PlayStation exclusives have been a constant benchmark for quality in the gaming industry. These games come with stunning graphics, rich world-building, and epic stories previously untold. While some of these exclusives have made their way to PC, they remain out of reach for Xbox users.
Titles like Horizon Forbidden West and The Last of Us Part II are just two prime examples of unplayable games on any Xbox console. However, Sony’s lineup of exclusives extends far beyond these staples as it offers much more to its users, putting Xbox fans in a more-than-envious position.
7. Horizon Forbidden West
Horizon Forbidden West is a 2022 action role-playing sequel to the critically acclaimed Horizon Zero Dawn that launched the story of Aloy, a young hunter fighting for survival in a post-apocalyptic United States. The game was developed by Guerilla Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, with a budget of $212 million.
The game was a complete hit, thanks to its stunning visuals, mysterious story, and fantastic in-game mechanics such as underwater exploration and melee combat that set it apart from similar games, and it remains one of the best PS5 games to date and still unavailable to players on Microsoft’s consoles.
6. The Last of Us Part II
Set four years after The Last of Us, the game switches between the lives of Ellie and Abby. Developed by Naughty Dog, The Last of Us Part II came out in 2020, while the remastered version for PS5 came out on January 19, 2024.
The game was praised for immersive gameplay and visual fidelity, becoming one of the fastest-selling PS4 exclusives when it got out. It has since become one of the games that has shaped the long-turn success of Sony exclusives, pushing the developers forward, and keeping fans on other consoles at bay since there is still no release on the Microsoft-owned console.
5. Bloodborne
Bloodborne remains the elusive Sony exclusive that hasn’t even reached PCs despite fans’ hopes for such an event in the gaming industry. This would turn the tide towards Xbox fans if a game of this importance and praise reaches the drives of these consoles.
Until then, this action RPG by FromSoftware set in the Gothic city of Yharnam, pits a player, a Hunter, battling Lovecraftian horrors while trying to find the sources of a blood-borne plague. Praised for the dark atmospheric aesthetics, and familiar Dark Souls combat, this title is the one game that could unite all players forever.
4. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 brought everything promised in trailers that led to the official release of the game in 2023. Developed by Insomniac Games it is a worthy sequel to the 2018 hit. Players control Peter Parker and Miles Morales as they face Kraven the Hunter, Venom, and many other archenemies of our superheroes.
The game comes with stunning visuals, fantastic action-packed gameplay, and a bunch of extra content that make this exclusive a must-have for PS5 owners. Unfortunately, it remains an exclusive yet.
3. God of War: Ragnarok
God of War is a long-standing exclusive franchise for Sony, with the first game developed for PlayStation 2 in 2005, rooted in Greek mythology. The series became a classic in the action-adventure genre before it made a dramatic shift with a Norse mythology-inspired installment.
God of War Ragnarok, released in November 2022, continues the epic journey of Kratos and Atreus as they confront the impending apocalypse, Ragnarök. The game became a critical and commercial success with millions of copies sold and almost perfect critic scores. While still a PlayStation exclusive, a PC version will be released on September 19, 2024.
2. Ghost of Tsushima
Ghost of Tsushima is another Sony exclusive that took the gaming world by storm when it was released in July 2020. Developed by Sucker Punch Productions, the players take the role of Jin Sakai, a samurai fighting to defend Tsushima Island during the first Mongol invasion of Japan.
The vast open world received impeccable praises along with a stealth and honorable combat mix that shifts how the game ends. Inspired by samurai cinema and the works of Akira Kurosawa, to say that the game’s success was significant is an understatement, selling over nine million copies by July 2022.
This led to a Director’s Cut for PS4 and PS5 in August 2021, followed by a PC version in May 2024.
1. Helldivers 2
Helldivers 2 was released on February 8, 2024, and quickly became Sony’s fastest-selling title of all time, selling over 12 million units within 12 weeks of its release. The game is a direct sequel to the beloved 2015 top-down shooter, with a change in gameplay as it now employs a third-person angle.
It has garnered favorable reviews thanks to its immersive gameplay, great content, and regular updates that balance the game as players are challenged by swarms of enemies in procedurally generated levels.
The cooperative shooter by Arrowhead Studios is one of the best live-service games on PS5, and while available through Steam on PC, it is still not available on Microsoft’s consoles.
What are your preferred Sony exclusives? Let us know in the comments below.
