The topic of Xbox’s new directive to pursue releasing its titles on competing hardware has yet to cease since the initial Xbox Business Update earlier this spring. So far, six titles have been confirmed for this new initiative: Sea of Thieves, Hi-Fi Rush, Grounded, Pentiment, Doom: The Dark Ages, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. However, the question lies where Microsoft draws the line. Claims insist that the Lucasfilms Games title will be the redline for Microsoft.
However, that does not truly appear to be the case. In a more recent interview with Variety, president of game content and studios Matt Booty explained that it is a ‘game by game basis’ for this decision. This is growing concerning for players that invested years into the platform. And although notable insiders did insist that high-profile franchises like Halo & Gears of War are safe, many are wary about the future for Xbox.
Already, it is no secret that corporate Microsoft is trying to redefine Xbox as a platform. With the ‘This Is An Xbox’ campaign, where you play Xbox titles is not tied to just console as it’s put. And now, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella reveals that the firm is ultimately working to redefine the user base for Xbox in this new effort. Nadella expressed this in an interview GameFile transcribed.
If I think about it right, we chose the secular growth category in entertainment, which we think is gaming and said, ‘Let’s double down on it,’. And so we said, ‘Let’s take that joy of gaming everywhere.’ And that’s why, even these ads with Xbox now, where we are redefining what it means to be an Xbox fan, it’s about being able to enjoy Xbox on all your devices.
Around the same time, insider Jez Corden has claimed that no titles are safe from this new direction for Xbox. “It’s cuz they don’t want to just mandate it on teams that aren’t set up yet for multiplatform simultaneous development. But the era of Xbox having permanent console exclusives is over.”
What Nadella has stated has been reflected since the initial statements. In 2021, he stated that Microsoft’s investment into gaming is ‘all-in’ for the future. And with the later passing acquisition for Activision Blizzard King, Microsoft is continuing this ambition. Post-deal, Nadella pressed that Xbox is to ‘double-down’ on producing new titles for its players.
The bigger question now is how far will the reach be for Xbox games. In a joint statement with Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, both elaborated that Microsoft will be a “good publisher” across other platforms. And even Nadella himself admitted that his dislike for exclusives is a big driver for his hands-on with Xbox in recent time. You can read the full report by heading here.
Are you interested in the new direction Xbox could be heading in?
