A significant shift is underway in Sony’s game release strategy under the PlayStation Studios banner, signaling a growing openness to multi-platform publishing. Once known for their rigid stance on keeping first-party titles exclusive to the PlayStation ecosystem, Sony has been actively considering other platforms — especially PC — as viable destinations for their high-budget titles, even if the releases don’t happen simultaneously.
Over the past few years, PlayStation has already launched several former exclusives on PC via platforms like Steam and the Epic Games Store, with titles such as God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Spider-Man leading the charge.
Surprisingly, Sony has also started to explore opportunities with its console rivals. For instance, Xbox has become a strong candidate for Sony’s live-service games, including Helldivers 2, which is launching on August 26. Nintendo, while still a less conventional partner, has seen a presence from PlayStation IPs, most notably with Horizon’s Aloy appearing in LEGO form.
Strengthening PlayStation Efforts in Multi-Platform Releases
While Sony has not made a formal announcement regarding a full-scale multi-platform strategy, recent job listings point to an internal shift. One notable position, the Senior Director of Multiplatform and Account Management, is designed to spearhead commercial game release strategies across non-PlayStation platforms. The role explicitly mentions oversight across Steam, Epic Games Store, Xbox, Nintendo, and even mobile platforms.
This hiring move strongly suggests that Sony is preparing to expand its presence beyond its hardware, aiming to maximise the return on investment for the increasingly expensive development of its first-party titles.
Of course, there’s no guarantee that iconic franchises like The Last of Us, God of War, or Ghost of Tsushima will immediately appear on Xbox or Nintendo systems. However, Sony’s willingness to hire for a high-level executive position solely dedicated to multi-platform strategy indicates a growing openness to explore new avenues for revenue and player reach.
As development costs soar and competition intensifies, it appears that PlayStation is poised to evolve and potentially redefine what exclusivity means in the modern gaming industry, and that’s only going to be a good thing for gamers.
