Exclusivity in the video game industry is a common occurrence that started in the 80s. Back then, gaming was a niche, and so were the platforms that could run those games. The top three biggest publishers of the old era were Atari, Nintendo, and Sega, who all had their own mascots, different approaches, and systems. Fortunately, things are much better now, especially for PC gamers.
Since computers are open-ended and highly popular platforms, companies like Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo are more than happy to release their games on PCs. Moreover, computers also can run older console games thanks to emulation and other services. Sadly, the same isn’t true the other way around, as many PC exclusives will never come to consoles. Here’s a list of a few games released close to 2020 and later that may never come to PS5, Xbox, or Switch.
9 Half-Life: Alyx
Valve has a track record for making great games in the past. However, many people were skeptical when they announced a virtual reality exclusive first-person shooter, Half-Life: Alyx. The 2020 title was supposed to expand on the rich lore of the classics and give players a new story set within the world.
Fortunately, Half-Life: Alyx did all that and more, becoming one of the highest-rated VR games on Steam after its release. That said, it is highly unlikely that this game would ever make its way to consoles, mostly because none of them have dedicated VR support yet.
8 Total War: Warhammer 3
Total War: Warhammer 3 is a turn-based strategy game with RTT elements. It’s a Sega title that came out in 2022 and quickly became a “Mostly Positive” game on Steam. The best part about Total War: Warhammer 3 is its gameplay which allows players to manage large-scale battles and win wars.
Total War series began in the early 2000s when Electronic Arts released Shogun: Total War for Windows. Since then, the legendary series has expanded into over fifteen unique strategy real-time tactics games. However, almost all major games in the long-running series are PC exclusives, which means they’ll never see the light of day on consoles.
7 The Outlast Trials
The Outlast Trials is a game slated to release in 2022, expanding on the iconic horror game franchise, Outlast. However, unlike the past games in the series, which were mostly solo experiences, this sequel is more about online cooperative action and PvE (player versus environment).
Sadly, The Outlast Trials is only coming out on Microsoft Windows because of its unique multiplayer mode and gameplay features. Still, if there is one game on this list that can someday make its way to consoles, it would be this one.
6 Sons Of The Forest
Sons of the Forest is a much-awaited sequel to the gruesome survival horror game, The Forest. The old title came out in 2018 and was a great success on Windows and PlayStation 4. It featured hardcore survival elements, a great backstory, and an engaging plot of a man looking for his son.
Sons of the Forest is set to be much bigger and better than the first game. Sadly, it is slated to be a Windows exclusive for unknown reasons. However, it could be due to past PS4 sales not being on par with the PC version.
5 Company Of Heroes 3
Company of Heroes series started in 2006 and became popular for its real-time strategy gameplay and true army-like simulation. Over the years, these World War 2-themed games have spawned sequels that tackled different aspects of war, including the battle of Normandy, the liberation of France, and more.
Like Total War, most main titles in the Company of Heroes series have been PC-exclusive games. Since the gameplay is strictly built for mouse control and keyboard mechanics, it would be hard for developers to port the games on PS5 or Xbox Series X.
4 Star Citizen
Star Citizen is a massively multiplayer online game focused on space combat, intergalactic trading, and more. It’s a first-person shooter that first got popular in 2012 after a Kickstarter campaign blew everyone away with what it promised. Sadly, the developer, Cloud Imperium Games, has yet to finish the project.
While the final version of Star Citizen is yet to come out, the game has been available to PC players for years. Sadly, the huge development time frame and the fact that the team is solely building this game for Windows means it might never come to consoles.
3 Asgard's Wrath
Asgard's Wrath was released in Q4 of 2019 and became one of the highest-rated games of 2020. The action role-playing game by Oculus Studios is a Microsoft Windows exclusive title, where players control a Norse god who must help the mortals fulfill their destinies.
Asgard's Wrath received a 9.4/10 from IGN and a 88/100 score on Metacritic. However, despite the good ratings, it will probably not come to consoles as the developer Sanzaru Games is now a part of Facebook. Moreover, even if it can come to consoles, it probably won’t because consoles do not have dedicated VR support yet.
2 Dual Universe
Dual Universe is a massively multiplayer online role-playing title with a space simulation sandbox. It is a live service game that recently came out in September 2022. Like many other MMORPGs, this one has a Sci-fi adventure vibe and allows players to explore a massive world full of procedurally generated planets.
Dual Universe is a slightly popular game with a good community on PC that has only grown over the months. But, the game’s developer team has hinted that they’ll remain Windows exclusive despite the release of the next-gen consoles. According to them, porting involve a lot of work, manpower, money, and extra resources that they currently do not have.
1 Phasmophobia
Last but not least, there’s Phasmophobia, a multiplayer game about hunting ghosts and cooperating with friends. The indie title is an investigative horror game that allows players to visit unique locations, find clues and figure out what is haunting the place. The game features over 24 different ghosts and custom difficulty options.
From the looks of it, Phasmophobia seems like a game that can one day come to consoles. However, its concept, gameplay design, and other aspects are PC-oriented. The game’s release date was 2020, but it is still an Early Access title over two years later. Hence, it continues to be a PC-exclusive for the time being.