According to sales data, Sony's PS5 games on PC are experiencing a decline in audience share, primarily due to the timing of their releases

A recent report from Bloomberg indicates that Sony may discontinue releasing first-party PlayStation 5 titles on PC. This move seems to be influenced by modest sales performance of titles in the PC market, according to Newzoo's analysis for GamesIndustry.biz. They suggest that Sony's timing of PC releases after the PS5 versions might have limited the potential audience for these games.

The typical approach of releasing games on PC long after their PS5 debut, an exception being the 2024 success Helldivers 2, has resulted in a reduced presence on PC. Newzoo's analysis, which applies to several publishers, noted that concurrent launching across platforms attracts a larger PC audience.

Market Intelligence Director Manu Rosier at Newzoo explained, "Data shows PlayStation games coming to PC post-console launch usually see around 13% of players on PC in the first three-month span across both releases. In contrast, simultaneous launches have PCs contributing to about 44% of players during the same period."

Rosier further stated that this is not unique to Sony, as similar outcomes occur with third-party PlayStation exclusives. The staggered release dates seem to play a more crucial role than the demand for the games on PCs.

When a PC release follows the console launch by years, a significant portion of initial demand has been met through the console.

The data reflects a downward trend in PC audience for Sony's first-party releases, with newer games performing weaker than earlier ones.

For instance, earlier PlayStation releases on PC saw better engagement. Horizon Zero Dawn achieved a 22% PC share, equating to roughly 4 million players, while God of War (2018) reached 14% with around 3.5 million players, and Marvel's Spider-Man similarly had a 14% share with approximately 3.8 million players.

More recent releases have not fared as well, with Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart capturing 8%, Horizon Forbidden West at 7%, God of War Ragnarök reaching 6%, and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 attaining just 5%. However, Ghost of Tsushima was an exception, with an 11% PC share, largely due to being the franchise's debut on PC.

The fundamental lesson is that timing significantly impacts engagement on PCs. A staggered launch misses a substantial portion of the initial demand.

Sony's reported shift in strategy occurs amidst changes in Xbox's leadership, which might impact release approaches. Xbox studio head Craig Duncan has previously emphasized the goal of being more regular in launching first-party games across multiple platforms. Recently, Xbox announced that their upcoming console, codenamed Project Helix, will support PC games.