

And these niche are the most vocal users from PC gamers.

Most gamers (including PC gamers and console gamers) talks about PC without represent most of the PC gamers that doesn’t even engage in discussion… just play games.

The same can be said for gaming forum users like Icoera… we don’t represent most console players… we are niche.
 
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xollowsob

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The PC and PS5 could live side by side, or at least the Playstation. Make it cheap, affordable, relatively powerful with shit loads of games like Astrobot (which doesn't need top end power!)

The use the PC architecture as the 'PS5/6Pro', where Sony games can be played at the best, highest end quality graphics. Launch a PSN-PC storefront, where buying a digital version unlocks both PC and Playstation version of the game, so people can play either. Have cross-play on all games by default. When this is established, launch a handheld device that can play the indie style games, again with cross-play, cross-buy and remote play.

One generation of this idea would re-bolster Playstation as the only place to play games, while helping build the option of PC. The PS6 would be so affordable that it would be worth buying just as a console. Sure, have some exclusives only to the console, but expand the brand and the games, make the money on software.

Hire me Sony, I'll make you rich as stink.
 

SuperPotato

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The only thing a know in PC is that the vocal PCMR crowd is very niche.
99% of the gamers doesn’t have a high-end ring to play games.

And these niche are the most vocal users from PC gamers.

Most gamers (including PC gamers and console gamers) talks about PC without represent most of the PC gamers that doesn’t even engage in discussion… just play games.

The same can be said for gaming forum users like Icoera… we don’t represent most console players… we are niche.

Every gaming forum is made up by a very loud minority on both sides. The vast majority of PC gamers play on outdated hardware and the casual Playstation owner doesn't care or even knows about any of this Playstation PC drama.

We're just a small niche shouting at each other, lol.
 

Orangee

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The PC and PS5 could live side by side, or at least the Playstation. Make it cheap, affordable, relatively powerful with shit loads of games like Astrobot (which doesn't need top end power!)

The use the PC architecture as the 'PS5/6Pro', where Sony games can be played at the best, highest end quality graphics. Launch a PSN-PC storefront, where buying a digital version unlocks both PC and Playstation version of the game, so people can play either. Have cross-play on all games by default. When this is established, launch a handheld device that can play the indie style games, again with cross-play, cross-buy and remote play.

One generation of this idea would re-bolster Playstation as the only place to play games, while helping build the option of PC. The PS6 would be so affordable that it would be worth buying just as a console. Sure, have some exclusives only to the console, but expand the brand and the games, make the money on software.

Hire me Sony, I'll make you rich as stink.
The thing is... PlayStation doesnt need PC.
There's no reality where PC doesnt hurt the console in these scenarios.
The reality Hulst chose Is the one, where the console is hurt the least, while still milking some high end PC players.

PlayStation is not going to PC with their singleplayer games, becouse there's so much money to be made, but becouse investors want growth. Which is why Sony pushes PSN log ins no matter what (even though It does not make any sense in games like ragnarok or Until dawn).
They want to grow PSN, and since the consoles sales are stagnated and will never go beyond the PS2 numbers, they have to look beyond the console.
 

xollowsob

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The thing is... PlayStation doesnt need PC.
There's no reality where PC doesnt hurt the console in these scenarios.
The reality Hulst chose Is the one, where the console is hurt the least, while still milking some high end PC players.
In its current form, Playstation does need PC. I'm not saying I agree with the current form but it is what it is.
Sony could also leverage PC to take away the rising hardware costs for minimal returns by using PC as a stop-gap between pro releases. Microsoft got it right this gen, sort of, but cocked it up.
The series S as an affordable, decently powered machine was a good idea, they should have held off on the X until this year and had that as the console with shiny new graphics, except, it would be more affordable than a modern-day, top of the range console. If that makes sense?

PlayStation is not going to PC with their singleplayer games, becouse there's so much money to be made, but becouse investors want growth. Which is why Sony pushes PSN log ins no matter what (even though It does not make any sense in games like ragnarok or Until dawn).
They want to grow PSN, and since the consoles sales are stagnated and will never go beyond the PS2 numbers, they have to look beyond the console.
Which is a way of saying Sony need PC, because Sony have forgotten how to grow and dominate a console generation. Though I agree there is a ceiling for console hardware sales and Sony are chasing MAU metrics like Microsoft were. It will end the same way as well.
 
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anonpuffs

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This is why gaming needs gatekeeping.
To keep useless b**tards like H.U. from wading in and just making things worse.
Why? They're giving their honest opinion and I think they're mostly correct. PC players by and large won't be swayed by a console with this sort of delayed release strategy. PC culture is very different than console culture.
 
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Orangee

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In its current form, Playstation does need PC. I'm not saying I agree with the current form but it is what it is.
Sony could also leverage PC to take away the rising hardware costs for minimal returns by using PC as a stop-gap between pro releases. Microsoft got it right this gen, sort of, but cocked it up.
The series S as an affordable, decently powered machine was a good idea, they should have held off on the X until this year and had that as the console with shiny new graphics, except, it would be more affordable than a modern-day, top of the range console. If that makes sense?


Which is a way of saying Sony need PC, because Sony have forgotten how to grow and dominate a console generation. Though I agree there is a ceiling for console hardware sales and Sony are chasing MAU metrics like Microsoft were. It will end the same way as well.
Sony does not need PC. They are just going with the laziest road they could go with. They could have grown in the mobile, handheld, or VR side. Meanwhile they completly neglected those for PC.
 

Yurinka

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Nah, Sony will keep proving wrong to the doomers.

By the PS6 release they'll have a bigger market share in the console market than now, and will also dominate the PC market being one of top publishers in PC if not the top one.

The day Sony start releasing games day and date on pc is the day the give up on selling hardware. The concept is pretty simple.
-Hey I got the thing called Super Nintendo very cool
-but why should I buy it?
-cause you can play Mario in it
-that’s neat. I want one.


Seriously why is so hard to grasp?
Sony's strategy is similar but way more successful.

Has a ton of cool games, not only exclusive ones, that aren't in PC. Other ton more of partially different ones aren't on Switch. Other ton of partially different ones aren't on Xbox.

They have a more varied catalog of a ton of great games. And 99% of the people don't care if they are also available in other places. In fact they recently said that half of the money they make with games come from 10 of them, most of which are available in other places.

Sony does not need PC.
In this case then how games with sales like Bloodborne, Death Stranding, Until Dawn or Days Gone are going to be profitable this or next generation having budgets of over $300M? They need to sell 9 or 10M copies to turn these budgets profitable.

Yeah I remember that. Maybe the “we” wording threw me off then you remember “we” in the corporate language is “I”. Jim Ryan got so much shit but he was the last dude that actually cared about PlayStation. Let’s hope Herman has something in it. But don’t forget he was a pc developer before getting bought by Sony
Hermen will continue the strategy of Yoshida/Layden, and the one he had with Ryan: to continue expanding in console, PC, mobile movie/tv shows/anime, theme parks and in the future mobile and maybe something else like comics and toys or figurines.

It would be totally retarded to keep their games PS only when the AAA budgets skyrocket every generation and this one will almost need almost 10M copies (for non-GaaS/DLC tittles) to become profitable.
 
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JAHGamer

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In its current form, Playstation does need PC. I'm not saying I agree with the current form but it is what it is.
Sony could also leverage PC to take away the rising hardware costs for minimal returns by using PC as a stop-gap between pro releases. Microsoft got it right this gen, sort of, but cocked it up.
The series S as an affordable, decently powered machine was a good idea, they should have held off on the X until this year and had that as the console with shiny new graphics, except, it would be more affordable than a modern-day, top of the range console. If that makes sense?


Which is a way of saying Sony need PC, because Sony have forgotten how to grow and dominate a console generation. Though I agree there is a ceiling for console hardware sales and Sony are chasing MAU metrics like Microsoft were. It will end the same way as well.
No Sony doesn’t need pc at all, I already broke it down a while ago. Only disingenuous people with an agenda would make such a claim. The money they make from PC is a pittance, there’s no way anyone can say they need pc in good faith. They’d make infinitely more money focusing 100% on the console than they ever will from PC, where they’re settling for scraps.

It’s like saying making 200k salary isn’t enough to live on, you still need to go collect cans off the street every weekend to make an extra $5.

👇

Reminder:

PlayStation revenue - 30 billion
10 PC ports + Destiny 2 revenue - 250m
PSN store weekly revenue - 300m

After 4 years, porting almost the entire library and spending 3.7 billion on Bungie, not even 1% of PlayStations revenue comes from PC. PC revenue cannot generate what PSN does in a week. This initiative has been an objective failure. It’s wild that people try to spin it to look good instead of just admitting it.

Now you want them to spend even more resources creating launcher and more ports that will flop? PS launcher on PC is a stupid idea. You guys are lost in the sauce, PC as a whole is nothing but a waste of time that shouldn’t be acknowledged in the slightest.

Put that time and money into new games for console owners, improving backwards compatibility, and remaking classics that need it (ps1/ps2). Things that actually strengthen the console and make PS users experience better.

Wild idea….try catering to people that don’t hate you that are actually willing to spend money and not cry over something as stupid as creating a free account.