“Cats and Dogs Living Together”: Shawn Layden on the “Apocalypse” of Multiplatform Mario

In a year defined by the erosion of traditional console boundaries, former PlayStation Chairman Shawn Layden has once again stirred the industry with a blunt defense of platform exclusivity. Speaking on the Pause for Thought podcast in late December 2025, Layden argued that while multiplatform releases are a financial necessity for some, they represent a “death of identity” for others.

His most striking comment—which quickly went viral across the gaming community—compared the prospect of Nintendo’s mascot appearing on rival hardware to a biblical disaster.

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1. The “Apocalypse” Quote

Layden’s comments were framed around the “value of the brand.” While Microsoft has moved toward an “Xbox Everywhere” strategy and Sony has increasingly embraced PC, Layden believes the “North Star” of the console model still relies on unique, hardware-defining experiences.

“I don’t think every game should be console-exclusive, but if you’re going to have platform companies like Sony and Nintendo… there is huge value to the brand in having strong exclusives. If Mario starts appearing on PlayStation, that’s the apocalypse, right? Cats and dogs living together. And the same goes for Nathan Drake and Uncharted. They make the platforms sing.”

2. Why Exclusives “Make the Platforms Sing”

Layden expanded on his reasoning, offering a technical perspective on why hardware-specific games are often superior to multiplatform ones:

• The “Lowest Common Denominator” Problem: Multiplatform games must be coded to work on the weakest hardware in the target group.

• Levering the Hardware: Exclusive developers can “push every lever to 11” because they only have to worry about one architecture. He cited Astro Bot (PS5) and the rumored Nintendo Switch 2 launch titles as games that justify their hardware because they utilize specific, non-transferable features like haptics or unique Joy-Con inputs.

• Brand Meaning: Without Mario, a Nintendo console is just a box; without Nathan Drake or Kratos, a PlayStation loses its “soul.“

Layden’s Stance on the “New Era” of Exclusivity

3. The “Sticker Shock” Factor

Earlier in 2025, Layden made headlines for stating that Nintendo Switch 2 exclusives are the only thing that will make players accept the rumored $80 price tag for games. He noted that fans “want that content so bad” it effectively overrides the pain of a price hike.

From his perspective, exclusivity is a psychological tool. If you can play a game anywhere, it becomes a commodity. If you can only play it in one place, it becomes an event.

4. A Vision for the Future: The “Consortium”

Despite his defense of exclusives, Layden isn’t a “console war” traditionalist. He has repeatedly advocated for a standardized gaming format—similar to how Blu-ray or CDs work—where manufacturers compete on hardware quality while sharing a common software architecture. However, until that “utopia” arrives, he believes that giving up your mascots to a rival is a sign of surrender.

Conclusion: The Last of the Guardians?

Layden’s “apocalypse” warning comes at a time when Xbox is porting nearly its entire back catalog to PS5 and Sony is releasing major titles like Helldivers 2 and LEGO Horizon Adventures on PC and Switch. By positioning Mario and Nathan Drake as the final line of defense, Layden is reminding the industry that once the “apocalypse” happens and the walls are fully down, the reason to buy a $500 console might disappear forever.