by
William D’Angelo
, posted on 07 March 2026 / 5,052 Views
Following the report that Sony will no longer release its major single-player PlayStation 5 games on PC, an analysis from Newzoo (via GamesIndustry) suggests Sony’s strategy is what limited sales of its games on PC.
Sony’s strategy has been to release its first-party PlayStation games well over a year after its release on consoles and at full price. Helldivers 2, a live-service game, has been the exception, which has been their biggest success on PC.
“Newzoo’s data shows that PlayStation titles ported to PC after their console launch typically see PC account for around 13% of total players in the first three months across both releases,” said Newzoo Director of Market Intelligence Manu Rosier. “By comparison, when comparable AAA titles launch simultaneously on PC and console, PC contributes closer to 44% of players in the same period.
“What’s notable is that this pattern is not specific to Sony’s first-party portfolio. We see almost no difference between first-party PlayStation titles (12% PC share) and third-party PlayStation exclusives (13%), suggesting the outcome is primarily driven by the staggered release strategy rather than franchise demand on PC.”
Rosier added, “Looking at individual titles, the earlier wave of PlayStation PC releases captured relatively strong player shares on the platform. Horizon Zero Dawn reached a 22% PC share (~4M lifetime players), God of War (2018) 14% (~3.5M), and Marvel’s Spider-Man 14% (~3.8M).
“More recent ports have generally seen smaller PC shares, including Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (8%), Horizon Forbidden West (7%), God of War Ragnarök (6%), and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (5%). Ghost of Tsushima is a notable exception at 11% PC share (~2.1M players), likely supported by being the franchise’s first PC release.
“The key takeaway is that release timing has a significant impact on PC engagement. When a PC version arrives years after the console launch, much of the early lifecycle demand has already been captured on the primary platform.”
A life-long and avid gamer, William D’Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.
