New Xbox boss Asha Sharma is reportedly “treading carefully” as she works out what to do with exclusive games.
Sharma, who replaced Phil Spencer as boss of Xbox earlier this year, has spent her first few months in the job making a number of significant changes as Microsoft works to win back the hearts and minds of its core gaming fans. Among them was the end of the controversial ‘This is an Xbox’ marketing campaign, quickfire new Xbox console features, and a Game Pass price cut.
Perhaps most significant of all, Microsoft has said it will “reevaluate our approach to exclusivity,” a tantalizing tease particularly for core fans who feel Xbox consoles have been devalued amid the company’s multiplatform push in recent years.
But what does this actually mean? Microsoft has a number of first-party titles due out this year already earmarked for PlayStation 5. Indeed, Microsoft has indicated all future Halo games will be released on Sony’s console. Could Microsoft pull back from this approach in a significant way, despite how successful some of its games have been on PlayStation?
The Verge’s Tom Warren reports that Sharma “has been evaluating a range of options for Xbox exclusive games, but is treading carefully here and isn’t yet ready to commit to any major changes.”
Perhaps Microsoft could go for timed Xbox exclusivity, rather than day one releases on PlayStation. Playground’s Forza Horizon 6, due out later this month on Xbox and PC, is set for PS5 at some point in 2026. Forza Horizon 5 is a huge hit on PlayStation, generating significant revenue for Playground and its parent company. Surely Microsoft won’t leave all that money on the table by pulling the PS5 version of Forza Horizon 6.
Gears of War E-Day, though, is an interesting one. So far it’s confirmed only for Xbox and PC. Could it skip PS5 entirely?
Sharma has some big decisions to make as she battles to turn Xbox around. Last month, she acknowledged the ongoing financial struggles of Microsoft’s gaming business amid the repositioning of the brand around its core fans.
All this comes with Microsoft’s next-generation console, Project Helix, looming over the horizon. While details are vague, we know it will play PC as well as console games, and it’s looking like a premium device that will command a premium price. Today, Microsoft said it will reveal more on Project Helix later this year.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.