The big news that's been doing the rounds over the past few hours is that Microsoft might be planning to bring a bunch of first-party Xbox games to PS5 and maybe even Nintendo Switch, including the likes of Starfield and Indiana Jones.
Everyone has their own opinion on whether this is a good thing or a bad thing, including Larian Studios' Director of Publishing ("Cromwelp" on Twitter), who chose to pick out some of the optimistic parts of this plan should it go ahead:
"People's minds have been absolutely blown by Microsoft’s controversial strategy to get more people playing Xbox games by releasing them to a broader range of people. The Xbox Series S is a really cost efficient way to play AAA games, but it is not the only way. The fact that the Xbox team know that is a good thing for you & their games. The more copies they can sell, the less risk and the more they can invest. Enjoy, if broadening is true."
"Let me give you some optimism: the fact that so many vocal & active Xbox players means there’s an audience. If there’s audience there’s opportunity. Your favourite ecosystem isn’t going anywhere, but strategies shift with the times *to make sure* the economics make sense."
"In spite of Xbox games being on Game Pass PC and Xbox, they habitually make Steam top sellers at full price. Why wouldn’t they want to make money off games thereby reducing risk while at the same time being able to say “well, over here it’s basically free!”"
Plenty of other people within the industry have been chiming in as well over the past few hours, including former God of War director David Jaffe who questioned why there appeared to be such an uproar in the Xbox community about it.
"Starfield - it seems - along with seemingly all other 1st party Xbox games - are coming to PlayStation 5. People seem upset about this. I struggle to figure out why anyone gives a s**t. What does it matter?"
It's important to keep in mind that, at least at the time of writing, Microsoft hasn't confirmed plans to bring the likes of Starfield and Indiana Jones to any platforms other than Xbox and PC. It's all just reports and rumours for now! (Update: Phil Spencer has since issued a brief statement about the situation on social media).
Do you agree with this take, or do you see it as a bad thing? Let us know down in the comments below.
Comments 22
It really is ‘When’ not ‘If’ now. I am all for more people getting the chance to play more games, but due to the far lower sales that would be generated from Sony selling their games on Xbox, it definitely would be only a one way thing now. Now that the rumours over the weekend are all being highlighted by every streamer and YouTube influencer and the usual outlets like IGN and Gamespot, the casuals are seeing now that there is a real possibility that they really don’t need to get Xbox Consoles to play Xbox games and the more people react to this by ditching the console, the more games Microsoft will release on the PlayStation. It’s really a vicious cycle waiting to happen!
For those who get every console every generation (I've usually been one, and it looks like I will be again this generation as I'm likely to finally be tempted if Sony release a PS5 Pro) then it doesn't make much difference.
They can still use the Xbox for Game Pass and playing the exclusives day one (although it does feel a little like we've been beta testers for Starfield while PlayStation will get a tidy version!).
For casual gamers, it might not matter too much where they play FIFA, CoD or Fortnite - but they'll probably go where their friends are, and unfortunately there's normally one in a group who's more "into" gaming and they'll follow them.
The gamers who can only afford one console and do like the non-"casual" games though are much more likely now to go PlayStation (more than they already were - it already felt like an uphill battle for Xbox) as they'll get all the PS exclusives, some number of Xbox games and a lot more third-party support...
(And if this impacts console sales, it'll reduce the financial incentives for publishers to port games to Xbox, meaning we miss out on even more third-party games and it becomes a vicious cycle where there becomes even less reason that gamers would pick Xbox).
Game Pass helps a bit yes, but casuals don't really care (they don't play enough different games to make it worthwhile) and others will either have an Xbox alongside their PS / will use PC or cloud (in time) or just use PS Plus which hasn't been too bad in the last year either (Essential in particular)
it's not about the "ecosystem"
If i can get Xbox games on other consoles consistently, why would i play on Xbox at all? Doesn't make much sense to limit my choices.
The end-point is obviously Xbox as a 3rd party publisher.
Nothing wrong with that. But people who love Xbox aren't happy to see the console going away (or becoming a limited 3rd party games machine)
@Kaloudz personally i'm being a downer because (at a smaller scale) i've lived through this with Sega in the early 2000s.
Same sort of conflicting reports about first party games being available on competitors but not pulling the plug on the Dreamcast.
And then they pulled the plug on the Dreamcast. It's all very deja-vu to me personally.
In this case, i believe MS will continue to sell some Xbox console for game pass, but from a "core gamer" point of view: what's the point? Especially if i can get the games on other (better supported) platforms?
I'm not an "exclusives" guy, but without ANY exclusives the platform as a whole will just die. Xbox will become a 3rd party dev (a big one, maybe even the best one), but the console space will become a Sony v Nintendo thing
@Kaloudz Yea we need to hear it from Xbox themselves ultimately. Every rumour seems to add a new game in, without any source listed at all.
Regardless, if Xbox still gets the games first and they still hit Gamepass day one, and I can still earn achievements… I will still be there playing them on Xbox.
Just don’t tell Xbox that as that just encourages them.
Anyone else think Microsoft has called this decision, and Phil has fought it? He could even walk if this is pushed through over his head. Just adding my own speculation as everyone else is.
Why would anyone waste their time playing on the xbox ecosystem if all games are available on PlayStation. You may sell a few more games, but the ecosystem will be in the bin and won't exist for much longer
@Kaloudz That's the issue - Xbox often lets bad news leak then after it gets to a head finally speaks up.
They're generally pretty good for positive communications - apart from being really bad at just fronting up and saying "yes we don't have any games for the first half of this year, despite our one-a-quarter pledge" which is annoying given we had a Developer Direct of 4 games for this whole year, when PS had a State of Play with more than that for this quarter (admittedly third party exclusives).
But they need to shut this down fast - it's already all over gaming news, commentators, streamers etc. and will likely reach mainstream news soon (or will once MS confirm something).
If they don't come out with a specific ruleset of what goes where and when, and some positive news for Xbox gamers from it (I don't think there is any) then even casual gamers reading BBC News will see "Xbox to release games on PlayStation" with the "case by case basis" in the text.
That'll reinforce the "is this the death of Xbox?" stuff on YouTube / gaming sites etc. and from having worked in retail years ago it can filter through to casuals who come in with a vague grasp of what's happening and why they "definitely don't want an Xbox as I heard they're closing, show me the PlayStation or Nintendo areas".
It's not great mood music when we were expecting a strong showing after the ABK close, and we're already suffering a lack of first-party / strong third-party exclusive games for 2022 and the first 6 months of many years it seems (including this one), and when we do finally get them they're often not as polished / great as they should be, bar FH5...
It's not about a "broader audience", everyone just wants Sony to have a monopoly. They'll talk all day about how good it would be for Xbox exclusives to go to PlayStation but they sure aren't calling for PlayStation exclusives to go to Xbox.
Look, if after all this opening-up, there is still a healthy future for the Xbox console, plus, if this means Game Pass is giving me (first day and last day) access to all the first party titles for a small price (plus, maybe some other goodies), I'm totally fine with spreading games to as many platforms as possible. I'm litterally not affected negatively by other people having fun using hard- or software of other companies.
If, however, this turns out to be the death warrant of the Xbox console, I indeed would mind, because this is the way I enjoy playing games most, and I do not want to go back to Sony for it (assuming that Nintendo continues to stay out of the performance segment). After PS3, PS4, PSP, and Vita, as well as some other questionable decisions, I simply don't trust this company anymore, and I do not want to give them my money, period.
Maybe they're right about this, but man I am not a fan of all the news I've been hearing.
Wow so because this male chicken tells us it's ok I guess I'm the one wrong Microsoft/Xbox consoles will die without it's exclusives I'm not staying on Xbox as I have since the 360 if all Xbox best games come to PlayStation and I can play there games on top of the exclusives they have? we gamers are not mindless stupid people why would anyone stay on Xbox consoles why?
How come the developer that prioritised the Playstation version because more consumers, don't understand this tactic, will tend even further to Playstation.
As I only buy one console per gen. Next one will be a PS and I will stop buying games on xbox right now. Don't have enough confidence on Xbox existing next gen. So its stupid to build my library on a dying ecosystem.
Whats stopping me from selling my Xbox right now is the gamepass sub I have through 2025.
I personnally don't mind if they put some games on other platforms but they should at least keep exclusive the first year only on xbox and pc and then release it everywhere personnally the only person who desire games exclusivity are console warriors as long microsoft be 100% confident that the xbox series s/x are at the best and showcasing what the consoles can do i'm not against games being everywhere as long they are still committed xbox first i'm aright.
i'm a multiplatforms and crossplay enthusiast anyway it do not affect us xbox players if playstations warriors brags all day online xbox has no games because let's be real the second xbox lost his exclusives the toxic playstation mobs will not hesitate to scream him out loud. personnally as someone who don't get impacted i greenlight the move.
It may not be.
But I will be.
I'm not shelling out a premium price for a premium platform that provides no substantial exclusives.
I buy Xbox, Playstation and Switch, to have access to their exclusives. No other reason.
If a platform ceases to have exclusives, then I have no reason to buy it. Timed exclusivity means nothing to me and I'd be just as happy waiting for it to move over if that go that route.
I agree with this guy. If anything, we might see more xbox hardware from this. Play the games wherever you want. You want a high-powered PC (Windows), High powered console (Series X, PS5), entry level (series S, Switch), handheld (Steam deck, possible xbox portable), cloud streaming (mobile, browser, xbox streaming dongle) etc.
I am hopeful that Microsoft is shifting the gaming space with it. Sony upper management will probably have similar thoughts as MS and force the PlayStation team to do something similar down the road. Those games they released a couple years ago aren't doing anything for them right now, why not port them over later and get a 2nd life out of them on Nintendo, PC and Xbox? Microsoft already got them to cave on PC. I think a decade from now the fanboys be fighting about which timed exclusives are "better." Gaming will be better the sooner this becomes a reality.
The reason why PC is superior and getting more so, is the choice you have on your setup. You get to decide exactly what you will get out of it. Steam deck is just as much a home console as Nintendo Switch is. Xbox can get into a similar place. Gamepass, timed exclusivity, and sale prices will be the driving factor for still purchasing an xbox. If you want to wait a year or two and shell out $70 without ever getting a substantial discount on the game then they will gladly sell it to you where ever you are.
This would kill Xbox console sales and push Sony into truly untouchable territory. Not liking the wobble I see here.
I'm not keen on this, because all I want is great games, and having three quality competitive console platforms is a better way to achieve that than two. Xbox has been struggling to justify its existence for over a decade now, and it has hurt gaming. Imagine if we had Zelda, God of War, and something else. Mario, Spider-Man, and something else. We're in a two horse race and I really want it to be three. Xbox has had some minor successes but has never smashed it out the park like Sony and Nintendo have. Just when it looks like they could be getting some momentum, they want to throw away the hardware business? What they need to do is redesign the controller so it doesn't suck to hold compared to the PS5 controller (at least the sticks are in the right place though), whip all their new acquisitions until they actually make some games, make Banjo-Threeie (buy Playtonic perhaps), and double down on exclusives. Quick resume is a game changer, and Xbox's HDMI-CEC implementation is way better than PS5's. And the Series X is easily the best-looking console ever (call me an IKEA fan). Their platform has a lot going for it! The only thing is missing is games, and it's just frustrating that they would give up now.
The fact Phil is usually very reactive and vocal and in this instance has so far been silent is telling in my opinion.
Interesting times for sure…
Removed - trolling/baiting; user is banned
I can only see a negative for Xbox if this is true. If these games are available to buy on PS5 then what incentive is there for anyone to buy an Xbox/Game Pass? In fact, I can see people ditching their Xbox to buy a PlayStation because they'll have the best of both worlds in one system. That in turn gives 3rd party devs less incentive to make games at all for Xbox and even less point in owning one as time goes on.
It's literally a fat tracksuit to becoming a 3rd party publisher.
As much as I love my Switch, it doesn't go after the same customers as PS5/Xbox. Without Xbox as a competitor, Sony can do less, innovate less and charge more. No gamer should be wishing for a one system games industry.
@Sakai
Everyone may have their own reasons but these are mine:
1) I have never had my credit card compromised on XB while I did on PSN in one of their many hack downs.
2) I feel XB Online is better and safer than PSN.
3) I think economically XB is a cheaper platform to play on with GamePass and Series S.
4) I prefer achievements over trophies.
5) XB is my primary console platform with most of my gaming history.
6) I like Microsoft better than Sony although I think both are just corporations trying to suck my money away.
7) I do not like how Sony keeps remastering their games that are only one or two generations old and recharging gamers for them.
8) I also appreciate how MS stood behind their product and replaced my 360 console when it got the RRoD. My PS4 died during warranty and it took me two months to get a new one.
I am sure lots of people have lots of reasons to buy PS but for me I will stick with XB even if they move multi-platform. I should note I also own a PS5 and Switch. And whenever next gen consoles comes out I will buy them all as well.
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