While the success of a console can skew how certain platforms are viewed from the measures it uses to attain such status, there is a papertrail as to how it was executed. On the surface, consistent first-party titles and appealing features for its consumers is the foremost expected attributes for any system to succeed. However, like most companies in a bull market, shortcuts & other methods are certainly used as well.
Currently, the biggest tactic to oust a competing system is by acquiring exclusivity rights for select games. During the ongoing hearing between Microsoft & the FTC, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer directly addresses the AAA, third-party exclusivity deals that are enacted for PlayStation to be “hostile and aggressive” against Xbox.
When questioned as to if Microsoft will follow this path Sony Interactive Entertainment has continued to entertain, Spencer claims its not part of the plan if the Activision Blizzard deal is processed. Thanks to TweakTown to transcribe the evidentiary hearing:
Q If you had the financial ability to have a developer skip PlayStation any time you wanted, would you do it?
I would not.
Q If you had the ability to to deprecate a game on PlayStation, would you do it?
Not in practice, no, it’s not something I would do.
Noted, Spencer’s statement while reassuring for Xbox fans on standby is clearly to appeal to the morality of the deal for the greater consumer. But, Microsoft has entertained similar deals in the past. On the Xbox 360, entries such as Saints Row, Alan Wake, and Lost Odyssey are a few examples of this being practiced by Microsoft. Even currently upcoming Bethesda titles such as MachineGames’ Indiana Jones is part of that list too.
Despite these titles never being released for PlayStation, Microsoft has acquired talent and refrained these teams from continuing on work for more consoles outside of its own. In a separate report, it was revealed that after learning of a Starfield arrangement for the RPG to be exclusive to PlayStation, Microsoft jumped in the purchase Zenimax Media. You can read the full report by heading here.
What is your response to Spencer’s statement?
