Xbox President Says Game Exclusives Are Antiquated and People Are Evolving Past Them

TITLE: Microsoft’s Multi-Platform Gaming Strategy Signals Industry Transformation

The End of Console Exclusivity?

In a revealing interview with Mashable, Xbox President Sarah Bond declared that game exclusivity has become an antiquated concept in the modern gaming landscape. Her comments come as Microsoft continues its strategic pivot toward multiplatform releases, marking a significant departure from traditional console war tactics that have dominated the industry for decades.

Evolving Player Expectations

Bond emphasized that today’s gaming community has moved beyond platform limitations. “We’re really seeing people evolve way past that,” she stated, pointing to massively successful titles like Call of Duty, Minecraft, Fortnite, and Roblox that thrive precisely because they’re available across multiple devices and stores., according to recent developments

“The idea of locking it to one store or one device is antiquated for most people,” Bond explained. “You want to be able to play with your friends anywhere regardless of what they’re on. And we’re really leaning into that with this experience because it just opens up another way for you to play.”, according to market insights

Microsoft’s Strategic Evolution

This philosophical shift represents a dramatic turnaround for Microsoft, which spent approximately fifteen years aggressively pursuing exclusives for its Xbox consoles. During the Xbox 360 era, the company made significant investments in Japanese developer partnerships, securing titles like Ninja Gaiden, Lost Odyssey, Blue Dragon, and Ace Combat 6 as console exclusives.

The strategy began changing in 2016 when Microsoft started bringing its exclusive games to Windows PC, beginning with Remedy’s Quantum Break. As Bond described it, “That was the first extension of what an Xbox was.”, according to market developments

The Multi-Platform Acceleration

The transformation accelerated dramatically in February 2024 when Microsoft confirmed it would bring several first-party titles to rival platforms including PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. The initial wave included Obsidian’s Grounded and Pentiment, Rare’s Sea of Thieves, and Tango Gameworks’ Hi-Fi Rush., according to recent research

Since then, the multiplatform rollout has expanded to include major franchises:, according to additional coverage

• Gears of War: Reloaded
• Forza Horizon 5
• Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
• Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
• DOOM: The Dark Ages

This month continues the trend with Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2 launching simultaneously on PS5, Xbox, and PC.

Business Realities Driving Change

Microsoft’s candid admission in 2023 that they had “lost the console wars” provides crucial context for this strategic pivot. While Bond highlighted the benefits for live service games, which naturally perform better with wider platform availability, the approach contrasts sharply with competitors.

Sony and Nintendo continue to value exclusivity, particularly for non-live service games that can significantly drive hardware sales. Nintendo’s first-party exclusives have been instrumental in the Switch’s remarkable success, while Sony’s PlayStation Studios titles remain major system sellers.

Industry Implications

Microsoft’s multiplatform approach raises important questions about the future of console manufacturing and game distribution. If the industry follows Microsoft’s lead, we could see a fundamental redefinition of what constitutes a “console war” and how platform holders compete.

The strategy represents a bet that revenue from software sales across multiple platforms can outweigh the benefits of using exclusives to drive hardware adoption. It also acknowledges the reality that gaming has evolved into an ecosystem where players expect to access their games across devices, from living room consoles to handheld PCs and cloud streaming services.

As Bond noted, previous analysis,, this expansion includes not just rival consoles but also cloud gaming and PC platforms, creating multiple access points that serve different player preferences and situations.

The Gamer’s Perspective

For consumers, the elimination of exclusivity barriers represents a clear win, removing the frustration of being locked out of desired games due to platform choices. However, it also raises questions about whether reduced competition between platform holders might eventually impact innovation in hardware and services.

The gaming industry stands at a crossroads, with Microsoft betting that the future lies in software and services ubiquity rather than walled gardens. How Sony and Nintendo respond to this challenge will likely shape the next generation of gaming hardware and distribution.

References

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDmwJ7tuoD8
• https://profile.google.com/cp/Cg0vZy8xMWM3NDB2MmIyGgA
• https://google.com/preferences/source?q=wccftech.com

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