Returnal is one of the first true PS5 exclusives, an honor it only shares with games like Demon’s Souls and Destruction All-Stars.
Thus far, it’s been met with extremely positive reviews that praise an engaging roguelike time loop and intense action. But thus far, you can only play it on the immensely popular but rare PlayStation 5. For those wondering whether or not Returnal will come to other platforms in the future, here’s a look at the possibility.
But be forewarned: Don't get your hopes up if you don’t have a PS5.
Is there a Returnal PC release date?
Currently, there are no publicly announced plans to bring Returnal to PC. The game is published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, so it makes a lot of sense that the game would stay PlayStation exclusive. That said, Sony is starting to branch out by creating more PC ports.
“There’s an opportunity to expose those great games to a wider audience and recognize the economics of game development, which are not always straightforward.” Sony Interactive Entertainment President Jim Ryan told GQ. “Also, our ease of making it available to non-console owners has grown. So it’s a fairly straightforward decision for us to make.”
Right now, this initiative only appears to apply to PS4 games such as Horizon Zero Dawn and Days Gone. While Housemarque has a history on PC, it seems like ports of PS5 games aren’t currently planned. Returnal could come to PC one day if we’re lucky, but don’t expect that to happen anytime soon.
Is there a Returnal Xbox Series X release date?
Returnal on Xbox Series X is even less likely than a PC port. In April 2021, Sony’s San Diego Studio did release MLB The Show 21 on Xbox One and Xbox Series X. It was even on Xbox Game Pass day one, which set a surprising precedent for Sony exclusives on other platforms. However, analysts and Sony confirmed to Inverse that these ports happened because of pressure from the MLB.
Unlike Microsoft, Sony isn’t as willing to play ball with other platforms and port their exclusives. Don’t ever expect Returnal to come to Xbox Series X unless there’s some sort of major shift in Sony’s release and exclusivity philosophy, which is basically unfathomable.
Is there a Returnal PS4 release date?
While PC and Xbox Series X ports are extremely unlikely, a PS4 port might seem a bit more plausible as the game is published by Sony.
Currently, it doesn’t seem like a next-gen release is on the cards though. Sony has never been as interested in cross-gen titles this generation. Returnal is being lauded as one of the first true PS5 exclusives. The way it utilizes the DualSense controller and next-gen features like ray-tracing would make it virtually impossible to port back to the PS4.
Being solely a next-gen game also gives Returnal the opportunity to take advantage of some next-gen technology like ray-tracing, the DualSense’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, 3D audio, and the PS5’s fast SSD. A PS4 port would probably have to be neutered in some pretty big ways, so Housemarque and Sony appear to have decided to keep Returnal on only next-gen.
If it isn’t clear already, don’t expect Returnal to come to any other platforms for the time being. It is a true PS5 exclusive for the foreseeable future.
Returnal is available now exclusively for PS5.
