Amid rumors that Microsoft Xbox exclusive titles Starfield, Hi-Fi Rush, and Indiana Jones: The Great Circle will come to other platforms like the PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch gamers and all of Twitter/X are rightfully confused as to what this means for Xbox, the industry, and exclusivity to platforms.

I don’t think we’re asking the right question here.
It’s not:
Is this the end of the console wars?
Is this the end of Xbox?
Will Xbox go full third party and launch games on all platforms?
Should I be mad that my favorite plastic box will/won’t have exclusive titles?

The question is: why does it matter? Of course we’re speculating here that these rumors are true. Does it really change anything for you if Starfield which was exclusive to Xbox and PC, available on Game Pass, as most titles in the Xbox ecosystem are, suddenly arrives on PlayStation 5? It shouldn’t hurt you to see more people experience the great games you know and love.
I was elated when Death Stranding was ported to PC and more people that didn’t own a PlayStation could actually play this incredible title. I wanted to share the experience of roaming and musing about the world Hideo Kojima created for us with others, not keep it all to myself and some weird cult of Sony fans.

The bigger question is will this change the dialogue around Starfield? Will it now suddenly be hailed as a pinnacle space roaming RPG amid several other Game of the Year titles in 2023? Now that we’re not console warring over the game, can we debate the game on its merits and enjoy the role playing experience it provides, the beauty of a universe to explore, a ship to customize, worlds to live in, characters to fall in love with, and a story to immerse yourself in. Now that more people can enjoy Starfield, Hi-Fi Rush, and Indiana Jones: The Great Circle, can we please just celebrate how awesome gaming IS.

Is this the end of Xbox and exclusivity? Probably not. While Xbox plays by a different ruleset than most, exclusive titles will probably always remain. What ruleset does Xbox play by though, let’s examine that. Quite frankly there are no rules: Xbox exclusives and third party titles show up on Xbox Game Pass.
Xbox exclusives show up on PC, because it’s Microsoft. So people often debate if you even need to buy an Xbox console, or is it better to own a PC for more access to games beyond Xbox. Xbox hasn’t been shy about putting exclusives like Minecraft on other platforms and providing adequate support and even exclusive content. Xbox isn’t here to sell consoles, occasionally they have a massive hit that is a must have: a new Halo, Gears of War, Forza, Starfield, Hi-Fi Rush, etc. but they’re not even in the business of creating big narrative, action, movielike set piece videogames the way PlayStation does. Xbox is selling you the ecosystem: the incredible experience of online gaming through Xbox Live, portability through Cloud Gaming, and Xbox Game Pass delivering so much value in being able to play ALL the games on day one and have access to many titles anywhere at any time. So Xbox is not bound by traditional rules in the industry. They can play the game however they want, but does this ruin loyalty to the brand?

I have no doubt some people may be selling their Xbox or sawing them in half in videos over such outrageous news that some games may be going multi-platform. It shouldn’t ruin the brand. No one should be loyal to a plastic box but people do invest money in buying one console over the other based on the experience they believe they will get. Some may look at what games are playable on one console or another, people may compare the value of Xbox Game Pass to what PlayStation offers via its various memberships.
Buying a console is a major expense and most gamers are making a decision that will decide what games they will be playing years from now and they may not be able to invest in multiple consoles during any given console generation.

Does Xbox need to comment on this? Maybe. While I understand there’s really no reason to comment on speculation or rumors, it would be nice to know what the company formula is moving forward. Can we expect more titles to be multi-platform? Or should we still plan on some games being exclusive to the Xbox ecosystem. What value does Xbox plan to deliver in the future that provides good reason for gamers to invest in their platform? If everything is on shaky ground with titles like Redfall launching in a broken and uninspiring state, can Xbox and its studios deliver experiences gamers want? Xbox has acquired many incredible studios and has a lot of projects in the works. Some like Perfect Dark, that we haven’t heard from in years, not even a concept of what the game will be. Halo Infinite should have been a grand slam, but it took years to stabilize the failure to launch and deliver features like Campaign co-op, Forge, and everything people expect from the popular sci-fi shooter. The game is in a great state now, but people do not want to be sold on false starts and a “we’ll fix it in post mentality.” Redfall may be great years from now, but who will care? The damage is already done.

It often feels like we are left waiting for next year the same way a popular sports team pines for making it to the big championship game like it used to. Next year we’ll have these big titles that justify buying a console in the Xbox ecosystem, next year we will have things to be excited about, next year we will hear about what’s next for Gears of War, Halo, and unannounced title x and y.

Xbox isn’t on the same playing field as others. They’re not playing by the same rules. It’s not about console sales, exclusive titles, blockbuster games, it’s about the ecosystem, the platform, and the value Xbox can provide. It’s the same way you choose an Apple phone over an Android phone. Both make calls, both have great cameras, fancy features, exclusive games, things that make them unique. You buy a phone from a certain platform based on the OS (operating system), the feel, the ease of use, and the value it provides. Some choose an Xbox the same way. We like the feel of the Xbox controller, the way you can customize the dashboard, store your games and access them via an external drive, how you can access backwards compatible games from all generations of Xbox on ONE platform.

Xbox needs a clear vision moving forward. Games that are released in a playable state and something that everyone at team Xbox can be proud of. There needs to be some sort of reasonable roadmap of when titles can be expected. The Xbox Series X|S generation launched with a ghost town of titles to play on the new and powerful hardware. We were left waiting for Halo Infinite while we played previous generation titles that were being enhanced for the new hardware. The industry is unpredictable and delays and changes in plans happen but it is not unreasonable to communicate what Xbox plans to deliver. Xbox having more showcases, directs, and communication online is a great thing. The internet is a constant game for attention and Xbox should be delivering the same excitement and anticipation Nintendo and PlayStation provide ahead of their showcases throughout the year.

So in conclusion, you’re asking the wrong question. There’s lots of questions to ask and the most important is “does it matter?” Not really. Games being more accessible to a wide audience allows Xbox to advertise the brand and sell more people on their games and the ecosystem that is Xbox. Enjoy games wherever you are and play what you want to play.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.