PS5 Set To Have More Exclusives According To Playstation Bosses
Although there are accusations that Sony has gone to ground and buried its head while Microsoft is on the gaming assault, rest assured that Jim Ryan has a plan. It seems like barely a day goes by that we aren't writing about Microsoft buying (or trying to buy) a giant company to bolster its already swollen ranks. After the massive $7.5 billion acquisition of ZeniMax Media and Bethesda's back catalogue, there was a recent attempt to buy Discord.
Sony once had the advantage over Microsoft thanks to its impressive lineup of PlayStation exclusives, but with Microsoft teasing future Bethesda games like Starfield and the inevitable Fallout 5 as Microsoft exclusives, all that could be about to change. Added to this, even though the PlayStation 5 had a strong launch last year alongside exclusives including Demon's Souls and Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, there are critiques that the future looks a little sparse.
Will there be more PS5 exclusives?
As Nintendo does its own thing and largely appeals to all, most serious gamers are largely split into the PlayStation or Xbox camps. Whether you're a fan of Fable, head over heels for Halo, are loco for The Last of Us, or go gaga for God of War, each side has something different to offer.
Now, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO, Jim Ryan, is keen to put your PS5-exclusive fears to rest. Speaking to Japanese financial site Nikkei (via VGC), Ryan explained, "We have been quietly but steadily investing in high-quality games for PlayStation, and we will make sure that the PS5 generation will have more dedicated software than ever before".
The idea that Sony has been beavering away in the background means there should be some major announcements on the horizon - we're looking at you E3. Discussing the idea of some Bethesda-style acquisitions, Ryan added, "We have repeatedly engaged in mergers and acquisitions, including Insomniac Games in the US. We will not rule out that option in the future".
Ryan also addressed the issue that Sony shuttered the doors on Sony Japan Studio. Despite bringing an end to Sony Interactive Entertainment's longest-running first-party developer, Ryan promised Sony is “committed to the Japanese market”. He continued, "It is important for us to provide software that fits the Japanese gaming community, and PS5 has included a lot of software from Japanese developers since its early stages. We will continue to strengthen our ties with Japanese developers and release content for PS5 that fits the Japanese market".
When can we expect more PS5 exclusives?
As VGC notes, there are some PS5 exclusives just around the corner. Players can expect Returnal on April 30 and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart in June. In particular, Ratchet & Clank comes from Insomniac and hopes to carry the long-running adventure franchise into a new era. Similar to how Crash 4: It's About Time spurred the Crash series forward, there's a lot of hype that Rift Apart could do the same.
Speaking of Insomniac, it's also one to watch thanks to its acclaimed work on the Marvel's Spider-Man series. After 2018's game was dubbed one of the best PS4 games of all time, 2020's Miles Morales took the story forward and sowed the seeds for the mythical Spider-Man 2. For many though, simply replying on Insomniac isn't enough. With fans demanding more, there are call for Sony to follow in Microsoft's footsteps and start scooping up the studios.
Back in the day, the Resident Evil games were known as PlayStation exclusives, and although PS5 owners have had some advantages when it comes to Resident Evil Village, Capcom has decided to share with Sony's biggest rival. Added to this, there are wild rumours that the disappointment of Death Stranding could see Hideo Kojima jump ship and take his legacy to Microsoft for an upcoming exclusive.
At least we know Horizon Forbidden West is expected this year, while there are a loyal few of us still holding out hope we could see God of War: Ragnarok in 2021. With the gaming world (hopefully) getting back to normal this year, all eyes are on the big expos like the aforementioned E3, Gamescom, and the Game Awards. Ryan's words at least tease that Sony knows what it's doing and won't be left in the dust when it comes to first-party exclusives.
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