By Sagar V. Mankar Gamers and industry watchers have been buzzing with speculation about the future of Xbox exclusives.
Will Microsoft’s major game franchises like Satrfield and Forza remain exclusive to Xbox and PC?
Or will they expand to PlayStation and Nintendo platforms too?
Facing growing questions, Xbox chief Phil Spencer announced that a “Business Update Event” next week will reveal more details.
Spencer tweeted,
“We’re listening and we hear you, We’ve been planning a business update event for next week, where we look forward to sharing more details with you about our vision for the future of Xbox. Stay tuned.”
Spencer’s announcement comes after several reports that major Xbox games are headed to rival platforms.
According to The Verge, the upcoming Indiana Jones game will launch first on Xbox and PC, but come to PlayStation 5 shortly after.
XboxERA reported that Starfield could follow a similar path, debuting first on Xbox and PC but expanding to PS5 after its Shattered Space expansion.
Other Xbox games like Hi-Fi Rush and Sea of Thieves may also be shedding their exclusivity.
For gamers who bought an Xbox because of its impressive exclusives, this is concerning news.
Ever since the Xbox One generation, Microsoft has touted its first-party games lineup as a key advantage over PlayStation.
But Microsoft seems to be pivoting to a wider “ecosystem” approach, rather than relying on exclusives alone.
The company points to services like Xbox Game Pass as its real special sauce.
If major games like The Elder Scrolls VI launch on both Xbox and PlayStation, Microsoft can still attract gamers through Game Pass discounts.
Of course, many gamers prefer exclusives because they drive competition and innovation.
Will multiplatform releases make Xbox and PlayStation complacent?
It’s a passionate debate, and Microsoft is clearly listening.
Exact details should emerge during next week’s business update for Xbox.
While uncertainty remains, one thing is clear: major changes are likely ahead for Xbox exclusives.