The future of Xbox exclusivity has been hard to keep track of as of late. For a while, Xbox was moving away from the concept, bringing games like Sea of Thieves and eventually even Halo: Campaign Evolved to PlayStation and other rival platforms. With recent changes in leadership, however, it’s become increasingly clear that exclusivity isn’t going away forever.
The biggest reversal of course so far occurred with Gears of War: E-Day, which was initially set for a multi-platform release before backtracking to Xbox only. Now, Xbox has officially established an interest in potentially abandoning multi-platform possibilities for other major franchises.
Per Windows Central, a new Xbox survey addresses the possibility of Xbox switching to exclusive releases for almost all of its IPs. The survey, received by users of the Xbox Insider Program, proposes a scenario where “all future title releases from every XBOX-developed gaming franchise except Call of Duty will be console-exclusive to Xbox.” The question probes how players would respond, with options ranging from buying an Xbox to play the games to skipping them entirely.
Beyond the initial, broad question, the survey also poses a similar scenario for specific game franchises. Windows Central lists Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, DOOM, PHYSINT, Diablo, and Minecraft as question topics, noting that games like Minecraft wouldn’t leave other platforms but would only receive new content on Xbox.
While this isn’t a public announcement of any change in policy, it’s an official communication from Xbox that clearly establishes the possibility of a major shift toward exclusivity. Xbox could simply be feeling things out at the moment, and all of these games might end up coming to multiple platforms. The fact that it’s a consideration, however, could be concerning to fans of franchises like The Elder Scrolls who prefer the PlayStation ecosystem.
At any rate, Call of Duty appears to be safe from exclusivity for the foreseeable future. During the legal proceedings to buy Activision Blizzard, Xbox suggested that multi-platform launches wouldn’t be affected, and a ten-year commitment to keeping Call of Duty on PlayStation became a part of the deal in 2023.
Xbox has struggled with hardware sales this generation, and locking major franchises to Xbox hardware could limit their potential reach. Plans to bring games to PC don’t seem to be affected, as PC has become a major part of Xbox’s portfolio, even as PlayStation backs off from the platform.
The upside for Microsoft, of course, would be incentivizing more hardware sales with the allure of games like The Elder Scrolls 6. If hardware prices keep going up, though, the next generation of Xbox could struggle to move units, regardless of which IPs might ultimately become exclusive.
- Founded
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November 15, 2001
- Owner
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Microsoft
- Known For
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Halo, Forza, Gears of War
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
