To the surprise of most, Sony has started to show a willingness to bring its once exclusive PlayStation titles to the PC. While the company has a very long way to go before it catches up to what Microsoft has been doing this generation with its day and date launches for first party titles on PC and Xbox One, two major PlayStation exclusives are available to purchase on Steam.
Last month saw Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding make its Steam debut and as a new trailer revealed last week, Horizon: Zero Dawn is launching for PC players on August 7. The release date trailer also showcased a number of PC exclusive features that will help it stand out from its console twin. While it'll also have all released content, the PC version comes new settings like ultra-wide monitor support, unlocked frame rates, dynamic foliage, controller mapping, improved reflections, and a benchmarking tool.
However, as exciting as that is for players who want to experience the popular open world game on the PC, discussion has moved to what this could mean for future PlayStation games including the sequel to Horizon: Zero Dawn.
Revealed last month during Sony's PS5 event, Horizon: Forbidden Dawn showed off a lush and vibrant world as Aloy rushes to save it from impending doom. At this point in time, both Sony and Guerrilla Games have confirmed the sequel to be a PlayStation 5 release in 2021. While nothing has been said for a release on PC, the fact that the first game is making its way to Steam is a good sign that Forbidden West will also be making its way to the PC as well.
However, fans likely shouldn't get their hopes up to also see the game in 2021. Considering that the Horizon franchise is a major AAA exclusive for Sony and how much of an anticipated game Forbidden West is already, the company likely views it as a big system seller which means it'll likely remain a console exclusive for at least a year or two after its initial launch. it took the original game 3 years to make the leap to the PC, so it's highly likely that Sony will use the game to sell as many PS5s as possible before heading to other platforms.
At the end of the day, players shouldn't be surprised to see more former PlayStation exclusives make the jump to the PC. In terms of Horizon: Zero Dawn, launching it on PC so close to the PS5 launch can be viewed as a smart marketing strategy, especially in the wake of the sequel's recent announcement. Giving players a taste of what the game is all about could motivate them to pick up a PS5 to get hands on with the next game in the series sooner than simply waiting a few years for it to launch on PC.
Horizon Zero Dawn is available now on PS4 and launches August 7 on PC.