Summary
Microsoft wants to know why some developers aren’t making games forXbox. Microsoft had previously admitted thatXboxlost the console wars of this generation. While sales aren’t technically bad, the company positioned itself as third versus Sony’s PlayStation and Nintendo’s Switch. In spite of Microsoft garnering some praise for how it handles online gaming and a few of its properties, exclusive games for the Series X/S are very few compared to its counterparts.
In fact, Sony seems to be the leading company that has a prettygood number of exclusives for the PlayStation, with no signs of stopping in 2025. With the recent announcements ofDeath Stranding 2: On the BeachandGhost of Yotei,it’s somewhat obvious that the quality of PlayStation exclusive games may be considered on a different level by most gamers. Perhaps this is the reason why Microsoft looks to find out why there’s a gap in terms of game production and exclusivity.
In a recent blog posted by Microsoft on its website, Xbox Research division announced that it has expanded its scope to include the community of Xbox game developers. Part of their goal is to listen to developers and learn how to improve future tools and services. And with many reports saying thatsales of Xbox Series X/S are betterthan many expected, the move to talk to developers could be an important factor that they need to focus on if Microsoft wants to succeed in the console business.
Microsoft Wants To Hear From Other Developers
A surprising thing mentioned during the blog was that the new research program is welcoming input even from creators that aren’t bringing their games to Xbox. Dr. Deborah Hendersen, Principal User Researcher for Xbox, explained the concept wherein they are interested in knowing why said creators aren’t on Xbox. Old rumors persist thatSony is paying developers to keep their games off Game Passand Xbox as a whole, although there might be other reasons that Microsoft wants to find out.
Still, this is a very smart move for Microsoft to push. If the company can figure out how to boost the quality and quantity of games available on the system, it could lead to more opportunities to develop a better system. With arumored Next-Gen Xbox Handheld, the team could use not just exclusives, but creative games in general that could utilize platform-specific features. Part of the reason why Nintendo Switch is successful is because of its innovative approach to gaming, and hopefully, Microsoft can discover the information they need to continue their niche in gaming.
