After much ado, Phil Spencer’s promised “Business Update” for Xbox has finally arrived as the ever-vocal Xbox head, alongside Sarah Bond and Matt Booty, unveiled strategic decisions that have significant implications for the future of Xbox and its expansive gaming ecosystem.
Central to this announcement was the revelation that put some of the biggest rumors to rest: that four unnamed Xbox exclusives, all more than a year old, will soon grace other platforms. It’s an interesting decision that, while fostering broader accessibility, has sparked a dialogue among fans and industry observers about the evolving nature of game exclusivity and Microsoft’s long-term vision for its gaming division.
The trio detailed this shift towards a more inclusive gaming landscape, among others, via the 22-minute podcast. In it, Spencer hinted at a potential industry-wide trend away from strict exclusivity, suggesting that community-driven online games are prime candidates for cross-platform play. This strategic pivot is aimed not only at maximizing business value but also at promoting the Xbox brand across a wider audience. Despite these changes, Spencer wants fans to feel reassured that its proprietary hardware would continue to offer the “best Xbox experience,” teasing significant advancements for the next generation, presumably the rumored Xbox Series X refresh from last year and maybe even a new handheld device.
Another standout moment in the update was the announcement that Diablo 4, a title from the recently acquired Activision Blizzard, will make its Game Pass debut on March 28. This is the first of what promises to be a series of Activision Blizzard games to join the Game Pass roster, significantly enhancing the service’s value for its 34 million subscribers. Diablo 4‘s inclusion is particularly noteworthy, given the game’s success since its launch and its potential to attract even more players through Game Pass.
In addition to this, Microsoft reaffirmed its commitment to video game preservation, which emphasizes the importance of maintaining access to a broad catalog of games for the future. This dedication ensures that classic and contemporary titles alike remain part of the gaming conversation, accessible to all – a stance that stands in stark contrast to PlayStation and Nintendo.
Nevertheless, there’s genuine concern surrounding the announcements. The dilution of the platform’s exclusive game portfolio is a legitimate risk. Microsoft clarified that the strategy to make select games available on other platforms primarily targets older and community-driven titles, suggesting a balanced approach to preserving the value proposition of Xbox hardware. But what happens when the big first-party exclusives don’t end up selling well? Will it force Xbox to reconsider? If that happens, what then? We know Starfield did well in spite of exclusivity, yet it’s still just one of many. It remains to be seen how Xbox will react if Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Avowed, and Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, all fail to post respectable numbers, both in terms of sales and engagement via Game Pass.
Microsoft can promise a “better” experience on Xbox all it wants, even release the world’s most powerful console but it can’t force developers to spend extra time optimizing games for a platform that draws significantly fewer players compared to its main competition.
The Xbox Series X is technically the better console compared to the PlayStation 5. But it isn’t that obvious. In fact, outside of last year’s GOTY contender, Alan Wake 2, no game seems to be willing to take advantage of this added hardware. To make matters worse, Xbox may have been intentionally gimping its chances with the Xbox Series S, which has proven to be quite the handful to deal with.
It’s no surprise then that the PS5 is outselling the Xbox Series X, a situation that might only get worse with Xbox releasing its exclusives to other platforms.
Then again, so is PlayStation, so maybe the all-inclusive vision these companies have going forward has merit, even if it may only extend to live-service games.
Nevertheless, Xbox’s vision of positioning Xbox as a platform for today’s gamers and future generations is clear. The onus is now on them to live up to their promises.
