Phil Spencer reiterates he does not like console exclusive content

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The Xbox brand has been criticized in recent months for not acquiring a lot of marketing deals with third-party publishers like Sony has. On top of that, there are already some who believe that Xbox’s exclusive lineup of games this year was lacking, though they just had a fantastic release with Cuphead. The ethics of locking content behind marketing deals remains a point of contention within the gaming community, and Xbox head Phil Spencer has once again come out and stated that he does not like the idea of paying for exclusive content.

“People always knock me on this; I’ve been on record… I don’t love the idea or practice of us paying so other platforms can’t play or use a certain gun in a game or do a certain level,” Spencer told GameSpot at the Brazil Game Show. “I know I say that and, Xbox history–DLC exclusivity windows with Call of Duty–I understand the fingers are pointing right back to Xbox. I can only be who I am. It’s not the best PR answer. But I don’t like that.”


Spencer has always spoken candidly regarding these business practices. Still, Microsoft has reached deals with companies to bring their games to Xbox One as “console launch exclusives,” like PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, in an effort to make the best games possible for the system. It will likely make its way to PlayStation 4 at some point, but right now the company is currently working with PUBG developer Bluehole to help bring it to Xbox One.

There are also times that games come along that give Spencer a reason to invest in them, like Cuphead. “When there are games that come along, Cuphead is a good example, and the team had certain ambition about what they wanted to go do, and together with them we wanted to invest more. We saw more opportunity. And what that turned into was us having an exclusive game on our platform. That’s a game that probably wouldn’t have happened the way it did if we didn’t invest the way we did.”

Though certain exclusive games do move hardware units, Spencer believes PC is so strong because it is an open platform. This is a big reason why Xbox has pushed the idea of cross-play functionality and Xbox Play Anywhere.

“If you define the gaming market as console and that’s all you’re focused on, then maybe that’s an important part of the business consideration,” Spencer said in regards to console-exclusives driving system sales. “I’d say one of the reasons PC is still so strong, is because it’s an open platform. Through things like cross-play we’re working to allow people to play games together regardless of where you bought the games. if you’re really about trying to drive just a specific device and say I just looked at the gaming opportunity all up as a single device opportunity, maybe that’s an approach. We don’t see it that way.

“When we look at things that are really large in gaming today, we look at Twitch, Steam, PUBG, Minecraft. People on Minecraft on Switch are playing with people on an iPhone. They don’t own a Windows machine or an Xbox. But they own our game or are using Xbox Live across multiple devices, that’s what gaming in the future is about. Getting caught in a definition of gaming that’s about me trying to do everything I can to get you to buy one specific device to play one specific variant of games, is not really about growing the business.”


Posted:
Related Forum: Xbox Forum

Source: https://mspoweruser.com/phil-spencer-reiterates-not-like-console-exclusive-content/

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XboxPosted:

GR33NV3N0M i actually really like Phil Spencer and i cant help but wonder how much of a better launch the Xbox one would have had if he was the Head of Xbox back then.

As it stands i agree with him, console exclusives do nothing but add to the console fanboy war. Whilst i agree that games such as Halo and Killzone stay on their respective platforms, i do believe 3rd party companies that make their games like Horizon, infamous and Crackdown, should release their games on all platforms not only would this make more sense for them as a company potentially doubling their market but it certainly would make the community a lot less toxic.

Ive been gaming for around 20 years of my life maybe longer, and i have noticed that as the console war gets worse and worse the community has gotten more and more toxic... Gamers are gamers regardless of platform, and surely we should all be able to get along and agree we have a shared love for playing games?

PC gamers are just as bad as this sometimes with the PC master race elitist morons... at the end of the day it really comes down to preference and my firm belief is still that

Xbox - has a superior online service in Xbox live and has Superior multiplayer games in the form of Halo, Gears of war and crackdown
Playstation - Has superior single player games in the form of InFAMOUS, the last of us, God of War and Horizon.
PC - Has superior technological advantages over both but maybe isn't as accessible to all as console gaming

it comes down to what you want from your console, considering exclusives are a small amount of sales its the 3rd party AAA games that everyone plays on both like COD, battlefield and Destiny that make up the bulk of it anyway.


Wow man probably one of the best responses I have ever read on a article here. Thanks for that throughly though out reply. Personally I don't like console exclusive content either but it is what it is.

FamousPosted:

GR33NV3N0M i actually really like Phil Spencer and i cant help but wonder how much of a better launch the Xbox one would have had if he was the Head of Xbox back then.

As it stands i agree with him, console exclusives do nothing but add to the console fanboy war. Whilst i agree that games such as Halo and Killzone stay on their respective platforms, i do believe 3rd party companies that make their games like Horizon, infamous and Crackdown, should release their games on all platforms not only would this make more sense for them as a company potentially doubling their market but it certainly would make the community a lot less toxic.

Ive been gaming for around 20 years of my life maybe longer, and i have noticed that as the console war gets worse and worse the community has gotten more and more toxic... Gamers are gamers regardless of platform, and surely we should all be able to get along and agree we have a shared love for playing games?

PC gamers are just as bad as this sometimes with the PC master race elitist morons... at the end of the day it really comes down to preference and my firm belief is still that

Xbox - has a superior online service in Xbox live and has Superior multiplayer games in the form of Halo, Gears of war and crackdown
Playstation - Has superior single player games in the form of InFAMOUS, the last of us, God of War and Horizon.
PC - Has superior technological advantages over both but maybe isn't as accessible to all as console gaming

it comes down to what you want from your console, considering exclusives are a small amount of sales its the 3rd party AAA games that everyone plays on both like COD, battlefield and Destiny that make up the bulk of it anyway.


I can agree also. I wish exclusive things were not a thing. It does add in the whole console fanboy crap.

GR33NV3N0MPosted:

i actually really like Phil Spencer and i cant help but wonder how much of a better launch the Xbox one would have had if he was the Head of Xbox back then.

As it stands i agree with him, console exclusives do nothing but add to the console fanboy war. Whilst i agree that games such as Halo and Killzone stay on their respective platforms, i do believe 3rd party companies that make their games like Horizon, infamous and Crackdown, should release their games on all platforms not only would this make more sense for them as a company potentially doubling their market but it certainly would make the community a lot less toxic.

Ive been gaming for around 20 years of my life maybe longer, and i have noticed that as the console war gets worse and worse the community has gotten more and more toxic... Gamers are gamers regardless of platform, and surely we should all be able to get along and agree we have a shared love for playing games?

PC gamers are just as bad as this sometimes with the PC master race elitist morons... at the end of the day it really comes down to preference and my firm belief is still that

Xbox - has a superior online service in Xbox live and has Superior multiplayer games in the form of Halo, Gears of war and crackdown
Playstation - Has superior single player games in the form of InFAMOUS, the last of us, God of War and Horizon.
PC - Has superior technological advantages over both but maybe isn't as accessible to all as console gaming

it comes down to what you want from your console, considering exclusives are a small amount of sales its the 3rd party AAA games that everyone plays on both like COD, battlefield and Destiny that make up the bulk of it anyway.

platyuiPosted:

Exclusive games are important but not exclusive content.

WakePosted:

Exclusives are important for gaming, in my opinion. It forces Sony and Xbox to invest money into new gaming IP's as well as old ones, in efforts to create amazing games that will draw in consumers. At one point I had an Xbox One and decided to buy a PS4 to play with some of my mates that had switched to the console, a few months later I sold my Xbox One as it was clear to me that Sony was more invested in bringing well made games like Horizon Zero Dawn, Last of Us, Persona 5, God of War, etc. that peaked my interest while I was tired of Halo and Gears. If Nintendo, PC, Sony and Xbox all had the same games, there wouldn't be as much competition to produce and invest in new IP's for their consoles, and as a result, I believe we wouldn't get as many well-made games. I think die hard Xbox fans are currently upset about console exclusivity, but just because they are not receiving as many great games as they were last gen (I owned a 360 last gen).

ZombrPosted:

Microsoft are only playing ball. As soon as one company gives it up, it may shed a little light on the situation, but as for now, I think Ill stay with my One.

EvoVIIIPosted:

xGSxCoach They were certainly enjoying last gen...


Well, Phil wasnt the head back then.

xGSxCoachPosted:

They were certainly enjoying last gen...

EthanPosted:

Exclusives are so stupid. Probably makes more people not want to buy your console tbh instead of the other way around

ZydrinPosted:

Im fine okay with that! Exclusives are boring and play into the console war