Stellar Blade PC Soars, PlayStation PC Port Novelty Wanes
Shift Up's blockbuster action-RPG, Stellar Blade, has defied expectations with its phenomenal performance on PC, launching first on PlayStation and now setting new benchmarks on Steam. This incredible success, however, arrives amidst new industry research suggesting a broader trend: the initial excitement for PlayStation first-party titles on PC may be "wearing off" for established franchises.
Stellar Blade: A PC Launch Phenomenon
The developer, Shift Up, recently presented investor data highlighting Stellar Blade's exceptional PC uptake. The game, which launched less than six months ago in June, quickly sold over 1 million copies on Steam within just three days. Its combined sales across both PlayStation 5 and PC now total an impressive 3 million copies. Furthermore, PC users have overwhelmingly embraced the title, with 98% recommending it and an "overwhelmingly positive" user score on Steam.
Shift Up proudly states that Stellar Blade is now the "best-selling PlayStation-exclusive launch IP in history" on PC. This monumental achievement places it above PC releases of revered titles like Ghost of Tsushima, God of War, Marvel's Spider-Man, Horizon Zero Dawn, and The Last of Us in terms of peak concurrent users on Valve's platform. While Helldivers 2 still holds the overall top position in the PC market with an estimated 12.7 million units sold, Stellar Blade's specific success as a new PlayStation IP on PC is undeniable.
The PC version boasts several enhancements tailored for the platform, including:
- AI upscaling via Nvidia DLSS 4 and AMD FSR 3
- An unlocked framerate
- Japanese and Chinese voiceover options
- Ultrawide display support
- Higher resolution environment textures
- Full DualSense controller support for haptic feedback and trigger effects
Sony's Billion-Dollar PC Strategy Faces Shifting Tides
Despite Stellar Blade's individual triumph, a new report from Alinea Analytics, cited by PushSquare, casts a more nuanced light on Sony's broader PC port strategy. The analysis estimates that Sony has garnered a staggering $1.5 billion from Steam sales since it began bringing its first-party PlayStation titles to the platform. Valve, in turn, has earned approximately $350 million from its 30% revenue share.
However, the report suggests a critical shift: "the novelty is wearing off." According to analyst Rhys Elliott, sales of direct sequels to successful PC ports, such as Horizon Forbidden West and God of War: Ragnarök, are exhibiting a noticeable slowdown compared to their predecessors.
Elliott elaborated on this trend, stating, "All of Sony’s major franchises have already landed on PC. The audience that was once excited to experience these games for the first time has largely been served. Later releases naturally face smaller potential audiences, and our estimates clearly show this."
Sequel Performance: The Data Speaks
The data presented by Alinea Analytics provides compelling evidence for this diminishing novelty. When comparing the launch-aligned Steam sales for God of War and its sequel, God of War Ragnarök:
- God of War sold 2.5 million copies after 427 days on Steam.
- God of War Ragnarök sold over 2.5 times fewer copies in the same timeframe.
- Crucially, only 13% of God of War's Steam players also purchased Ragnarök on Steam.
This pattern is also identified as applying to the sequel for Marvel's Spider-Man, indicating a consistent trend across multiple major PlayStation franchises.
The contrasting narratives of Stellar Blade's explosive PC debut and the observed cooling in the broader market for PlayStation sequels present a compelling dilemma for Sony's future multiplatform endeavors. As the PC gaming landscape continues to evolve, understanding the long-term engagement of players with ported franchises will be crucial for strategic planning.