(Credit: Tango Gameworks)
There's been no shortage of speculation about Microsoft bringing formerly Xbox-exclusive games to rival platforms, but the company appears poised to make that move this week.
Sources familiar with Microsoft's plans tell The Verge that Redmond is preparing to launch a "select number of Xbox games on PS5 and Nintendo Switch." Hi-Fi Rush and Pentiment are up first, with Sea of Thieves coming to non-Xbox platforms in late 2024. "Other first-party titles [are] also under consideration," The Verge says.
Look for more details on Thursday, Feb. 15. The Official Xbox Podcast, airing live at noon PT, will include Xbox chief Phil Spencer, Xbox President Sarah Bond, and Matt Booty, president of Game Content and Studios. They will "share updates on the Xbox business," which is expected to include the formal announcement that exclusives are getting wider releases.
Console exclusives have almost always been one of the biggest reasons to choose one console over the other. However, with Microsoft admitting publicly that it lost the console wars, moving first-party games to other platforms will give it a chance to boost gaming revenue. After all, Microsoft has already said it wants Game Pass on PlayStation and Nintendo consoles.
That isn't to say that Microsoft is giving up on hardware. Over the last two weeks, rumors have emerged about several new potential hardware projects from Microsoft, including a handheld console that would let you play games via Xbox Game Pass from the cloud without the need for a home console or PC.
Tune in on Thursday via the Xbox YouTube channel to see what's in store.