All articles tagged with #platform exclusivity
The era of AAA platform-exclusive games is ending as rising production costs and stagnant audience growth push publishers like Microsoft and Sony to adopt multiplatform strategies. While Nintendo remains an exception due to its lower production costs and unique platform strategy, the broader industry trend is towards making games available on multiple platforms to ensure profitability.
Former PlayStation boss Shawn Layden criticizes platform exclusivity, citing the success of Helldivers 2 as evidence that it limits a game's potential market. The game's simultaneous launch on PlayStation 5 and PC resulted in unprecedented success, prompting Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer to question the benefits of exclusivity. Layden argues that in today's gaming landscape, where consoles are similar in power and share the same games, exclusivity hinders industry growth and must be reevaluated.
Sea of Thieves is set to arrive on PlayStation 5 on April 30, joining Grounded, Pentiment, and Hi-Fi Rush as former Xbox exclusives headed to other platforms. Xbox confirmed the move in a blog post, with Grounded, Pentiment, and Hi-Fi Rush scheduled for release on PlayStation and Nintendo consoles in the coming months. The announcement follows Xbox's recent business update, where Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer revealed plans for four Xbox exclusives to expand to other platforms, while also affirming that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Starfield are currently intended as Xbox exclusives.
Xbox players have launched a petition to bring Helldivers 2 to Microsoft’s platform, garnering nearly 50,000 signatures. The petition aims to challenge platform exclusivity, with supporters emphasizing the diverse Xbox community and urging Arrowhead Game Studios to consider an Xbox release. However, with Sony Interactive Entertainment as the publisher, the game's availability on Xbox remains uncertain.