Xbox is Taking Over Everything as it Dominates PlayStation on its Own Ground – Phil Spencer was Right
It is an interesting future for the gaming industry – and console-exclusive titles in particular. And Microsoft is leading the charge. Following the company’s win over the FTC last year, in which they were able to acquire Activision Blizzard, CEO Phil Spencer’s commitment to making Xbox titles available on a multitude of platforms is certain to impact the debate on the value of having titles tied to a single console.
Indeed, it is a move that could cause the company’s biggest rival Sony to rethink their own strategy of having PlayStation-exclusive titles. While games like Bloodborne, God of War, and the Horizon franchise have enjoyed critical and commercial success, their absence on the Xbox storefront has long been a sore point for gamers who do not – or cannot – have access to a PlayStation. The argument that Xbox players are missing out on some of the industry’s finest work certainly carries some weight.
Charting a New Course
While having console-exclusive titles from both in-house and third-party studios has certainly benefitted Sony, Spencer’s vision for what Microsoft could do with the Xbox is sure to give them a reason to reconsider it.
The Verge’s Tom Warren recently commented on how Xbox titles outnumber PlayStation exclusives on the latter’s best-sellers list. It is a detail that adds a layer of nuance in this context.
It is an insightful look into how Microsoft is leveraging the reach of its rival’s storefront to generate additional revenues. This is especially interesting when considering the company’s move to bring Activision Blizzard’s ever-popular Call of Duty to the Nintendo Switch, along with their commitment to retaining the title on PlayStation for another decade – a move that helped them steer the odds in their favor against the FTC.
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The Scope for Synergy
By making their titles available to a wider demographic of players, Microsoft could very well steer the gaming industry in a direction that sees a lot more cooperation with Sony – a move that is sure to be welcomed by the gaming community.
Having its own titles on the PlayStation storefront can show Sony the value of revisiting its own strategy of having titles exclusive to the PlayStation. Microsoft’s dominance in Sony’s territory is certainly an indicator of how console exclusivity may not yield the same results that it has done in the past decade.
Doing away with exclusivity could very well be a great way for either company to bring more gamers into the fold. It coincides with Spencer’s own assertion that the next decade could see a decline in the number of console-exclusive titles, potentially steering the two giants towards a cooperative approach over a competitive one.
Time will tell if the gaming industry’s two largest rivals are ready to bury the hatchet – and create a synergy that is sure to delight its community of gamers.
