Xbox clarifies console exclusivity stance after PS5 Gears of War snub
▼ Summary
– Two games, *Clockwork Revolution* and *Gears of War: E-Day*, were announced as permanent Xbox console exclusives, with the latter reportedly pulled from a planned PlayStation 5 release.
– Other first-party titles like *Fable* and *Halo: Combat Evolved* are being developed for PlayStation 5, creating mixed signals about Xbox’s exclusivity strategy.
– Xbox Chief Content Officer Matt Booty stated that exclusives are important for giving players a reason to buy an Xbox, but big multiplayer and live service games will remain multiplatform.
– Booty said exclusivity decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis, and launch platforms will be announced alongside release dates to ensure the “right decision, not the fast decision.”
– New Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has made significant changes, including sunsetting the Copilot initiative, altering Game Pass, and focusing on next-generation hardware known as Project Helix.
Xbox has offered new clarity on its approach to console exclusivity, following a showcase that left some fans questioning the company’s direction.
Last night’s event confirmed that Clockwork Revolution and Gears of War: E-Day are both exclusive to Xbox consoles. This came as a surprise, particularly for Gears of War: E-Day. Just before the trailer aired, a PEGI rating still listed the game for PS5, and some retailers reportedly expected a PlayStation launch as well.
However, not every title from Xbox’s first-party studios is locked to its own hardware. Fable and Halo: Campaign Evolved are also being developed for PlayStation 5, creating confusion about the overall strategy. After the success of multi-platform releases like Sea of Thieves and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on PS5 and Nintendo Switch, the question arises: is Xbox pulling back on its multiplatform push?
Matt Booty, Xbox’s Chief Content Officer, addressed the topic in an interview with Gamertag Radio. He explained that the company wants to give players a reason to invest in an Xbox and reward long-time supporters. “We know that exclusives are important,” Booty said, pointing to the Xbox-only launches of Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution.
Still, Booty confirmed that major multiplayer and live service games will remain multiplatform. “If we’ve promised something to players already, we are going to honour that promise,” he stated, adding that exclusivity decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Booty also emphasized transparency: when Xbox announces a release date, it will also confirm the launch platforms. “We’re going to make the right decision, not the fast decision,” he said, echoing comments from Xbox’s newly appointed CEO, Asha Sharma.
Since taking the helm in February, Sharma has been reshaping the Xbox brand. In May, she announced the sunsetting of the Copilot initiative, an AI-driven “personal gaming sidekick” for titles like Minecraft. She has also adjusted Game Pass pricing, ended the “This is an Xbox” campaign, and shifted focus toward next-generation hardware, currently known as Project Helix. Sharma has promised that this hardware will “lead in performance,” though a release date remains unconfirmed.
Amid these changes, the BDS movement has intensified calls to boycott Xbox, citing parent company Microsoft’s reported involvement in Israeli actions against Palestinians.
For a full list of announcements from the showcase, including Resonance: A Plague Legacy and Metro 2039, see the complete roundup.
(Source: Eurogamer.net)
