Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
The first whispers ofIndian Jones and the Great Circlehad many fans rightfully excited. The intrepid explorer has appeared in previous titles, but this would be his first appearance on modern gaming systems. With the popularity ofUncharted, Xbox fans believed this could be an ace in the hole for the company.
However, recent news has disappointed users of Microsoft’s hardware and led to many memes from other platform users. Gamescom 2024 would have been a big moment for Xbox users, but one frame had many sighing from frustration. But was this unexpected?
First-party IPs Are the Carrot at the End of the Stick
Exclusives have long been the lifeblood of many gaming companies. Unique gaming experiences that can’t be played anywhere else would urge consumers to invest in the hardware and, hopefully, the larger ecosystem. A strong lineup of first-party titles is often the benchmark many gamers consider before investing their money into a system.
The big three in the space—Nintendo, Xbox, and PlayStation—have long had a rivalry for consumer attention. In recent years, despite the initial scarcity of the console,the PS5 has pulled ahead greatly compared to the hardware salesof the other two companies. While many would attribute this to the technical capabilities of the console, it’s also due to game selection.
“No, there’s no PS5 port being worked on”: Xbox Fans Can Sigh In Relief as Fable Reportedly Staying Away From PlayStation
So far, the typical practice has been to launch a steady stream of exclusive content on the platform to encourage more people to invest over time into the hardware.
Microsoft’s $8.1 billion acquisition of Zenimax Media was a worrying issue for many PlayStation users, as they believed future Bethesda titles would be exclusive to Xbox. But, earlier this year, Phil Spencer put those worries to rest.
Has Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Signaled the End of the Exclusive Era for Xbox?
The Xbox Official Podcast was meant to show how the company planned to grow in the coming year and expand its footprint in the gaming industry. New games were expected, but what wasn’t expected was Phil Spencer revealing that some first-party Xbox exclusives would be making their way onto other platforms.
His reasoning behind this was to utilize the existing audience of the other platforms to help grow these titles in popularity. On paper, it makes sense, and the four titles he revealed were also ones that PlayStation users already had access to for a while.
Steven Spielberg Would be Proud: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Has a “Loop and Skill System” That Changes the Whole Gameplay
PlayStation adopts a similar approach, bringing titles such asGhost of Tsushima,The Last of Us, andGod of Warto PC a few years after its release on the console.
But it seems Microsoft is not interested in waiting for that cooling period. At Gamescom 2024, it was revealed thatIndiana Jones and the Great Circlewould be coming to the PS5.
February 2024: Phil Spencer says “They are not Starfield or Indiana Jones"August 2024: Indiana Jones announced for PS5 👀pic.twitter.com/sxVo4CcBkr
Current rumors suggest this release will happen in the middle of 2025, and many have stated the initial release on the intended hardwarewill act as a playtest for the official release on the PlayStation 5. However, Indy is not the only exclusive getting a quick release on rival hardware.
Bethesda’s Jaunt Through Hell to be Available At Launch
TheDoomremake, handled by id Software, performed so well that it got a sequel, and now a third installment is slated to launch next year.Doom: The Dark Ages, developed by a substudio of Bethesda, will be available on the PlayStation 5 at launch. WithDoombeing a legacy franchise, it’s a major release for the studio and could have been an effective lure for Microsoft to get people to buy its hardware.
“We got a f**king game!”: Doom The Dark Ages Looks to Have Perfected the Doom Formula, by Throwing in Some Skyrim and Oblivion into the Mix
The fact that the company is launching the title on multiple platforms simultaneously seems to be an odd move on the surface. At 21.8 million consoles sold in 2023, Sony has a nearly threefold lead over Microsoft, which sits at 7.5 million systems sold in the same year.
Given such a wide gap in sales, one would expect Microsoft to take advantage of any leverage to boost its numbers.
2024 Americas sales through July (#VGChartzestimates):PS5: 2.91M (-17.1% year-over-year)XSX|S: 1.59M (-12.1% YoY)NS: 1.55M (-45.2% YoY)https://t.co/89mVN8IPR1#PS5#PlayStation5#Xbox#XboxSeriesX#Switch#Nintendopic.twitter.com/kBLOllMXpl
Microsoft needs to tackle two challenges: the first is low sales, and the second is the expectation of day-one launches on Game Pass. The subscription service recently got a revamp in prices—a move that was not appreciated by users, and also affected game availability. The cheapest tier will now no longer feature day-one titles.
These moves may be why Microsoft wants titles such asDoom: The Dark Ages, andIndiana Jonesto launch on other platforms. Public sentiment for the company has soured over the past few months due to news of layoffs, lack of new hardware announcements, and questionable partnerships.
Unless the company can make some drastic changes to how it approaches fan feedback, this sentiment might continue to degrade further.
What are your thoughts on game exclusivity and Microsoft breaking this tradition? Let us know in the comments below!
Sagar Nerala
Articles Published :565
Gaming was one of my earliest passions then along came writing, and here we are. I’ve been in the content creation space for several years now and as gamer for even longer. From understanding the complexities of a multilayer narrative to the simply joy of “big gun go boom”, my goal is to capture all the emotions in between and put them down in an engaging manner.
More from Sagar Nerala
Dragon Age: The Veilguard – How to Recruit Taash?
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero – How to Unlock Branching Paths During Astonishing Team (Gohan’s Saga)
Metaphor: ReFantazio – How to Beat Kokasados Boss Guide
Recommended
Sean McLaughlin’s Dad Just Became the Unlikely Villain (or Hero) of ‘Bachelor in Paradise’
Madison Beer’s Boyfriend: Who Is She Dating?
Helldivers 2 X Halo ODST Legendary Warbond Crossover: Complete Rundown
Good Boy Director Explains How He Made His Dog Act in 2025’s Most Inventive Horror Movie
The Terminal List: Dark Wolf: Luke Hemsworth Reveals Marvel Link That Sneaks Into His Dark Wolf Role
The Batman 2: Is Zoë Kravitz Not In the Robert Pattinson Starring Sequel? Reports
BethesdaDoom: The Dark AgesIndiana Jones and the Great CircleXbox
