Peter Dalton, technical director at Bluepoint Games, suggests that Valve's upcoming Steam Machine has led Sony to port fewer PS5 exclusive games to PC. He argues that the device poses a threat by bringing PC gaming to living rooms. This comes amid reports that projects like Marvel’s Wolverine and Ghost of Yōtei may remain console-only.
Peter Dalton, the technical director at Bluepoint Games, shared his views on social media about Sony's approach to PC ports for PlayStation titles. Despite Sony having shut down his studio, Dalton continues to follow developments in the console space. He posits that the Steam Machine, Valve's new hardware initiative, has influenced Sony's reluctance to release more PS5 exclusives on PC.
Dalton explains that consoles offer a "cheaper, simpler alternative to gaming PCs." He sees the Steam Machine as an accessible option, optimized with Valve's Big Picture Mode for TV navigation and including a new controller for couch gameplay. This setup, he believes, allows gamers to access PC versions of former PS5 exclusives directly in living rooms, potentially reducing Sony's incentive to port single-player titles to Steam.
A recent Bloomberg report indicates that Marvel’s Wolverine and Ghost of Yōtei are among the projects affected by this shift. Dalton speculates that if the Steam Machine succeeds, Valve could "win the console war" unexpectedly, challenging Sony and Microsoft.
However, skepticism surrounds the device's prospects. In many countries, it will only be available through manufacturers' storefronts, limiting retail exposure. While the Steam Deck has outperformed most handhelds, it falls short of Nintendo Switch sales. The original 2015 Steam Machine struggled due to confusing OEM configurations. Additionally, Linux-based SteamOS lacks support for popular FPS titles like Battlefield 6 and Valorant, posing another hurdle.
Dalton maintains that the Steam Machine's emergence is sufficient threat for Sony to keep more exclusives on its hardware.