Part 4/8:
The End of an Era for PlayStation Exclusives
Adding to the narrative of industry change, recent developments suggest a significant shift in Sony's traditional business model. Historically, Sony has relied heavily on PlayStation exclusives—blockbuster titles like God of War and The Last of Us—to drive console sales and maintain market dominance.
However, Square Enix, one of the industry's longstanding partners, has announced it is moving away from exclusivity, especially for its flagship franchises like Final Fantasy. Following a near 70% profit decline year-over-year, driven by drops in MMO and mobile game revenues alongside escalating development costs, Square Enix has signaled a pivot toward an open multi-platform strategy.