Look, I understand Sony’s reasoning behind PlayStation console exclusives. Sony wants to sell more machines, and it feels like it needs multiple reasons for gamers to pick one up. Where I find the argument a bit more sketchy, though, is when PC gamers somehow get stiff-armed just the same as Xbox gamers do. PC is not a console. PC gamers are a different breed. There are many in the PC camp who would throw money at a console maker for its games, but will not entertain the idea of buying a special piece of hardware for them. The success of both Sea of Thieves and Forza Horizon 4 on Steam has proven that. Horizon Zero Dawn tearing up Steam has also proven that. And now Persona 4 Golden proves it, too.
As RockPaperShotgun reports, Persona 4 Golden — at one time a PlayStation Vita re-release of a PlayStation 2 classic — has sold one million copies on PC since it launched in Summer 2020. This game, previously available only to those who purchased PlayStation hardware, finally became obtainable for PC gamers 12 years after its original PS2 release, and it sold a mil. That is remarkable.
With that quick success, it only seems like a matter of time before Persona 5 makes its way to PC (which RockPaperShotgun also heavily advocated for in a past article). Indeed, Sega has been very focused lately on bringing all of its franchises to PC these past few years. You can now play every Yakuza game on PC, for example. The entire Yakuza library is in Xbox Game Pass for PC as we speak.
But what I really hope is that Sony sees this, and sees how its own PC ports are doing, and decides to finally uncork the bottle. Even if they wanted to (and they probably don’t), hardcore PC gamers likely can’t even buy a PlayStation 5. They’re too hard to come by. Why not just sell them Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Bloodborne, and all the Naughty Dog games already? If a PC gamer hasn’t played Uncharted yet, is it because they’ve been holding out for a potential PC release for the past 14 years, or because they have no interest in buying a PlayStation?
I’m glad Persona 4 Golden is doing so well, and that all the other games I mentioned above — Forza, Horizon, and the rest — are finding a home on PC. Perhaps we’ll get to see more PlayStation-only games make the leap in the near future. It would certainly benefit Sony’s pocketbook to allow for that.
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