- Most developers understand that exclusivity is no longer a viable strategy.
- Responding to a survey, over 90% of developers agreed that complete exclusivity would not be implemented in future titles.
- Studios will likely resort to timed or limited exclusivity as they ease into a third-party approach moving forward.
The practice of exclusivity has persisted for a long time in the industry, with platforms like the PS4 and Nintendo Switch making a name for themselves through a solid library of exclusive first-party offerings.
However, games like Helldivers 2 and Gears of War moving to rival platforms have led to a debate. Many believe exclusivity is no longer as important, and a survey from Gamescom reveals that developers agree this is the case.
Why it matters: PlayStation’s latest job listing basically confirmed that the gaming giant would port more titles to other platforms. At the same time, Xbox has already shown its commitment to third-party releases over the last year.
Gamescom kicks off later this month, and developers from all over the industry are looking forward to the event. In addition to game announcements and reveals, developers are looking forward to Devcom, a part of Gamescom focusing on developers and their experiences.
Devcom surveys have also been shared recently, revealing interesting insight into the industry’s thoughts on various subjects, including exclusivity. According to the survey, 94% of the respondents no longer believe full exclusivity is a great strategy.
32% believe exclusivity will die out altogether, while 34% expect to see more timed exclusives moving forward. Only 6% of all respondents believe studios will continue to take exclusivity seriously, signalling a major decline in the trend.
Among the major competitors, Nintendo seems to be the only one still sticking with the tried-and-true approach of exclusivity. However, Nintendo has still ported smaller titles like The Wonderful 101 to PC in the past.
What do you think about the responses to this survey? Do you think the developers are right about the future? Let’s discuss in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.
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[Senior News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than 5 years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
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