Hermen Hulst, head of Sony Worldwide Studios, explains the reasons for launching this exclusive in compatible.
Kotaku had been warning for a long time: Horizon Zero Dawn is planned for PC. And so it was officially confirmed on March 10. The Japanese company announced that the Complete Edition, which includes the expansion The Frozen Wilds, will be published on Steam by PlayStation Mobile, next summer 2020. But why have they decided to get an exclusive PlayStation 4 title in compatible? In an interview with PlayStation Blog, Hermen Hulst, head of Sony Worldwide Studios and co-founder of Guerrilla Studios, has reflected on it.
"I think it is important that we stay open to new ideas on how to introduce PlayStation to more people," says the director. It also points to the need to "point out to people what they may have missed" if they do not have a Sony system. “Perhaps, also to calm some people, launching a first-party AAA game on PC does not necessarily mean that all games from now on will come to PC. In my opinion, Horizon Zero Dawn just fit great, ”he says. He says they have no plans to launch more games on the platform and that they are still "committed to dedicated hardware."
So, the reason they argue is that they want to expand the PlayStation audience by announcing a successful franchise, in this case Horizon Zero Dawn. The title starring Aloy, one of the most successful new intellectual properties on PlayStation 4, takes us to a post-apocalyptic world full of dangers. Gigantic enemies, partly robots, partly organic, that threaten to end humanity once and for all.
Hermen Hulst
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In the same interview, Hulst spoke about the brand's commitment to quality games for a player. "We are committed to quality exclusives and strong narrative games, single player games." At the same time, they are open to experimentation and new ideas, so they will try things to see what works and what doesn't. "I think that is part of the DNA of Worldwide Studios," he says.
Sony Worldwide Studios encompasses all Sony Interactive Entertainment equipment. Following the departure of Shawn Layden, a veteran of the company, Hermen Hulst took the witness as president of the division.
