The Xbox Series X may not have many confirmed exclusives but, according to Xbox boss Phil Spencer, that’s because Xbox Series X-only games would be “completely counter to what gaming is about”.
In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Spencer explained that Xbox Series X exclusives would stop many players from being able to experience those games – which is not something the company is looking to do.
“As a player you are the center of our strategy,” Spencer said. “Our device is not the center of our strategy, our game is not the center of the strategy. We want to enable you to play the games you want to play, with the friends you want to play with, on any device.
“Gaming is about entertainment and community and diversion and learning new stories and new perspectives, and I find it completely counter to what gaming is about to say that part of that is to lock people away from being able to experience those games.”
A different approach
Microsoft and Sony’s approaches to next-gen exclusives have been polar opposites. While Sony is intent on moving PS4 players to the PS5 as quickly as possible, encouraging the upgrade with tantalizing PS5 exclusives such as Horizon Forbidden West and Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Microsoft has promised it won’t have any Xbox Series X exclusives for the first few years, and that Xbox One players won’t be left behind in the leap to next-gen.
So far the Xbox Series X looks like it could be the most accessible next-gen hardware, both in theory and practically. Microsoft is looking at Xbox as a family of consoles, with each member continuing to play a part, which is evident with the Xbox Series X’s four generations of backwards compatibility and its innovative Smart Delivery feature, which will ensure that players only have to buy a game once to get the best possible version of it.
Not only that, but it looks like the Xbox Series X could be the more affordable of the two consoles, with Sony’s Jim Ryan stating the PS5 won’t necessarily be the lowest priced next-gen console. In addition, Microsoft has stated that its Xbox All Access program, a subscription service that allows players to pay off their Xbox Series X or Xbox One console in chunks rather than all at once, is “critical” to its next-gen strategy.
While Microsoft’s lack of Xbox Series X exclusives may be somewhat frustrating to some, the company’s strategy is certainly much more accessible than Sony’s, aiming to ensure that Xbox players will not be priced out of the next-gen experience.