The console wars between PlayStation and the Xbox had almost died out in recent years. Games that were previously exclusive to PlayStation or Xbox can be found on the opposite console after a period of timed exclusivity, such as Starfield releasing on PS5 and Final Fantasy 7 Remake releasing on Xbox, both for the first time this year. PC gamers had a similar situation, with most PlayStation games eventually making their way to the platform, usually after a few years of being console exclusives.
The days of simply waiting for a game to come to a gamer's platform of choice may be over, as PlayStation has confirmed that it will no longer release first-party exclusives on PC, and Xbox looks set to return to its exclusive titles as well. While first-party PlayStation games have always been exclusive to Sony consoles, the transition away from PC is stinging, and if Xbox starts scaling back its PS5 releases, it would be another big step back from the cross-platform barriers that have been torn down in recent years. The outcome may benefit Sony and Microsoft in the long run, but PlayStation, Xbox and PC gamers will be the losers from this trend.
10 PlayStation + PC games shut down on June 1st
On June 1st, a number of games in the PlayStation and PC space will be knocked out, with a total of 10 games being taken offline on that date.
Now is the worst possible time for the Console Wars to restart
Sony's recent announcement that first-party single-player PlayStation games will no longer be released on PC is a bit of a gut feeling for gamers hoping to expand their Steam library with PlayStation console exclusives. Games like Ghost of Yotei and Saros have been big hits on the PlayStation 5, but now it seems unlikely that they'll ever make it to PC in the way that previous PlayStation exclusives like God of war, The Last of Us Part 1 and 2and Marvel's Spider-Man games have. While Sony is the only company to confirm this exclusivity shift so far, it's starting to look like a broader industry trend that could bear heavily on the rising price of hardware.
Fit the 9 games into the grid.
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Fit the 9 games into the grid.
PlayStation 6 exclusives can come at a hefty price
Although Sony has not officially confirmed it, all signs point to the PlayStation 6 being released in the next few years. According to some insiders, the PS6 could cost as much as $1,000, making it quite an investment for gamers looking to play Sony's upcoming series of single-player games. Previously, PC gamers could simply wait for these titles to make their way to Steam, but with Sony no longer planning to release these games on the platform, PC users will have to potentially shell out the price of another small PC just to experience games that Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet and the inevitable Horizon 3.
Like this current console generation, it is expected that some future PS6 games will also be released on PS5, even after the next generation console launches. Typically, this means that PC or Xbox gamers can buy a discounted PS5 to experience the exclusive games they want to play without having to buy a brand new full price console. But the PS5 getting an unprecedented price hike six years into its lifespan means this isn't really a viable solution anymore.
Xbox is considering doubling the number of exclusive products
With Xbox undergoing some big changes with new CEO Asha Sharma taking the helm, Microsoft's plans for its future consoles could follow in Sony's footsteps. Xbox Game Pass has already received a price cut to make it more affordable for gamers, and Sharma has also made it clear that she understands Xbox players' desire to see a return to exclusive consoles. With Gears of War: Reloaded and Starfield now on PS5, and the upcoming Halo: Campaign Evolved slated to launch on Sony's console as well, great strides have already been made to blur the lines of exclusivity. But Microsoft could just as well pull back these exclusives as part of its effort to strengthen the Xbox brand under Sharma's leadership.
PC used to be a go-between for gamers who wanted access to both PlayStation and Xbox games
Guess the games from the emojis.
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Guess the games from the emojis.
Light (120s) Medium (90s) Hard (60s)
Historically, PC gaming allowed gamers to experience the best of both console worlds, at the cost of a typically more expensive hardware setup and having to wait for PlayStation games to be released at a later date. Exclusive Xbox consoles aren't likely to leave the PC anytime soon, given Microsoft's ownership of Windows, but the PC is already a less valuable investment since PlayStation no longer brings its first-party games to the platform. At a minimum, PC gamers will need to own another PS5 or PS6 console if they want to play future first-party Sony games, and that doesn't include the need for a Nintendo Switch 2 if they really want access to every new game release.
The rising prices of both games and hardware means that investing in a console may be the new norm
Having both an Xbox and a PlayStation, or even a nice gaming PC that can play games from both publishers, is something that is becoming less and less achievable as the cost of gaming increases. While having a PC previously meant gamers could access mostly any game outside of Nintendo exclusives, this new industry shift back towards exclusivity that Sony is pioneering means gamers will need at least two platforms to experience the biggest AAA game releases in the future. PlayStation gamers aren't out of the woods either, as Xbox could turn its back on its cross-platform releases under its new leadership, just as easily as Sony has started pulling PC releases from its plans. The result is a situation that leaves gamers footing the bill for companies hoping to increase their brand value, which only makes gaming a less accessible hobby as a result.
