Microsoft has revealed that four games that were previously only available on Xbox will now be released on PlayStation and Nintendo consoles. They have also hinted at sharing information about the next iteration of their Xbox console by the end of 2024.

During a video podcast featuring other members of the Xbox team, Phil Spencer, the CEO of Microsoft’s gaming division, did not specify the four titles in question. However, he did mention that they are all over a year old. Two of the titles are live-service games, while the other two are smaller titles. It is possible that Sea of Thieves, a multiplayer pirate adventure, and Hi-Fi Rush, a musical action game, are among the four titles. It has been confirmed that both Starfield, released last year, and the upcoming Indiana Jones game will not be available on multiple platforms.

The decision marks a significant change in approach, moving away from focusing on the sale of hardware such as the Xbox and prioritizing an increase in sales of first-party games. Microsoft’s consoles have faced challenges against PlayStation since the launch of the original Xbox in 2001. Despite initial success, the Xbox 360 was eventually outsold by the PlayStation 3. When the Xbox One was released in 2013, the company shifted its strategy to market the console as a digital-first multimedia device, which alienated loyal gaming fans and gave the PlayStation 4 a significant advantage. By the end of that generation, PlayStation 4 had sold over 117 million units while the Xbox One only managed 58.6 million.

In 2017, Microsoft changed its approach once again and introduced the Game Pass subscription service. This allowed Xbox users to access a vast selection of games for a set monthly cost, following the model of popular streaming TV platforms. The service has now reached 34 million subscribers and many Xbox-exclusive games are now released through it. Additionally, the service was also made available for PC two years later.

Microsoft has been making a concerted effort to strengthen its gaming division by acquiring various companies. This includes purchasing Mojang, the creators of Minecraft, in 2014 for $2.5 billion, Zenimax Media, the parent company of Elder Scrolls and Fallout studio Bethesda, for $7.5 billion in 2020, and Activision Blizzard King, the publisher of Call of Duty and Candy Crush, for a whopping $68.7 billion in 2023. Additionally, Microsoft has acquired several smaller studios. The acquisition of Activision Blizzard is the largest deal in the history of the gaming industry. On Friday, Xbox president Sarah Bond announced that some of Activision Blizzard’s games will be available on Game Pass, starting with Diablo IV on March 28th. Microsoft had to navigate through legal and regulatory challenges during the acquisition process but has committed to keeping popular games like Call of Duty accessible on other consoles.

Bond reaffirmed that Microsoft has no plans to withdraw from the console industry, refuting speculations that have been circulating for the past month. “We have some exciting hardware releases planned for this holiday season,” she stated.

Source: theguardian.com