Xbox Multiplatform Plans Believed to be Very Selective

[T0@st]

The games industry rumor mill has been generating plenty of Microsoft Xbox conjecture over the past week or two—it all kicked off when Tango Gameworks/Bethesda's Hi-Fi Rush and Rare's Sea of Thieves were linked to possible launches on Sony's PlayStation 5 home console. High profile tipsters—including Giant Bomb's Jeff Grubb and Game File's Stephen Totilo—have produced plenty of noise about the Xbox Game Studios catalog going multiplatform. Bethesda's open-space action RPG Starfield (2023), upcoming Indiana Jones and the Great Circle game (courtesy of developer MachineGames), and The Coalition's Gears of War series are counted as another set of big first party titles on the alleged "offering table." Microsoft Games chief, Phil Spencer, responded to all of the noisy chatter with a February 5 social media announcement: "We're listening and we hear you. We've been planning a business update event for next week, where we look forward to sharing more details with you about our vision for the future of Xbox. Stay tuned."

This declaration prompted noted leakster, Nate the Hate, to reveal his own deck of insider cards: "People are making wild assumptions that EVERY first party Xbox game is going multiplatform—which is not the case. Nor is Microsoft going to exit the (home console) hardware industry. The (rumored) multiplatform approach is a slight shift in strategy, in which SOME titles go multiplatform. Microsoft will keep high profile games exclusive." Wccftech noted that Nate has a solid Xbox leak track record—concentrating mostly on his history of revealing Starfield information (pre-official announcement). The highly-prized Call of Duty series will remain a multiplatform prospect for the next decade—involved parties agreed on a legal stipulation that was presented during Microsoft's hard fought acquisition battle, for the Activision, Blizzard + King group. Additional "big" IPs could be introduced on rival hardware during next week's Xbox "business update" event, but Nate the Hate's latest claim has tempered expectations somewhat.



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[HisDivineOrder]

Of course, Phil's going to say it's selective right now. Makes sense. It's like Sony going PC. Once they get a taste of those multiplatform billions, they're going to start planning for more and more titles to go multiplatform. They'll then go third party "but we'll still be making Xbox consoles for our gamers." That'll probably mean they'll go only low end like the S that's a big seller. Eventually, one day they'll just not make another Xbox. Sony will make a new Playstation and Microsoft will be there on stage, proudly pushing a new Halo to help launch Sony's Playstation 7.

Everyone with an extensive Xbox digital library "will still be able to play their library of exciting games on any one of the many Microsoft Xbox consoles they still own." A decade later, they'll shut down the servers and all of those games, all that money, will disappear into nothing.

By then, Phil will probably be working at Valve, trying his hardest to mess them up, too.

 

[sepheronx]

Of course, Phil's going to say it's selective right now. Makes sense. It's like Sony going PC. Once they get a taste of those multiplatform billions, they're going to start planning for more and more titles to go multiplatform. They'll then go third party "but we'll still be making Xbox consoles for our gamers." That'll probably mean they'll go only low end like the S that's a big seller. Eventually, one day they'll just not make another Xbox. Sony will make a new Playstation and Microsoft will be there on stage, proudly pushing a new Halo to help launch Sony's Playstation 7.

Everyone with an extensive Xbox digital library "will still be able to play their library of exciting games on any one of the many Microsoft Xbox consoles they still own." A decade later, they'll shut down the servers and all of those games, all that money, will disappear into nothing.

By then, Phil will probably be working at Valve, trying his hardest to mess them up, too.

This is overall bad for the gaming industry.

I know, people think multiplats is most important, but I dont think so. Consoles usually pushed standards (maybe last 2 gens not so much) and because of consoles, exclusives created competition among the companies and game developers.

This is not much the case anymore. And we are seeing it. Games are more boring as most are cookie cutter of the same. It will only get worst especially if competition doesnt exist.

I agree with that youtubie Mutahar said: "If the Xbox Series X could have been a PC and a Console in both, allowing users to use it as a full fledge PC but also capabilities to make it a decent PC, then it would be a niche that would have garnered more attention". In this case, MS had a good opportunity. But they were too busy building a games as a service box.

 

[Super XP]

Half-Life 3 Wccftech:

Micro$oft isn't going Multiplatform, that is nonsense and misunderstood by those spreading this rumour.
Activision Blizzard had a bunch of games "already" on the PS4 & PS5. What's Micro$oft going to do? Stop producing those games on the PS5? No they are most likely going to continue making these games for the PS5 and for the Xbox SX.

But what they won't do is continue with newer versions of these games on the PS5, those should/will remain exclusive to Xbox. Exclusivity is the primary reason why M$ purchased a ton of publishing companies to compete with Sony's exclusive library of games.

For example, Crash Team Rumble is on the PS5 by Activision. But if M$ eventually comes out with a Crash Team Rumble 2, that's going to remain Exclusive to Xbox & PC. Same for all the COD games.

Of course, Phil's going to say it's selective right now. Makes sense. It's like Sony going PC. Once they get a taste of those multiplatform billions, they're going to start planning for more and more titles to go multiplatform. They'll then go third party "but we'll still be making Xbox consoles for our gamers." That'll probably mean they'll go only low end like the S that's a big seller. Eventually, one day they'll just not make another Xbox. Sony will make a new Playstation and Microsoft will be there on stage, proudly pushing a new Halo to help launch Sony's Playstation 7.

Everyone with an extensive Xbox digital library "will still be able to play their library of exciting games on any one of the many Microsoft Xbox consoles they still own." A decade later, they'll shut down the servers and all of those games, all that money, will disappear into nothing.

By then, Phil will probably be working at Valve, trying his hardest to mess them up, too.

Subscription and Cloud Based Gaming must be avoided like the plague. I've warned several people already, but people still continue using these services. Valve's Steam has a great model, BUY the bloody game, either a physical copy and/or digital and its yours for life. But these games must be well designed with high replay value such as the (IMO) Metro Series, Rage Series, Resident Evil (remakes) etc.,

 

[Imouto]

What difference does it make being "selective" when you are putting the "console sellers" on competing platforms.

 

[Halo3Addict]

I genuinely don't understand the hate for this.. as a PC player I am super pumped that Sony is bringing more and more of their games to the platform, albeit charging full price for 1+ year old games... but hey it's better than not getting a chance to play.

What's so bad about PlayStation users having the opportunity to play Xbox games?