XBOX Exclusives Are To Remain “Case-By-Case”, Games Offered Will Be A “Reliable Pipeline”

Upon the torch passing to current XBOX boss Asha Sharma, one of her pledges as part of the ‘We Are XBOX’ testament included considering console exclusives for XBOX. Currently, the platform looks to be a multiplatform haven with titles like Forza Horizon 6 & Halo: Combat Evolved both confirmed for PlayStation 5. Sharma in a shared statement with Matt Booty explained that the firm is reapproaching the business model with the platform reboot underway.

“[We will reevaluate our approach to exclusivity, windowing, and AI, and share more as we learn and decide].” And there appeared to be other tangible sources that heard the same conversation around the same time. Windows Central reported then that exclusive titles are being discussed internally for the future of XBOX with Sharma now spearheading the entire Microsoft gaming division.

Now after the most recent XBOX Games Showcase this weekend, it is confirmed that platform exclusives are back for XBOX. This is kicked off with titles Gears of War: E-Day & Clockwork Revolution. At the XBOX event held in Los Angeles, Booty elaborated on the approach Microsoft is going forward with console exclusive when speaking to Gamertag Radio. You can watch the segment in the video below:

“[We] want people to have a reason to get on board with XBOX. We want them to have a reason to buy an XBOX, reason to be an XBOX fan. Same time we want to reward all our players that have been with us for a long time. We know that exclusives are important. That’s why we have Gears coming in 2026, Clockwork in 2027. We- want to be clear our big multiplayer games, live-service games are going to continue to be multiplatform,” Booty explained. 

“If we’ve promised something to players already, we’re going to make that [promise]. We’re going to honor that promise, right? […] We’re going to keep thinking about this going forward […] our principle is: when we announce a date, we want to announce the platforms. So it’s going to be case-by-case, but we’re going to be clear that when it’s got a date, it’s got a platform and you’ll know what the choice is going to be.”

Elsewhere in another discussion, Sharma when speaking to Bloomberg elaborated that the decision is always being considered on multiple fronts. Among the context of the conversation, Sharma expresses the reality of XBOX as a platform as well as a publisher and the choices that works best in both scenarios. You can watch the segment in the video below:

“Look, we’re the number two publisher in the world and in order to be a great publisher, you must have your games reach large audiences to play. At the same time, we’re increasingly becoming a platform. In order to be a platform, you must have exclusive content and services. And so we’re looking at that very closely. I think we have to be very thoughtful about each title on how we want to thin about it and learn from similar cases in the industry.”

Even XBOX chief strategy officer Matthew Ball pressed on the exclusive topic. At The Game Business Live, he said that “everyone in the industry understands that exclusives are important,” and what XBOX will offer is a “reliable pipeline” for those invested into the platform. Ball in the same discussion also elaborated on the losses of XBOX Game Pass Ultimate when the tier was charged to $30 a month last year. You can read the full report by heading here.

Are you in favor of console exclusives for XBOX or no?

Source: GameSpot