As more PlayStation titles make their way to PC, former Sony Interactive Entertainment executive Shawn Layden is pushing back on the idea that exclusives no longer matter. While cross platform releases have become more common, Layden believes first party games still play a major role in shaping a console’s identity and why players choose one system over another.
Layden shared his thoughts during a recent episode of the Pause for Thought podcast, where he addressed the growing perception that platform exclusive games are becoming irrelevant. With PlayStation releases increasingly landing on PC months after their initial console launch, the industry has started to question whether exclusivity still holds the same weight it once did.
Over the last few years, Sony has expanded its PC strategy, bringing major PlayStation titles to platforms like Steam. Games such as God of War Ragnarök and Helldivers 2 have reached a wider audience beyond the PlayStation 5, helping Sony generate additional revenue while extending the lifespan of its biggest releases. According to Layden, that financial upside is undeniable, but it does not mean exclusives have lost their purpose.
For Layden, exclusive games go beyond sales figures. He argues they help define what a console stands for and why it exists in the first place. He even joked that seeing iconic characters traditionally tied to a specific platform suddenly appear elsewhere would feel like a breaking point for the industry. The comment highlights how deeply certain games and franchises are tied to brand identity in the minds of players.
This perspective reflects a broader conversation happening across the gaming world. As consoles become more similar to PCs in terms of hardware and architecture, software remains one of the key ways companies differentiate themselves. Players still associate certain experiences with specific platforms, whether it is cinematic storytelling, unique art direction, or exclusive franchises that cannot be found anywhere else.
PlayStation series like The Last of Us and Uncharted are often cited as examples of games that helped shape the platform’s reputation. Meanwhile, Nintendo continues to rely heavily on exclusives to drive hardware sales, reinforcing the idea that unique, platform specific experiences still influence buying decisions. Even with the rise of cloud gaming and cross platform ecosystems, exclusives remain a powerful tool for building loyalty.
Layden also acknowledged that cross platform releases make sense in certain cases, particularly for multiplayer and live service games where a larger player base is critical. Titles designed around online communities benefit from being available on as many systems as possible. Still, he believes there is lasting value in single platform games that showcase what a console can do and reward players who invest in that ecosystem.
The ongoing shift toward PC releases has not erased the emotional and cultural connection players have with exclusive titles. Instead, it has added another layer to how publishers approach distribution. For many players, choosing a console is still about more than performance or price. It is about the types of games they want to play and the worlds they want to be part of, a point Layden continues to emphasize as the industry evolves.
