Four Xbox-exclusive games will be released on rival consoles as an experiment
Xbox has confirmed that four exclusive games will be released on rival consoles, after weeks of speculation.
Earlier this month, several reports emerged that Microsoft was planning on releasing several big exclusives like Starfield, Indiana Jones & The Great Circle, Halo and Gears Of Wars on the PlayStation 5. Microsoft then confirmed a press conference to discuss the “vision for the future” of Xbox, which finally took place last night (February 15).
Those rumours were swiftly debunked, but Microsoft did announce their intention “to take four games to the other consoles [PS5 and Nintendo Switch]”. Xbox boss Phil Spencer didn’t name the titles explicitly but confirmed two are community-driven titles while the other two are smaller games.
Fans seem convinced the titles in question are Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment, Sea of Thieves and Grounded.
Speaking to The Verge, Spencer described this move as an experiment. “I’m going to learn about our partnership with other platforms. I’m going to learn about what happens with our players. I think it will benefit the games that we’re putting there [but] if the net result is that other things are punitive to the Xbox platform and try to limit our growth, then we’ll have to think more carefully about how we support those other platforms.”
He said there are currently no plans for other titles to make the move to multiplatform but “I don’t think we should as an industry ever rule out a game going to any other platform,” he added.
Spencer also said he hoped PlayStation and Nintendo exclusives could also find a home on Xbox [via Game File]. “When I look at a game like Helldivers 2 – and it’s a great game, kudos to the team shipping on PC and PlayStation – I’m not exactly sure who it helps in the industry by not being on Xbox.”
“This is not some kind of bartering system [though]” Spencer said of Microsoft’s decision to share exclusives. “We’re doing it for the better of Xbox’s business.”
In other news, Sons Of The Forest is officially leaving early access next week.
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Ali Shutler
NME
