Xbox president Sarah Bond has declared that exclusive games are “antiquated,” reinforcing Microsoft’s ongoing shift toward releasing titles across multiple platforms.
During a recent interview with Mashable, Bond argued that modern players expect to access games on whatever device they choose. The statement doubles down on Xbox’s strategy of prioritizing software reach and services over hardware-driven exclusivity.
Microsoft has already brought several formerly Xbox-only titles to rival platforms throughout 2024. Sea of Thieves, Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment, and Grounded all expanded to PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle followed suit, launching on PS5 just months after its Xbox debut.
Still making consoles
Despite Bond’s comments, Xbox leadership maintains they will continue producing hardware. The company has hinted at a “significant technical leap” for its next-generation console, positioning it as a premium product rather than abandoning the hardware space entirely.
This separates Microsoft from Sony and Nintendo, who still rely heavily on first-party exclusives to drive console sales. Sony typically launches titles on PlayStation first before porting selected games to PC years later. Nintendo builds its entire business around exclusive franchises tied to unique hardware.
Xbox’s approach reflects a different calculation. Rising AAA development costs now routinely exceed $200m per title, pushing publishers to seek larger audiences across multiple platforms. Microsoft has positioned Game Pass subscriptions as its primary growth engine, with the service reaching 34 million subscribers across PC and console.
The strategy gained additional clarity after Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard in October 2023. Regulatory agreements required the company to keep Call of Duty on competing platforms for at least 10 years, cementing a multiplatform commitment for one of gaming’s biggest franchises.
Bond’s “antiquated” framing suggests this approach will extend to future first-party releases, though Microsoft hasn’t announced specific plans for upcoming titles like Fable, Avowed, or Perfect Dark.
