Sony could soon introduce its own launcher for its PC games, following in the footsteps of Ubisoft, Rockstar and Activision Blizzard.
References to a “PlayStation PC launcher” have been found within the files of Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered, which launched on PC last week, suggesting that such a platform could be in Sony’s future plans.
VGC has verified the files and seen the reference to the PlayStation PC launcher.
Spider-Man Remastered – PC features trailer
This follows the discovery that Sony could be planning to introduce PlayStation Network integration to its PC games.
While neither Marvel’s Spider-Man nor any other PlayStation Studios PC game currently allows connectivity with PSN accounts, Spider-Man’s files contain multiple references to “PSNAccountLinked” and “PSNLinkingEntitlements”.
Thus far, all of Sony’s PC games have been released on Steam and the Epic Game Store. While PlayStation has a PlayStation PC brand, it is generally used as a collective term for all PC rereleases, rather than a launcher.
It’s possible that these references could suggest a bespoke version of the PlayStation Store could come to PC. This, coupled with the references to account integration, could eventually lead to cross-purchasing for titles on PS5 and PC.
It’s unlikely the first party would keep its games exclusive to this launcher. While Microsoft offers its games on its own store, it also releases its games on Steam.
However, some publishers, such as Rockstar, require a reduced version of the launcher client to be active, even when launching a game from Steam, as a means of verification.
Last year Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan stated that PlayStation was planning to bring “a whole slate” of games to PC.
Spider-Man Remastered is Sony’s sixth PC title, it was released last week. It will be followed by PC ports of Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection later in the year.
