Persona 4 Golden Proves That Console Exclusives Are Bad
The history of console exclusives is one of sadness and melancholy. What began as a means of protecting first-party titles has progressed into backroom negotiations between console owners and third-party studios. Mergers and acquisitions also continue to exacerbate the situation. In the end, the video game community suffers as studios pursue exclusivity for corporate gain. While this approach temporarily increases profits, Atlus recently discovered that console exclusives can also damper returns. Let’s dive in.
Sharing the Wealth
In the world of Japanese role-playing games, Atlus is quickly surpassing the likes of SquareEnix, Bandai Namco, Falcom and others. Although the Persona series remains a favorite among the JPRG community, Sony has locked the franchise behind the wall of console exclusivity for almost a quarter century.
Persona 4 originally released on the PS2 back in 2008 and sold over 1.5 million copies. Just three years later, Atlus added multiple features and released the definitive edition on the PS Vita. While the game still sold over 700,000 units, Nintendo, Xbox and PC gamers could not experience the critically acclaimed series. Until now.
Atlus shocked the gaming world on June 13, 2020 by announcing the Steam release of P4G. After just four weeks, Persona 4 Golden sold over 500,000 copies and became the most concurrently played JRPG in Steam history. Although the game is selling for a fraction of its original launch price, the success proves that fans are excited to play new games. While P4G was a relatively safe bet, our hope is that more studios are encouraged to release games on Steam and other console platforms. Console owners should continue to protect first-party games; however, fans deserve the opportunity to play third-party titles on many platforms.
Conclusion
But we want to know what you think. Are you excited Persona 4 Golden is no longer part of a list of ongoing console exclusives? Do you think Atlus will now release more games on PC and other platforms? Let us know in the comments below or the social media links on the right. Also, be sure to check out our other news items on Pokemon, Modern Warfare, Capcom, Blizzard and more.
Want to dive deeper into your favorite games? Be sure to check out our editorial columns, such as On This Day in Gaming, Off the Record and Music that Moves articles. Also, subscribe to our social media links below or click on one of the links in our soundcloud. Trust us: You will not want to miss a thing!
Finally, we are starting to stream every night and are looking to add to our community. Also, be one of the first 100 followers on Twitch for a chance to win a free GamingROI tee-shirt. All you have to do is click the links above and select “follow”. We will announce the winners at the end of each month. Until next time, enjoy!