Microsoft plans to address the future of Xbox soon. Read on to learn more about the rumors and the business update event about their plans.
Microsoft To Address The Rumors of Going Multi-Platform
End Of The Console Wars?
Since last week, Microsoft’s plans about exclusive titles going multi-platform have gone viral. As reported by The Verge over the weekend, Microsoft has begun to consider porting the upcoming Indiana Jones game over to PlayStation. This came months after Xbox CFO Tim Stuart’s comment about Microsoft Gaming needing "a bit of a change of strategy." While Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer did state that "We have no plans to bring Xbox Game Pass to PlayStation or Nintendo," it didn’t necessarily mean that their titles were staying exclusive.
Spencer, addressed the anxious Xbox fans in a post on Twitter(X) saying:
"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."
Exclusivity Is Overrated
Over the weekend, a datamine of t-shirt texture files in the critically acclaimed action-rhythm game, Hi-Fi Rush, was reported to be a hint of Microsoft porting it over to PS5 and Switch. Tom Warren, a Senior Editor at The Verge, confirmed that the datamine is legit and further adds to the confirmation about the rumor going around.
To add to this, it was also reported that it wasn’t just Indiana Jones, Starfield, or Hi-Fi Rush that were coming to the rival consoles, there were more titles that were going multi-platform. Here is the rumored exclusive titles that are going multi-platform:
● Starfield
● Hi-Fi Rush
● Sea of Thieves
● Indiana Jones And The Great Circle
● Halo Series
● Gears of War Series
● Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Win-Win Situation?
In another report made by VGC (VideoGameChronicle), Starfield was reportedly planned to be ported to the PS5 after the release of the Shattered Space expansion DLC. The DLC has been advertised for release on Xbox consoles and PC later this year. From a business standpoint, it would mean that the "change in strategy" that Stuart mentioned is a big change to how they deal with their exclusive titles.
XboxEra reported that the senior executives at Microsoft have already debated both the pros and cons of releasing their exclusive titles on different platforms and that while not everyone is happy with the move, the potential money "left on the table" by going multi-platform has won the crowd.
One thing to note is that Xbox has technically already gone multi-platform with its titles going to PC, and all of this could point to their software sales earning more than they could’ve expected. Director of Research and Insights at Niko Partners, Daniel Ahmad, posted on Twitter(X) that going multiplatform could be a "win-win situation" for both Microsoft and Game Pass.
Ahmad adds that "While [the] console is still important to Xbox / MS, it’s pretty clear that MS’s goal for a while has been that its games can be accessed anywhere. Hence why you can play Xbox games on PC or on mobile via cloud. Game Pass also [ties] into that. PlayStation or Nintendo releases would just be an extension of that strategy."
While this may be Microsoft’s way of earning more revenue with their "exclusive" titles moving forward, the gamers having more games to play if this strategy pushes through is a win in my book.
Sources:
The Verge - Microsoft to share details on bringing Xbox games to PlayStation next week
The Verge - Microsoft weighs launching Indiana Jones on the PS5
Comicbook Gaming - Every Xbox Exclusive Game Rumored to Release for PS5
VGC - Starfield is reportedly coming to PS5, along with other Xbox exclusives
XboxEra - EXCLUSIVE | Microsoft plans Starfield launch for PlayStation 5
