Speculation has abounded for some time that PS4 exclusive Horizon: Zero Dawn might be getting a PC release in the near future. Now, thanks to a recent report by Kotaku which cites three anonymous sources close to Sony’s plans, a Horizon: Zero Dawn PC release is all but confirmed for sometime later this year. If true, then this would be a major shift in the way that Sony handles their exclusives post-launch.
Horizon: Zero Dawn PC Release Now Looking Very Likely
According to recent reporting by Kotaku, citing three people; “familiar with Sony’s plans,” fans can expect a Horizon: Zero Dawn PC release sometime later in 2020. First released in February of 2017, Horizon: Zero Dawn received universal critical acclaim. Indeed, it has often been considered one of the strongest PS4-exclusive titles, alongside God of War and Marvel’s Spider-Man. However, it’s unclear what the game coming to PC means for the future of PlayStation exclusives. Certainly, it seems very unlikely that Sony will stop making exclusive titles; especially not when they face renewed competition from the Xbox Series X.
However, it’s worth noting that Sony has begun to move towards cooperation with other platforms in recent months. The company permitted Call of Duty: Modern Warfare to have cross-play at launch, for example; thus opening for the door for other games to follow suit. When it comes to exclusives, the company may similarly begin to take a more relaxed stance. However, this is very unlikely to mean the end of exclusives. Rather, what it may mean is Sony becoming more willing to release older exclusives on other platforms after a period of exclusivity.
In this sense, their exclusive format could begin to mirror that which is common to the Epic Games Store on PC; securing one year of platform exclusivity before the game launches elsewhere. Sony may not adopt such a clear strategy as that, but this move certainly increases the likelihood of a God of War PC release, for example, sometime in the next few years. With new PS5 exclusive titles driving sales, Sony is less dependent on older PS4 exclusives. As such, promoting sales regardless of platform… particularly if a PS5-exclusive sequel is in the works… could be a clever move.