The concept of platform exclusivity, once a cornerstone of gaming giants like Xbox and PlayStation, is facing a reckoning in 2024. Xbox’s recent decision to port previous first-party exclusives to competing platforms, and Helldivers 2, Arrowhead’s smash-hit co-op shooter, have become an unlikely symbol of change, sparking a critical conversation about the future of this practice.
Former CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment America, Shawn Layden, recently weighed in on the exclusivity debate, and said that PlayStation may be shooting themselves in the foot.
Former PlayStation Boss Says More Platforms Equal More Success
In an interview with GamesBeat, Layden spoke about first-party exclusivity in 2024. He argued that for high-budget games exceeding $200 million, exclusivity acts as an “Achilles’ heel”. In Layden’s view, it artificially shrinks the potential player base, particularly for titles that rely on live-service elements or a free-to-play model.
Helldivers 2 exemplifies this point perfectly. Launched simultaneously on PlayStation 5 and PC, the game exploded in popularity. Servers buckled under the weight of hundreds of thousands of players eager to team up and spread democracy. This wasn’t just any launch, it marked PlayStation Studios’ first foray into day and date PC releases, and became their most successful title ever on Steam.
Microsoft, Sony’s primary competitor, couldn’t ignore the game’s seismic success either. Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, acknowledged Helldivers 2‘s success but lamented its absence on Xbox. Questioning the overall benefit of exclusivity, Spencer suggested it ultimately hinders the industry’s growth by creating artificial barriers for players.
Layden echoes this exact sentiment. He emphasizes the importance of “cracking the funnel open” by embracing a wider audience through simultaneous platform releases. This strategy, as evidenced by Helldivers 2‘s success on PC, allows developers to tap into a much larger pool of potential players.
Exclusivity Doesn’t Make That Much Sense Today
The current state of gaming stands in stark contrast to the steadfast console wars of the 1990s. Back then, distinct hardware limitations and iconic mascots like Mario and Sonic justified exclusivity. Today, however, the lines are blurred.
Leading consoles today boast similar technical prowess and often share overlapping game libraries, often with strict parity clauses ensuring equal experiences across platforms. In this context, locking a game to a single platform feels more like a revenue control tactic than a technical necessity.
However, dismantling a long-established practice won’t be a quick revolution. While Helldivers 2 might be a significant turning point, the walls of exclusivity are likely to crumble slowly. A collective effort from all industry stakeholders – developers, publishers, and platform holders – is needed to move towards a more inclusive approach that prioritizes player choice and fosters the overall health of the gaming industry.
Helldivers 2 may not be the final nail in exclusivity’s coffin, but it has undoubtedly ignited a crucial conversation about the future. As the dust settles, one thing is clear – the once-impenetrable walls of platform exclusivity are beginning to show cracks.
