Less than two weeks out from the release of Death Stranding, developer Kojima Productions revealed that the once thought to be PlayStation exclusive would be releasing on PC in “early summer” of next year. The timing of this move is pro-consumer in its nature as the studio, and PC publisher 505 Games, could have simply waited to announce the PC version after the release of the PlayStation 4 version on November 8. Now players have the opportunity to wait for the Death Stranding PC release if they should choose want, rather than potentially needing to double-dip on Hideo Kojima’s latest third-person action game. While some players are canceling their pre-orders of Death Stranding for that reason, others are acting in a childish manner and canceling their purchases simply because it is no longer a PlayStation 4 exclusive, which is quite childish.
By canceling their pre-order of the game, it makes one question the reason why they were excited over Death Stranding in the first place. If you were truly amped up to experience Kojima’s first game since splitting from Konami then you would still want to play the Sony-published console version. However, these players are canceling their orders because it is a mere console exclusive than truly a PS4-only game. This shows that they value purely supporting games that Sony have funded to the point of full exclusivity rather than just buying games that they are interested in. It’s a completely backwards attitude that is showing a blind loyalty toward a publisher rather than the people actually making the game and what is actually included on the disc.
This type of allegiance is seen everywhere and this issue isn’t just specific to gaming. Take a look at politics for example, if someone has voted for a party for decades then they’re likely to stick by their candidate even if they don’t like them on a personal level and disagree with them on important issues. Loyalty to a brand sometimes trumps common sense for some people. This type of unflinching support is great for companies as they can count on a dedicated fanbase to buy everything they put out, and quality ultimately doesn’t matter. Of course, Sony has earned this type of support by making games that people really enjoy, but extending it to every release they put out is silly as they, like every publisher, have put out some stinkers here and there. It’s OK to be excited for a game when Sony is attached, but it shouldn’t be the sole reason you purchase anything.
The Death Stranding PC port isn’t the first time brand loyalty has trumped enjoying games
This is far from the first situation that has seen console fans upset over a would-be exclusive coming to a wider audience. One analogous example would be when Remedy Entertainment announced that Quantum Break would be coming to PC in addition to Xbox One. It’s not a mirrored scenario as it launched on both platforms on the same day (so Death Stranding‘s situation is even more kind to console loyalists) and Microsoft quickly adopted a policy that saw all of its console exclusives also come to PC. However, we did see a ton of fans become upset over the move as if allowing more people to play it negatively impacted their reasoning for purchasing the game.
This entitled attitude was best summed up by YouTuber The CrapGamer. “You didn’t stop to ask the hardcore fans that stuck by Xbox if this is even what we wanted,” wrote CrapGamer on Twitter to Xbox head Phil Spencer. “It’s not. I canceled my Quantum Break pre-order as I said I would. You weren’t upfront on [the game] going to PC.” Spencer’s short response quickly showed how silly the whole situation was. “You canceled a pre-order for a game you want to play because someone else gets to play the game on Windows?” asked Spencer. “We are focused on the best place to play for gamers, not about creating walls.”
That quick exchange from 2016 sums up the entire issue here. People are angry because they thought of Death Stranding as a special treat only for them. If you wanted to play it, then you had to buy a PlayStation 4. It was a part of their special club, and now it’s only an exclusive for half a year. It’s a childish viewpoint and taking joy in getting to experience what others cannot is an embarrassing way to enjoy gaming. Play games that you are actually interested in rather than just sticking to a certain publisher. If Death Stranding‘s series of strange mechanics and celebrity cameos appeals to you then great. If not, you can safely move on. Whether or not it is an exclusive should not impact whether you will play it (unless of course you simply don’t own the platform it is on). Games being on different platforms is a good thing, not a bad one.
If you are not a stockholder, stop acting like one
One thing about fandom that sadly never changes is that a lot of fans have the attitude of being a stockholder of the company despite not being one. They cheer on their financial numbers as if that impacts their lives and if their decisions led to it. They argue about Metacritic ratings simply because they want other people to perceive the thing that they support as being great. They are concerned with so much stuff that ultimately doesn’t matter to them. If they simply just took a step back and enjoyed the games for what they were and left it at that, then they would have a much more fulfilling relationship with the medium. Being a stockholder is stressful, so don’t concern yourself with their issues if you aren’t one.
Ultimately, the Death Stranding PC release is a positive move even if exclusives are more “exciting.” Sony got the timed exclusivity deal it earned after helping Kojima Productions with the game, and more players can now experience Hideo Kojima’s next title before a possible PS5 port or upgrade. If you’re mad about that, then you need to check your priorities before you wreck your enjoyment of gaming even more in an effort to close off who can experience what.
