Study Claims Sony’s PS5 Games Are Leaving Big PC Sales on the Table

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Newzoo research suggests that Sony’s decision to not release PC versions of games at the same time as console versions is hurting PC sales of those games.

For a while, the company released its biggest games on PlayStation 5 first, and then on PC platforms like Steam a bit later.

But reports from sources like Bloomberg indicate the company is likely to abandon this idea and instead concentrate on its traditional strategy of offering exclusive products or services.

A key factor in this decision is a recent dip in sales. While games like Horizon Zero Dawn and Days Gone performed well initially, newer titles, including Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, haven’t seen the same level of success.

Based on our findings, the company’s planned, phased release is significantly boosting the platform owner’s sales of these game versions.

According to Newzoo’s research, PlayStation games released on PC after appearing on consoles usually attract about 13% of their total player base within the first three months. However, when similar high-quality games launch on both PC and consoles at the same time, PC players make up around 44% of the total player base in that same timeframe.

Newzoo points out that this isn’t just happening with games made by Sony themselves. Other games that were initially only available on PlayStation 5, like Final Fantasy 16, are also seeing this trend.

Sony, of course, will be well aware of this.

Honestly, it doesn’t shock me at all that games released much later on a platform don’t do as well as those released right away. Nintendo’s always said they do this to keep their own gaming world healthy and thriving, and it makes sense to me.

In fact, PS Studios boss Hermen Hulst alluded to this in a business interview last year:

As a big PlayStation fan, I’ve been hearing a lot about their games coming to other platforms, and it sounds like they’re being really careful about it. They’re not just rushing things out there! Especially with their big, story-driven games – the ones that really show off what PlayStation hardware can do – they want to make sure anyone playing them, on any system, gets the absolute best experience possible. They’re giving a lot of thought to how and if they’ll bring those games to other consoles, and that’s reassuring to me as a player who values quality.

Sony’s move to release games on PC was a test to see if it could continue selling games for longer and reach players who might then be interested in PlayStation consoles.

It appears the team gathered enough information to make a decision, and based on recent reports, they’ve decided the potential benefits don’t justify the effort required.

Sony’s leadership understands that launching their exclusive games on PC at the same time as PlayStation could boost sales on platforms like Steam. However, they also have information about how that might affect their overall PlayStation gaming system.

It seems the decision has been made to prioritize the PS5, and most of you – over 70% – support that choice.

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2026-03-08 19:07