Summary
Microsoft Gaming chief Phil Spencer has confirmed that the company will be porting moreXboxfirst-party titles to other platforms in the future.Xboxfirst announced its seismic deviation from console exclusivity earlier this year, when it revealed that four first-party titles from its back catalog would head to rival platforms, PlayStation and Nintendo. At the time, Spencer clarified that this initial batch of multiplatform titles wasn’t a sign that the “floodgates” were opening, but it appears Microsoft isn’t done porting.
Xbox’s first group of multiplatform titles consisted of smaller games, namelyHi-Fi Rush,Pentiment,Grounded, andSea of Thieves. Although the change in its exclusivity strategy was sudden, the general notion was that these games had exhausted their sales potential on Xbox and PC, and so it made sense for them to find a new player base on competitor platforms. However,rumors surrounding more multiplatform Xbox portshave accelerated recently, and now, the head honcho has spoken.
Spencer Believes Going Multiplatform Is Beneficial for Xbox Franchises
The CEO sees the multiplatform strategy as a “benefit” to Xbox’s first-party franchises, acknowledging that “players love to be able to play.” This comment potentially hints to promising sales data for the first four multiplatform titles, which isn’t surprising consideringSea of Thieves' substantial popularity on PS5. Microsoft may be looking to capitalize on the userbases of its rival platforms further, and Spencer’s confirmation means PlayStation and Nintendo users can look forward to more Xbox titles in the future.
The only remaining question is when Microsoft will announce the next batch of multiplatform first-party ports. The latest Xbox Games Showcase revealed thatid Software’s highly anticipatedDoom: The Dark Ageswill launch day one on PS5, but beyond that, there’s no telling which back-catalog first-party titles Microsoft will bring to rival platforms next. Rumors of aHalo: Combat Evolvedremaster being considered for PS5 have surfaced recently, but nothing concrete about its launch platforms has been decided yet.
