Rumors suggest Xbox is bringing more games to Nintendo Switch and PlayStation, but what's the truth?

[CrashTest]

Its fine if they want to port a few games, but Xbox has already been struggling to provide a compelling reason to get their hardware. Every headline around an Xbox 1st party announcement will now be about ports, instead of the game. This will only serve to further erode trust in the brand. I've invested 20 years and a lot of money into the Xbox ecosystem and even I question what appeal there will be to the hardware.

Without bringing people in, why will Microsoft or 3rd parties continue to invest in the ecosystem, and if i question that why should I continue to invest in it myself?

They need exclusive games and ones that people are confident will stay exclusive. Otherwise I'll go to a platform where I can play everything and once I'm in a different console ecosystem I cant get a gamepass sub there either. Seems like a very shortsighted move by Xbox.

 

[lousaidwat]

If xbox was getting something in return it would be a lot better and I'm not just talking about a guest character in a game. It should be popular titles. I'm sure xbox feels like they don't have the leverage for that tho not yet anyway

 

[DeoGame]

I'm not against the idea in theory but only if its reciprocal. I think in the long-term the regulators will end the console walled gardens, for better or worse.

However, I get Xbox One launch vibes from this move. It's the right idea but way too bloody early. Especially if this is planned to be a trend. And we all saw what happened there.

This is a textbook case of the Prisoner's Dilemma (a Game Theory concept - the Economics study, not the show). For both consumers and businesses, there is a mutual benefit in ending exclusivity. However, if you end it and your competitors double down, they benefit further and you kinda get screwed. I obviously don't have the exact financials in front of me. I can just be that fresh out of BSchool A-Hole who armchair CFOs this. But I do think they are risking the vitality of their ecosystem here. And they just bought the biggest third party publisher who despite being the biggest, made less revenue. Why? Because platforms make a ton of passive profit that I don't think is worth sacrificing for 70% of a sale of a discounted title on a competitors platform, especially a more ruthless one like PlayStation.

 

[MrSpade22]

It's very strange that Xbox owners invest in an Xbox with the expectation of differentiating exclusives, yet other platforms get to enjoy both Xbox games and their own games.

Xbox owners may find it very unfair. More transparency would be good to help them clarify doubts and make more confident decisions in their ecosystem of choice.

 

[Caldweab15]

I do not like the idea of Xbox bringing their first party games to competing platforms. It does nothing to benefit the core Xbox fan. Microsoft needs to think long and hard about the ramifications of what moves like this will have on the brand perception and the support for the platform.

If I start seeing major Xbox games outside of live service games like Grounded going to competing console platforms, I’m moving to PC completely and I’ll spend my money on Steam.

Secondly, can we please get some consistency in messaging. Why is it that Phil Spencer says one thing andTim Stuart says another? Where is the PR & messaging team? Where is the unified messaging that sets expectations? It’s annoying, no other fan base has to endure this mix messaging.

 

[TheSeeker]

No one cares about this. You wont see people that play on Xbox complain about them "losing" another game to Nintendo or God forbid PlayStation...

This is something that only this little bubble cares about. I'm sorry but most people who play games dont use time on social media arguing about these trivial things. They play games and doesn't waste their time like so many of us do....

We all know that the console isn't Microsoft's priority anymore. They dont care where or how you play, as long as you subscribe to Xbox Game Pass or buy their games. That however doesn't mean they wont continue with console hardware...

I look at Xbox like I do with a PC, it's a place to play games. Now I think it's up to Microsoft to make the Xbox consoles have great features and services so that I want to continue to buy their consoles. Nintendo have their hybrid solution. PlayStation have their DualSense features. Now Xbox needs something too besides Game Pass.

But this old and outdated way of thinking about consoles, especially when it comes to Xbox that so many of you do it's time to open your eyes and see the writing on the wall. It's been there for a while now...and why some of you haven't seen it or refuse to acknowledge it I dont know....

 

[brandocalrizia]

I'm kind of over the console wars. Push comes to shove I'll work on upgrading my PC more often. I like the Xbox for the controller, eco system, and easy of use. 1 box that is no hassle, it just works. It's just tribalism.

 

[mousielilone]

I get the money aspect and that’s it’s business. Don’t care about that.

But when the other platforms get the exclusive with physicals, complete editions, and sometimes collectors editions; I’d rather wait and buy it there.

As for pulling people into the ecosystem; most people will just wait for another game to be ported. That logic doesn’t work for Xbox games because Xbox has too much of history of doing it. So there is no clarity.

 

[Jez Corden]

Xbox games should only go to Switch once Nintendo drops some games on Xbox as well.

How about sending some Xenoblade Chronicles to the Series X? Then nobody can complain about HiFi Rush on Switch. It's called give and take, not take take

agree with this, i think if msft wants to explore this route they should try to convince nintendo to do something reciprocal. :/

 

[Jez Corden]

I'm kind of over the console wars. Push comes to shove I'll work on upgrading my PC more often. I like the Xbox for the controller, eco system, and easy of use. 1 box that is no hassle, it just works. It's just tribalism.

agree with this too. i think that's generally how most people feel about it. but they extrapolate an imagined scenario where if xbox gets too small, microsoft will cut it off, and our digital games library will become useless and unsupported.

 

[Jez Corden]

Is there any chance this is being done years in advance of a move to buy sega to create a catalouge of games they can show regulators they don't keep as exclusives?

that'd be a fun conspiracy ...

 

[LStrick13]

I think everyone is being super dramatic and extra about this whole thing. Most Xbox gamers don't care if Psychonauts 2 or HiFi Rush go to Switch. It's only a concern for the vocal minority console warriors. I would ask everyone chill out until we actually know what is happening.

 

[RappleFlip]

Less exclusives is objectively bad for Xbox console:

• Console base shrinks
• Less devs port games to Xbox
• Less Gamepass subs > less Gamepass revenue to add games or fund Xbox ports
• Worse optimization
• More 3rd party revenue > MS goes full 3rd party
• Xbox and maybe even Gamepass join Mixer

Xbox players should get similar tier Nintendo titles on the platform so neither platform gets devalued. Arguments saying Hi-Fi Rush needs a larger audience can be also made for Metroid and other niche Nintendo titles.

 

[TheSeeker]

The irony with all of this "noise" is that I belive that we're about to start seeing a pivot for many gamers very soon embracing Xbox cloud gaming. Everything from new players to those who regularly plays games on their Xbox console.

As soon as Microsoft flips the switch up to 4K resolution, adds HDR and ups the bitrate allot of people will embrace it.

It's not that many years ago cloud gaming was just fiction, then there was a period where it came but it just wasn't good enough. Now we're seeing services like GeForceNOW with some incredible visuals and great latency. We're trully in a time of change and while many will deny it there's nothing stopping this train..for the clouds....

 

[devon37]

As someone who just started in the xbox ecosystem this generation this rumor worries me. A big part of the reason I switched was because of the promise of all the upcoming exclusives for the platform. But if these may end up coming to other platforms it leads me to worry I should have just stayed with those. I know right now it may just be hi fi rush but the goal posts seem to keep moving without clear messaging.

When it comes down to it consoles are a big investment and players need to know what that investment entails especially in terms of exclusives. A lack of clear messaging on this can make it difficult for people to invest in the xbox platform.

 

[meganinja]

I had read the article, and what i have to say is that you nailed the part about the lack of transparency

Its not just on this case, its more often than we think, a exemple is how Forza Motorsport also is suffering from the lack of transparence about what this title is.

From The marketing that caused despise instead of desire for the title, to the upper manegerment not letting the devs admit that the game should had not been delived this way and admit that they need more time to be worked with, ALL of this would not be a problem if Motorsport and Turn 10 had the greenlight to follow Grounded route (launch as early access) instead of follow Horizon (full blown racing title) Route

About Hi-Fi, i would love it get the sucess it deserves, but it should not come at price of the ones that had brought the hardware, its understable that MS belives that Xbox future is in as a Store/Plataform model and they dont want lag behind on it like happenned in the One era
But, this should not come at the demise of hardware owners
If your title isnt Minecraft or ABK. If other companies dont want launch their titles in Xbox, then dont launch your titles in those plataforms until they laun

 

[N3UR0_N0UG4M1]

Rumors are swirling that Xbox is once again going to bring one of its first-party exclusives to a competing platform. Why do we always find ourselves in this situation? Well, some of it is on Microsoft.

Rumors suggest Xbox is bringing more games to Nintendo Switch and PlayStation, but what's the truth? : Read more

Worst movement ever.
When I chose Xbox platform was based on the premises of games that only can be played on Xbox.
If now the release Hi-Fi Rush on Nintendo Switch, how I can be sure that Starfield won’t come to PS5? Or Blade?… even Hellblade 2 only had the commitment of be exclusive, but is no advertise as such.
They struggle selling consoles but deprived the console of exclusive games makes harder to change that situation.
For example, Sony keeps games like FFVII and XVI for themselves, stole other games that was advertised for Xbox and in a few weeks they get Grand Blue Fantasy. Some of those games I will love to play on Xbox, but i can’t. So why users of other platforms can play the games that Microsoft is making or producing?
Is like Microsoft thinks that the user of other companies are better than their own.

 

[Walke407]

Another great article by my boy jez..

 

[Mirandapsct]

If that were to happen, I would consider it a huge disrespect to us, the brand's consumers. Xbox needs to improve its communication in every way and if first party games start to be ported to other platforms I would consider it a betrayal, I came to the platform for the exclusives. Phil needs to improve his decision-making.

 

[newis]

Hmm... Personally I don't like the idea porting games outside of Xbox Ecosystem (xcloud, PC, Xbox).

BUT I don't mind games like Ori was on Switch or maybe some other games what are already 3rd party games (Fallout 3, Crash Bandicoot etc) going to Nintendo Switch (and Switch 2) too. Maybe not on day1 but later.

Call Of Duty will be on Switch (2) on future anyway.


If Microsoft is struggling game sales they can only look at mirror how they have been sold Xbox consoles outside of United States markets. European sales and distribution where people are has been very bad. Their marketing outside of UK has been zero. It feels that Microsoft has dropped "everything" during this generation on Amazon Germany (.de) warehouse and just hopes that it will sell there to rest 44 of European countries with zero effort or at least very low effort.


Funny thing that after ABK deal was done. I could finally see Microsoft Xbox 1st party game - Call Of Duty heavy marketed everywhere from stores to bus stops. The bad thing it was branded to PS5.

There are just so many issues to be fixed FIRST some of those cannot be fixed during this gen.

ANYWAY I am quite happy the current state of Xbox, Xbox Game Pass, games in general and the quality of Xbox hardware.