Tech Desk 
Dec 15, 2024
Xbox is reportedly shifting its focus away from permanent console exclusivity, signalling a major change in its gaming strategy. The recent leaks claim that future and current Xbox first-party games might launch on PlayStation and other platforms "over time."
This new position might result in some of these legendary Xbox titles appearing in all competing consoles, but that is what has surprised gamers the most.
The change is a result of a drastic shift in 2024 when Microsoft started bringing its first-party games to PlayStation and Nintendo platforms. Titles such as Pentiment, Sea of Thieves, Grounded, and Hi-Fi Rush were confirmed to rival consoles.
The decision reportedly came from the efforts of Microsoft to recover its investment in acquiring Activision Blizzard, worth $68.7 billion.
Adding to this, The Outer Worlds 2 was recently unveiled at The Game Awards 2024 and will be available on PS5 alongside Xbox Series X/S and PC.
However, the rumours indicate that Xbox's era of permanent exclusives is over, and future titles like Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2, Avowed, and South of Midnight might also land on PS5.
The Xbox may be preparing its first-party studios for the simultaneous multiplatform development, which means new games would launch on the PS5 and possibly the Nintendo console at the same time that they launched on Xbox and PC.
This isn't an official announcement. It did say that such a move could include the legendary Halo, Gears of War, and Forza.
Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer previously noted that the company has no strict limits on sharing its games with other platforms. This suggests a future where Xbox exclusives may become a thing of the past, reshaping the gaming industry.
