Xbox may rethink its approach to exclusive games, the insider claims

Xbox According to a reputable insider, there are “big discussions” about re-releasing first-party console exclusives. Microsoft's gaming division has gone through some big changes over the past few years, and now that there's new leadership leading the brand, there's talk that it could change back to what it once was. Part of that rumored shift could see Xbox reverse its current trend of multi-platform releases.

Console exclusivity has recently faced an uncertain future in the gaming industry. While Nintendo remains as exclusive-heavy as ever, PlayStation has released many of its games on PC, and even some on Xbox, though there are reports that it will dial back that practice. Former Xbox president Sarah Bond also claimed console exclusives were “antiquated” as part of the brand's infamous “It's an Xbox” campaign that sought to bring the Microsoft gaming experience to a wider range of systems. While the company has seen some success with this mindset, it's also run into its fair share of obstacles, and now there's word that it may be course-correcting.

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma is committed to comforting the first approach

related to

“Back to Xbox” is committed to Xbox's new head console experience

Microsoft Gaming's new CEO Asha Sharma wants to bring Xbox hardware to the forefront of the company's core gaming strategy.

Xbox is reportedly debating a return to exclusives amid a brand refresh

In a recent episode of the Xbox Two podcast, industry insider and leaker Jez Corden claimed that Xbox is having “very big discussions about exclusive stuff.” While he didn't offer any specifics about who was involved in these talks and where the brand appears to be leaning, he noted that they are coming as part of a larger conversation about what kind of company Xbox wants to be. In recent years, the gaming giant has positioned itself as both a publisher and a platform, but it now appears to be faced with the choice of focusing on one side first to drive a strong financial future. For what it's worth, newly appointed Xbox CEO Asha Sharma acknowledged the demand for exclusives, which could signal a shift in that direction.

Even from an outsider's perspective, there seem to be benefits on both sides of the specialty coin. On the one hand, Xbox has made a lot of money by bringing in first-party franchises Forza on PlayStation systems. On the other hand, Xbox hardware revenue has been declining lately, and going back to exclusives could help drive higher console sales. While Microsoft's games and services have made up for the dip in console revenue up to this point, there's no guarantee that the same trend will continue in the future. Corden also points out that Xbox is Microsoft's most valuable consumer-facing brand, so by not releasing exclusives, it could be “leaving money on the table” without fully capitalizing on that segment.

The question of console exclusivity may not be the only thing Xbox is rethinking. A leaked internal memo recently revealed that Sharma claimed Xbox Game Pass was too expensive and called for a reworked, more flexible business model to reach a larger consumer base. Sharma has also moved the brand away from the previous “this is an Xbox” philosophy, so the new CEO is clearly not afraid to reverse course if the current trajectory doesn't seem to be working. Even if Xbox doesn't make any dramatic changes, it seems more likely that it will return to exclusivity, at least to the point where that might be on the table.

Find all 10 pairs

For now, none of this has been confirmed, and if these talks are happening, it's uncertain which way Xbox will go. The fans know Hello: Campaign Evolved The PS5 will launch later this year, and Microsoft has confirmed the future hello The games will also come to PlayStation consoles, though that part may change. Xbox may be facing a big moment in its development, and its next steps could be to go back and do things the old way, at least to an extent.