'Horizon Zero Dawn' Xbox One and PC Release Date: Here's why it probably won't happen

Are you looking longingly at the glowing reviews for the new PlayStation 4 exclusive Horizon Zero Dawn on Metacritic and wondering whether it'll ever come to Xbox One and PC? We've got bad news: It's not going to happen.

It all has to do with Horizon Zero Dawn developer Guerrilla Games' status as a first-party studio. Let us explain.

Horizon Zero Dawn Xbox One and PC release date: What's a first-party studio?

Guerrilla Games, the company that developed Horizon Zero Dawn, is "wholly owned" by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, which means the studio's whole purpose is to create cool games exclusive to PlayStation platforms. The casual term for this type of studio is a "first-party" studio. Another example is 343 Industries, which makes the Xbox-exclusive Halo games.

If you're shaking your fists wondering, "Why, god, why? Why does it have to be this way?" the answer is simple: capitalism.

In the competitive world of console gaming, companies try to develop compelling platform-exclusive games to entice customers to purchase its consoles. It's as simple as that.

So, if you want to play Horizon Zero Dawn, you'll need to own a PS4. Because that's exactly how Sony wants it to be. Sorry.

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