Insider Leaks New Details on Microsoft’s Approach to Future Xbox Exclusives

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Summary

  • Xbox exclusives will reportedly be exceptions, not the norm, going forward.
  • Microsoft will reportedly only keep future games exclusive to Xbox in exceptional circumstances, like its studio lacking the time or other resources for porting.
  • As far as AAA titles are concerned, permanent Xbox console exclusives may soon become a thing of the past.

As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I must say this news about the potential shift in Xbox exclusives is quite intriguing. Over the years, I’ve seen the gaming landscape evolve from 8-bit monochrome graphics to vibrant 4K resolution and beyond.

It’s been suggested by a trusted source within the gaming industry that in the future, games exclusively available on Xbox may become rare exceptions instead of the standard practice. This perspective is based on Microsoft’s alleged strategy for choosing which games will be exclusive to Xbox.

In February 2024, Microsoft made its first move into multi-platform game publishing, unveiling that four of their Xbox games would be available on competing platforms. These games eventually became Pentiment, Hi-Fi Rush, Grounded, and Sea of Thieves. Before this shift, Microsoft had maintained that it would make each future exclusivity decision on a case-by-case basis, a stance they emphasized to regulators during their attempts to finalize the acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

According to industry insider Jez Corden, who recently revealed additional details about the “case-by-case basis” approach, exclusives may become less common for Xbox in the future. During a recent episode of The Xbox Two Podcast, Corden, a well-known leaker, stated that his sources claim that Xbox will make exceptions regarding exclusives. He explained that keeping a game exclusive would be based on a variety of factors, which he referred to as “incidentals.” These incidentals could include situations where an Xbox developer lacked the time or resources for a multi-platform port, such as not having a support studio available.

The Era of Permanent Xbox Console Exclusives May Be Coming to an End

In the future, games won’t continue to be exclusive to Microsoft’s consoles solely as a way to cater to Xbox fans, according to Corden. This assertion aligns with his recent reports suggesting that the time of permanent Xbox console exclusives might be drawing to a close.

The case to keep a[n Xbox] game exclusive is going to be a catalog of incidentals.

It’s uncertain at this point how swiftly Microsoft will transfer their upcoming exclusive games to competing platforms. The game Black Ops 6, released on PlayStation consoles in late October 2024, was a unique case due to the timely port being a result of the ten-year Call of Duty agreement Microsoft sealed with PlayStation in 2023.

It’s possible that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle could serve as a good example of how Microsoft intends to manage their exclusive titles in the future. This critically praised action-adventure was initially launched on the Xbox Series X/S and PC in early December 2024, but it was already confirmed to be arriving on the PS5 in spring 2025 before its release. The upcoming lineup of Xbox games that will become multi-platform might be unveiled in January 2025, which coincides with rumors about Microsoft hosting its next Xbox Developer Direct event.

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2024-12-21 19:25