According to Wccftech, recent discoveries in the PlayStation Store code strongly suggest Sony is preparing cross-buy functionality between PlayStation 5 and PC platforms. Leaker Amethxst first spotted new icons in the PlayStation Store that indicate cross-buy capability, which was then confirmed by known leaker billbil-kun on Dealabs. The evidence shows these icons can be viewed by inserting special characters into the “About” section of a PlayStation Network account. Even more telling, billbil-kun discovered “crossbuy-tag” references in CSS files that date back to June 2025, confirming this isn’t leftover code from older cross-buy initiatives like PlayStation Vita. The presence of specific PS5/PC icons strongly suggests the feature will allow purchasing a game once and receiving both platform versions.
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Sony Playing Catch-Up
Here’s the thing: Xbox has been doing this for years with Play Anywhere. You buy a game once, and you get both the Xbox and Windows versions automatically. Sony’s been watching from the sidelines while Microsoft built this ecosystem advantage. Now it looks like they’re finally ready to join the party. But why now? The gaming landscape has changed dramatically since the PS5 launched. PC gaming has exploded, and Sony’s been porting more of their exclusives to Steam and other platforms. Cross-buy could be the logical next step to unify their approach.
Bigger Than Just PC
Now here’s where it gets really interesting. There’s speculation this cross-buy system might also include Sony’s rumored upcoming handheld device, which is expected to launch alongside the PlayStation 6. Think about that for a second. You buy a game, and you automatically get it on your PS5, your gaming PC, and your PlayStation handheld. That’s a powerful value proposition that could seriously challenge Microsoft’s current offering. It would create a seamless ecosystem that spans multiple form factors. Basically, Sony might be building the foundation for their next-generation platform strategy right under our noses.
What This Means For Gamers
For players, this could be huge. No more double-dipping when you want to play the same game on different devices. Your progress and purchases would theoretically carry across platforms. But there are big questions too. Will this apply to all PlayStation Studios titles? What about third-party publishers? And most importantly, will Sony need to create their own PC storefront to make this work properly? The current setup with Steam and Epic Games Store might complicate things. Still, the potential here is massive if Sony gets the execution right.
Industry Implications
Look, this move would put significant pressure on the entire gaming industry. Microsoft set the standard, but Sony entering the cross-buy arena would validate the approach at scale. It could force other platform holders to reconsider their strategies. For developers, it creates interesting possibilities but also technical challenges around save synchronization and platform-specific optimizations. And let’s not forget the business implications – would this lead to higher base game prices to compensate for the added value? There’s a lot we don’t know yet, but the code doesn’t lie. Something is definitely cooking at PlayStation HQ.
