Multi-platform address Xbox games.
Xbox head Phil Spencer to outline "future of Xbox" in podcast amid rumors of major strategy shifts.
Rumours have been swirling across the internet in recent weeks that Microsoft may start releasing Xbox first-party games on rival consoles like the Nintendo Switch and Sony PlayStation 5. The speculation stems from Microsoft’s promise to soon share more about its “vision for the future of Xbox” during an upcoming Official Xbox Podcast on February 15th.
The most provocative rumour suggests major Xbox exclusives like Starfield, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and Hi-Fi Rush could be released on PlayStation and Nintendo platforms. While unusual, it’s not unprecedented for platform holders to put first-party games on rival systems – Sony publishes many PlayStation titles on PC via Steam, for example.
Some have taken the rumours a step further, speculating Xbox plans to exit the console hardware business entirely. But that scenario seems unlikely even with Xbox Series X/S lagging behind Switch and PS5 sales. At an internal town hall last week, Xbox head Phil Spencer reportedly told employees Xbox remains committed to building consoles alongside its broader gaming strategy.
Game Pass still serves as a major selling point for Xbox hardware, with a 2023 survey indicating 32% of gamers subscribe to the service. Xbox reported over 33 million Game Pass subscribers in 2022, a number likely higher today. Still, Microsoft as a whole is thriving – Q2 2024 earnings show company revenue up 18% to $62 billion and profits at $21.9 billion, thanks in part to the pending Activision acquisition.
Opening up Xbox games to other platforms is risky business, though. If these exclusives are playable everywhere else then what’s the point of getting an Xbox?
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Regardless, the upcoming Official Xbox Podcast promises big news about the future Xbox roadmap.
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