Microsoft CEO Phil Spencer has announced expanding Xbox exclusive titles to multiple in the past two weeks. On Jan. 25th, he shared his plans to offer them on the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2. Three days later, Spencer explained Microsoft would do the same with their rival’s console, Sony’s PS5. Former PlayStation Executive Adam Boyes recently discussed his response to the game studio’s multiplatform plan.
Xbox Games Coming to PS5 and Switch
On Jan. 28th, Destin Legarie asked Spencer himself directly about Microsoft’s intentions to publish former Xbox exclusives to other consoles. In the past months, they have titles on Steam and have allowed third-party developers to release their exclusives onto Nintendo Switch and PS5. Spencer explained:
“We want people our games to be in places that people play. We believe that will enable us ro do more on the [Xbox] platform, and hardware, and it’s a good system for us. […] There’s no reason to put a ringed fence around any game and say it will not go to a place to find players, where it will have better business success than us.
Our strategy is to allow our games to be available everywhere. Game Pass is an important component of playing games on our platform, but keeping them off from other platforms is not. It doesn’t work for us.”
Spencer’s words could be related to past 2024 layoffs Microsoft executed. In May 2024, they shut down four partner studios: Tango Gameworks, Roundhouse Games, Arkane Austin, and Alpha Dog. They originally wanted to continue focusing on existing franchises while new games were the second priority. This action gave bad publicity to their name.
This new Xbox multiplatform plan could be their resolution to provide their content without restrictions. Rebuilding trust in their brand with current and future developers will lead to new opportunities. That includes experimenting with hardware optimization for Xbox games on PS5 and Switch.
Xbox Breaking Console Tradition
Danny Peña invited Boyes to his gaming talk show, Gamertag Radio on Jan. 30th. He asked him how this would affect consumers’ ideology of gaming brands. Boyes responded:
“[…] I understand that people have mixed feelings about it because of their designated opinions towards certain brands (Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo) for their games. But think about this analogy; [Microsoft] was Blockbuster, and now they are Netflix. [Gaming] used to be about the physical consoles that provided interactive entertainment in our living rooms.
We used to rush into lines to pick up that console with the brand games included. But now, [Microsoft] has become an entertainment provider. To whomever they offer their games, they are responsible for giving to as many people as possible.”
Boyes’ analogy offers insight into how the traditional gamer will approach Xbox’s game library porting over to their Nintendo and PlayStation consoles. Microsoft seeks to provide accessibility over selling consoles. Their multiplatform plan could be aimed at gamers who are on a budget and want to play on a single system. Those who refuse multiplatform games will be stuck in a cycle of overspending.
Will Microsoft Thrive on Multiplatform?
Based on Spencer and Boyes’ enthusiasm, it narrows down to Microsoft’s upcoming course. Spencer considered that exclusives should not be gatekept behind a brand’s name. Boyes understood and commemorated Microsoft’s efforts to push for game accessibility. The key to making Xbox games accessible on multiple platforms relies on two factors.
- Studying console limitations: Playtesting their games on multiple consoles with original Xbox specs will help prepare developers to create various versions of them. This became a problem when Microsoft Flight Simulator had trouble running on PC.
- Be more cooperative. Games announced for consoles and gaming platforms aren’t always released on the same day. Fortnite is an excellent example as it began on macOS in 2017. It later became a multiplatform game when Epic Games saw the opportunity to promote cross-play. Microsoft needs open communication with developers to decide a platform’s release window.