First Year For Xbox Series X Will Not Have Xbox Game Studios Exclusives, Matt Booty Shares

The current notion pitted to the Xbox platform surely has taken a toll on the hardware sales of this generation’s console, the Xbox One primarily due to the lacking variety of exclusive titles that Sony has proven to do so successfully on the opposing PlayStation 4. While there are a slew of games available on Xbox that are not on other consoles, the bevy have shown to be underwhelming in relation to the software’s delivered issues, softened uniqueness, or overall poor marketing.

While Microsoft later into this current generation presented itself to be building a strong first-party lineup of developers for the platform, users on this side of the ocean still have some waiting to do before the company can deliver on what will come from Xbox Game Studios. And now, it looks that might even extend past the initial launch of holiday 2020’s Xbox.

According to an interview with Xbox Game Studios’ Head Matt Booty, the first year of the Xbox Series X’s arrival will not feature exclusive titles from the first-party developer. In detail, the company will continue to produce upcoming titles for existing and upcoming hardware throughout the Xbox ecosystem.

As our content comes out over the next year, two years, all of our games, sort of like PC, will play up and down that family of devices. We want to make sure that if someone invests in Xbox between now and [Series X] that they feel that they made a good investment and that we’re committed to them with content.

Acknowledging the route Microsoft is taking on paper looks to be a step backwards seeing that the competing platforms would typically close down on support for older hardware, but this initiative surely illustrates to ensure player preference ahead of purchasing the next console post-launch. Additionally, this would give breathing room for undeciding users who might think of transitioning over or possibly even bridge owners of Nintendo’s or Sony’s systems to consider buying an Xbox.

Titles like Halo Infinite is a prime example of what Microsoft plans to implement for the first year of launch: while advertising the approaching Xbox Series line, it should be noted that Infinite was previously confirmed to be launching on Xbox One as well alongside an expected release for PC simultaneously. However, for the recently announced Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, this might be one project to miss older hardware.

Regardless of what games do and don’t make the cut for the next generation exclusively, Booty does reassure that Microsoft will in fact being running all cylinders concerning the hardware capabilities that the new console will be able to achieve. “Our approach is to pick one or two IP that we’re going to focus on and make sure that they’re there at the launch of the console, taking advantage of all the features. And for us that’s going to be Halo Infinite, which is a big opportunity.”

It’s the first time in over 15 years that we’ll have a Halo title launching in sync with a new console. And that team is definitely going to be doing things to take advantage of [Series X].

Furthermore, Booty then goes into detail regarding the currently acquired teams that define Xbox Game Studios, citing that Microsoft might finally have ended searching for more teams to add to the roster of studios. “We may or we may not acquire more studios down the road,” says Booty, hedging. “But I think that we hit a point where we had gone through a phase of adding new studios. And that’s a lot of work to make sure that we get the studios onboarded correctly, that we make sure that everyone feels secure.”

For the sake of the forthcoming Xbox Series X, Microsoft ultimately shows to be taking a detour concerning the consumer’s interest before even owning the new console. And even sacrificing the first year of the system’s launch does guarantee the devoted users already, what turns the tides truly is those who will be picking up the new unit later in the holidays and follow suit.

Aside from the already discussed titles that will eventually arrive to the new Xbox, projects like Hellblade 2 and the unannounced The Initiative game will be the front runners for the Xbox Series X when Microsoft is ready to cut ties with older systems.

What are your thoughts on Microsoft’s decision regarding their first-party lineup for the next Xbox?

The Xbox Series X is said to launch in holiday 2020.

Source: MCVUK