Xbox Boss Phil Spencer Reveals The Inevitable Truth About Console Exclusives
The current gaming landscape looks very different than what it did in previous console generations. More and more games are now being released on multiple devices. For example, a recent influx of PlayStation games have made their way onto PC, and even PlayStation's "Death Stranding" made it onto Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass.
In addition, over the past few years, the type of game that is popular has changed dramatically. Thanks to the rise of games like "Fortnite," the free-to-play live service model has become more widespread. And as noted bu Uproxx, these titles often aren't owned or published by Microsoft, PlayStation, or Nintendo, freeing them from console exclusivity. Additionally, players in games like "Fall Guys" and "Fortnite" can play cross-platform with gamers on different devices. Gone are the days when Xbox players were forced to only play only with Xbox players, and the same for PlayStation.
But with Microsoft acquiring the gaming juggernaut Activision Blizzard, many have become worried that it could spark the beginning of a new console exclusivity war, particularly if Microsoft made "Call of Duty" an Xbox exclusive. Although Microsoft has previously put these fears to rest, fans have remained cautious. However, according to Phil Spencer, console exclusivity is a practice that Microsoft may be looking to eventually put in the rearview mirror.
Console exclusives may become a thing of the past
Phil Spencer, chief executive officer at gaming at Microsoft, recently sat down with Bloomberg to discuss the company's $70 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. This acquisition made waves in the gaming community, with gamers expressing concerns over upcoming exclusivity. During the chat, Spencer reiterated that the "Call of Duty" franchise would remain on PlayStation.
Additionally, Phil Spencer explained that console exclusives "is something we're just going to see less and less of." Spencer made light of the practice by setting up a scenario in which a family owns multiple consoles but can't play together because they "bought the wrong piece of plastic to plug into [their] television." Spencer concluded by expressing that he believes reducing the friction between devices will benefit the industry in the long run. This is very much in line with his previous comments about "Call of Duty," as he explained (per VGC) that it wouldn't make much financial sense to restrict the major franchise to one platform.
PlayStation, on the other hand, has not made such claims, and has even been accused of paying off developers to block them from putting games on Xbox Game Pass. It may be a while before the two gaming giants see eye to eye on this issue, but fans can rest assured that "Call of Duty" will at least remain on multiple platforms.