Over the years, Sony has primarily focused on console gaming, however, the company has also released PC games. The latest PC game from Sony is Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. This game has been a huge success for Sony over the years on the PlayStation console. However, the release of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart for PC has active gamers that are far below what Sony had recorded in the past.
Despite receiving strong reviews, the game has failed to gain decent traction on the platform. On July 26th, the game officially hit PC but according to Dexerto, it managed to peak at only 8757 active gamers. Crast also reports that the game has a very strong review of 84% based on 670 user reviews. However, it appears that this is not enough to convince PC gamers to try it out. Metro UK further reveals that Sony will not be happy with the number because it has done better in the past with PC games like God of War. Metro UK also claims that one reason for the low number of active users is because Sony’s last game on PC, The Last Of Us didn’t do too well.
Sony games on PC have had good numbers
The active gamers on Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart on PC is nothing close to some of the top games that the company has released for PC. Below are some games which the company has released for PC and their numbers
- God of War – 73,529K
- Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered – 66,436K
- Horizon Zero Dawn – 56,557K
- The Last of Us Part I – 36,496K
- Days Gone – 27,450K
The number of active users for the above games far exceeds 9000. According to The Verge and Game Rant, there were high expectations for Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart on PC due to its success on PlayStation. However, for the reasons stated below, this game did not attract many active gamers.
Possible Reasons for the low number of active gamers
According to SteamDB, there is a poor transfer of console games to PC and this is one of the major reasons why these games don’t do so well on PC. The source for the information on the poor transfer of console games to PC is SteamDB. Unfortunately, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a console game that was transferred to PC. When the game is new, gamers (both console and PC) have an interest in the game. However, while console gamers get the game, PC gamers will have to wait. By the time the game arrives the PCs after a few years, that interest is probably gone.
As a leading console and game developer, Sony may need to reconsider its approach to PC releases if they want to continue bringing their exclusive titles to the platform. There are several possible reasons why Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart has failed to gain traction on PC despite strong reviews. Here are some that we can think of
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Late Release
One possible reason is the late release of the game on PC. We discussed this briefly above but let’s now give some specific dates. For instance, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart was released on PlayStation on June 11, 2021. This means that it is taking just over two years for the company to release the same game on PC. This delay may have caused some PC gamers to lose interest in the game. This is likely because the game is already available on another platform.
Competition
Another reason could be the competition on PC. The PC gaming market is highly competitive, and many other games are available on the platform. This means that even a highly-rated game like Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart may struggle to gain traction if it is released alongside other popular titles.
Lack of Marketing
Sony’s lack of marketing for the PC release of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart may also be a contributing factor. The company did not promote the game heavily on PC or other platforms, which may have resulted in low visibility for the game.
Console Exclusivity
Finally, the fact that Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart was originally a console exclusive may have also contributed to its poor performance on PC. PC gamers may have been hesitant to purchase a game that was not originally designed for their platform.
Please note that the reasons given above are pretty straightforward and there is no need to deeply explore the reasons. For instance, if there is no marketing, fewer people will be aware of the game on PC. Thus, it is not rocket science to know that if fewer people are aware of the game, there will be fewer active users.
Conclusion
The relatively low number of active players of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart on PC despite strong reviews raises is a surprise to many people. While Sony has had success with some of its PC releases, it seems to be struggling to gain traction with others. Sony may need to re-evaluate its approach to PC gaming if it wants to succeed in this highly competitive market. If Sony really needs PC gamers, then it should consider the timing of the release of its games on PC. The company also have to market the games, perhaps more than it does on PlayStation where it already has a grip on the market.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a viral game on PlayStation thus there is no need to discuss its gameplay and features since it’s already public knowledge. Also, Digital Foundry‘s John Linneman noted that the gameplay and part of this game on PC are just as it is on PlayStation. However, Linneman recommends that to get good game quality, use an SSD. But if you are stuck with HDD, gamers should use one with a faster spin time for better results.
Author Bio
Efe Udin is a seasoned tech writer with over seven years of experience covering a wide range of topics in the tech industry. From mobile phones to tablets, Efe has kept a keen eye on the latest advancements and trends, providing insightful analysis and reviews to inform and educate readers.
