East PlayStation Owner Shawn Layden has claimed that he doesn't believe console exclusives are going anywhere anytime soon, citing some of the benefits that come with such titles for both developers and consumers. PlayStation has really made a name for itself by developing a strong catalog of exclusive titles, although many of those games have come to PC in recent years. However, many of these titles are still available on the console through PlayStation, as are the games Marvel's Spider-Man, god of warand The last of us Never made its way to Nintendo or Xbox consoles.
For many years, console exclusives seemed set in stone, especially when it came to company mascots like Mario, Kratos, and Master Chief. In recent years, things seem to have changed, as companies are testing new waters by putting specific properties on new platforms. For example, while Horizon zero dawn Remains exclusive to PlayStation and PC, Sony launched LEGO Horizon Adventures on both PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch, bringing the character of Aloy to a Nintendo console for the first time. Previously, Xbox was released in 2025 Gears of War reloaded on PlayStation 5, bringing the franchise to Sony's platform for the first time in its history. While this move may seem strange to some (especially those who grew up in the age of the “console wars”), it's part of Xbox's strategy to make their software easily available to players everywhere and anywhere.
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Shawn Layden Thinks Exclusives Sings Platform
In a recent appearance on Game Rant's Character Selection, Shawn Layden discussed the role specials play within the industry. Leyden doesn't think exclusives will go away anytime soon, saying, “There's great value to a brand that has strong exclusives. If Mario starts showing up on PlayStation, that's apocalypse, right? Cats and dogs living together. And the same goes for Nathan Drake and things like that. unknown. They sing the platform.” It's interesting to hear Nathan Drake mentioned in the same breath as Mario, but both characters have contributed greatly to the image, brand and success of their respective platforms. When it comes to marketing, these characters often become the face of the platform they represent, giving players a glimpse of what they can experience when they can't take traditional control. Represents the type of story-driven single-player experience readily available on PlayStation.
It's worth noting that Layden doesn't believe that all games should be exclusive to a specific platform. However, exclusives allow developers to showcase the best features of their given platform. For example, Layden said, “When you code on multiple platforms, you have to code to the lowest common denominator. But if you do exclusives, you can push every lever to eleven.” Many PlayStation exclusives try to make the most of the platform, especially the DualSense controller. In 2025, a PlayStation exclusive title Ghost of Yotei Made heavy use of DualSense and its unique capabilities. Ghost of Yotei Developer Sucker Punch made great use of the controller's haptic feedback and touchpad controls, giving players an experience not possible on other platforms.
Not everyone agrees with Layden, however, with Xbox's president calling the idea of exclusives “antiquated” in October 2025. Xbox president Sarah Bond seems to believe that the key to future success will involve making games as widely available as possible. Like games Minecraft and Fortnite Satisfying the market by being available almost everywhere, meeting gamers wherever they choose to play. However, Leyden accepted the title Fortnite exists in a different space, because massively multiplayer games almost have to go multi-platform to be successful. While there's no way to know where things will go in the future, it seems that major gaming companies are paying attention to the performance of the exclusives.
