Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the brand, PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst spoke about plans for cross-platform releases to Famitsu (translation via DeepL). He also touched on the company’s live-service plans, especially in the wake of games like Helldivers 2.
Hulst emphasizes that live-service titles require a strong player base to justify continued development. This means that PlayStation needs to get new players on to its releases, and this can only happen by expanding the scope of a game’s release outside of PlayStation hardware.
“Since live service titles are released on multiple platforms, the key to success is how to attract new players and increase the number of players,” said Hulst when asked about the game. “Therefore, maintaining momentum at the time of release and broad player adoption is especially important in the live service sector.”
Hulst goes on to talk about how, while Helldivers 2 was a big hit, single-player releases are still a key aspect of the appeal behind PlayStation consoles. This means the company will continue working on its single-player games while expanding the audience on PC. While it will continue to bring single-player PlayStation games to the platform, multiplayer titles will also get strong support by integrating PlayStation Network.
“Single-player games are a key component of the PlayStation platform’s appeal, and each title has a strategic sales period,” he said. “While consoles remain our core business, expanding to PC and other platforms will allow us to bring our games to a wider audience. Our priority is always to provide the best possible experience for our players, and as part of that, we are also promoting the integration of PSN accounts on PC.”
Hulst also discusses expanding PlayStation’s releases onto other platforms, such as the Nintendo Switch. When asked about the release of LEGO Horizon Adventure on PC, PS5 and Nintendo Switch, Hulst said that release plans tend to depend on the game and what would be the best way to reach a wider audience.
“Live service titles are released on multiple platforms because it is important for multiple players to be able to play the game together,” said Hulst. “For other titles, we will decide the best sales format for the players and the company.”
Over the last few years, Sony has seen mixed success by releasing its titles on PC. While titles like Helldivers 2, God of War (2018), and Horizon Zero Dawn were successful on Steam, more recent efforts like LEGO Horizon Adventures and Until Dawn remake haven’t performed as well.
It’s also unknown how Concord’s failure, combined with the cancellation of Naughty Dog’s standalone multiplayer title for The Last of Us, may affect Sony’s live-service plans (especially with Hulst’s statement about needing larger player numbers). Haven Studios’ Fairgame$, a co-op heist shooter, is still in the pipeline, though it doesn’t have a release date.
