There was once a time when Xbox was hailed for its exclusives compared to its competition. In the 2000s, we saw the release of Halo, Gears, and Forza games, which defined an entire generation of gamers and changed how we played games. However, something happened in the 2010s, and Xbox’s quality of first-party titles took a massive nosedive.
Xbox’s slump of bad exclusives didn’t end with Series S/X either, and it worsened. In response, Microsoft started buying studios, left and right, and assembling new teams to work on major console-exclusive games for the Xbox family of consoles. 2024 was supposed to be our first look at how Xbox exclusives have improved, and it seems like we’re in for a rollercoaster yet again.
Microsoft’s New Approach For Xbox Exclusives Has Proven to be a Disaster
After getting completely obliterated in the Xbox One era and now Xbox Series S/X due to Sony’s sheer dominance with exclusives, Xbox started outright buying studios such as Activsion Blizzard and Bethesda, as well as smaller ones.
Initially, it seemed like Xbox’s quantity over quality approach would work, and Xbox players would finally get their hands on games that would be worth their time. However, massive disappointments followed, such as Halo Infinite, Forza 5, and Starfield. Players thought things would improve in 2024, but even with Hellblade 2′s release, not a single Xbox game has reached the USA’s top 10 best-selling games of 2024.
In a year when PlayStation users received Helldivers 2, Stellar Blade, and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, it’s clear that Microsoft needs to step up and deliver some big first-party exclusives for Xbox as well. Although Microsoft has promised titles such as Indiana Jones and Ara: History Untold, their catalog still looks weak.
Obviously, game development is a huge process, and things can take longer than expected. If Xbox is developing some big project that might finally end the console’s terrible run of exclusives, we will likely see it coming next year.
Why Are Xbox Exclusives So Horrendous?
Even with the massive support of Xbox Game Pass and multiple studios, Xbox is still playing catch-up with PlayStation regarding first-party exclusives. But why is this happening? Well, several aspects are associated with how Microsoft approaches Xbox executives that hold back its potential.
One of the first reasons Xbox fails with first-party titles is its approach to developing games produced specifically for Xbox Series S/X. Even Xbox itself has admitted that it needs to alter its approach to its disgraceful first-party games.
Xbox’s decision to release first-party games on Game Pass can be great for gamers, but it’s a burden for developers. It forces them to look elsewhere for revenue, which reduces the quality of the games and forces them to opt for a live-service model.
Microsoft’s strategy to prioritize Game Pass over exclusivity also hurts Xbox. The subscription service overshadows first-party Xbox exclusives through the close link between them. Xbox tends to put itself in a situation where it sells the Game Pass to generate hype for first-party games.
