The past week was all about Xbox-related rumors and leaks. It is almost confirmed that Starfield 2 is going to release on the PlayStation Store. Though there has been no official update from Xbox regarding this, almost all major publications have reported this rumor. Microsoft has been under scrutiny concerning the future of console games. Let’s further discuss what’s happening from the Microsoft Camp and what could happen to exclusive Xbox titles in the future.
Xbox Business Update Podcast
Microsoft is set to host a broadcast featuring Phil Spencer, Sarah Bond, and Matt Booty. Unlike the typical upgrade on titles and the console itself, Microsoft has branded this podcast a “business update.” It’s obvious from this term that Microsoft plans to update its consumers on what the plan ahead is for the Xbox ecosystem.
Please join us for a special edition of the Official Xbox Podcast.
Hear from Phil Spencer, Sarah Bond and Matt Booty as they share updates on the Xbox business. pic.twitter.com/TxwWJVUbgx
— Xbox (@Xbox) February 12, 2024
Plenty of Xbox consoles have been listed up on websites like eBay because of the recent news. Knowing that PlayStation users are going to get access to all of the Xbox exclusives is pretty disappointing. It certainly seems that Sony has won the war in the hardware space, and Microsoft wants to focus on game development more than hardware.
Is Multiplatform the Answer?
With the recent acquisition of Bethesda, Microsoft has seen very little revenue growth in terms of Xbox exclusive titles. For them to sell more titles, they have to make sure they have enough and more customers available to them. With the Xbox dipping in sales overall, getting PlayStation users on their store is the only way for a sustainable future.
Microsoft is not the only one that’s been investing in game studios. Recently, Disney invested 1.5 billion for a 10% equity stake in Epic Games. With such big moves being made by their competitors, Microsoft has to ensure they can reach the maximum number of consumers. Sony, being the monster, already has a huge fan base along with other companies like Nintendo. Microsoft has probably decided to welcome these consumers into their market and to try out their products. In the end of the day, it’s all about revenue. If Microsoft’s hardware section isn’t bringing in enough revenue, the only way out is to focus on the game studios side of the business.
The best-selling games are all multiplatform. In the end of the day, being able to play on one server from different consoles is what all gamers are aiming for. Game developers are moving towards such an ecosystem. Microsoft also plans to feature their games in Nintendo stores, which is an interesting decision. How they plan to incorporate their game into Nintendo hardware is going to be very interesting. The podcast is scheduled for February 15th at 3:00 PM ET. Make sure to drop into our homepage as we will be breaking down the main points in this “business update.”
Meanwhile, I do not expect Sony or Nintendo exclusives to drop on Xbox consoles any time soon. Nintendo is already fighting a legal copyright war with the makers of Palword. Judging by the success of Palworld, they probably regret not making an entry into the PC world.
