Xbox Executive Reveals Case-by-Case Approach to Game Exclusivity Decisions

Ironically, the launch of the highly anticipated game came just a couple of weeks too late to be eligible for The Game Awards, which will take place tomorrow.

Despite this timing, Microsoft, alongside its collaborators—Bethesda, MachineGames, and LucasFilm—has been thrilled with the overwhelmingly positive reception of the game. In an interview with Variety following the release of reviews, Xbox’s president of game content and studios, Matt Booty, addressed the ongoing conversation around exclusivity, indicating that decisions will be made on a game-by-game basis.

“We are very much making the exclusivity and windowing decisions on a game-by-game basis, and each of our studios is in a little bit of a different position. There’s also the production timeline on a game, so the decision on spacing comes there first.”

Booty emphasized the importance of delivering an exceptional experience for Xbox players, noting that the timing for a potential PlayStation release is influenced by both production considerations and the game’s development history. He pointed out that the game in question was under production before Bethesda’s acquisition by Microsoft, which adds complexity to the exclusivity narrative.

This stance appears somewhat contradictory to previous remarks made by Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, who asserted that there were no absolute restrictions on Xbox games being ported to other consoles.

The case of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle illustrates this complexity. Booty explained that development had begun prior to Microsoft’s acquisition of ZeniMax, the parent company of Bethesda. Initially, the game was not intended to be exclusive to Xbox. However, plans shifted as Microsoft aimed to leverage the game’s release to enhance its Game Pass subscription service, necessitating a renegotiation of the contract with Lucasfilm and Disney.

In recent months, Microsoft’s approach to exclusivity has evolved, with notable ports like Sea of Thieves, Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment, and Grounded. Consequently, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle was announced for simultaneous release on PC and Xbox, with a later release window for PlayStation 5, which left some Xbox fans puzzled.

Booty’s comments suggest that while Microsoft is leaning towards broader availability of its titles across platforms, there may still be strategic decisions to keep certain games exclusive. The overarching trend seems to lean towards maximizing revenue opportunities by targeting as many gamers as possible.

Looking ahead, the next major exclusive from Microsoft is Obsidian’s Avowed, slated for launch on February 18 for both PC and Xbox Series S|X.