PlayStation and Nintendo are popular for their first-party offerings. Franchises like God of War and Mario ensure that players are incentivized to pick these platforms over rivals.
However, Xbox has struggled with its first-party library, and the gaming giant is looking to acquire more studios to improve its first-party offerings. A recent document from Microsoft highlights the divide between Xbox and its rivals.
The document reveals that PlayStation has five times more exclusives than Xbox.
Why it matters: Exclusive titles have historically been a massive part of the gaming industry. Still, Xbox has been left behind in this department.
This leaked Confidential court document shows how far behind and less effective Microsoft is when it comes to making Xbox Exclusives vs Competition.
They have deleted documents of these graphs. pic.twitter.com/RdVlWfksSh
— HazzadorGamin,Dragon of Dojima (@HazzadorGamin) June 29, 2023
Since modern consoles like PlayStation and Xbox are very similar in hardware specifications, exclusive games can make a huge difference for consumers looking to pick a particular platform.
However, Xbox has struggled to provide quality first-party titles. This is likely why Microsoft admitted that Xbox lost the console war. PlayStation has well-established IPs over a decade old.
This includes games like God of War and The Last of Us. Moreover, the last generation introduced various IPs like the Horizon franchise and Marvel’s Spider-Man. Nintendo boasts a similarly strong lineup with titles like The Legend of Zelda, Mario, Splatoon, and more.
On the other hand, Xbox has struggled to introduce new IPs, and legacy franchises have not stayed as relevant. Halo is the most iconic franchise for Xbox, but Halo Infinite has not been able to provide the quality updates expected of a live-service title.
While franchises like Forza continue to impress, Microsoft has not found IPs that can compete with PlayStation and Nintendo. Still, this could change after the recent wave of acquisitions from Microsoft.
Recently, Satya Nadella also claimed that he wanted to end exclusivity, but he does not have much authority on the matter. He said:
“If it was up to me, I would love to get rid of the entire exclusives on consoles.”
He also pointed to PlayStation’s strategy and how it forces Xbox to rely on exclusives. The divide between Xbox and its rivals’ exclusives further highlights Satya Nadella’s point.
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