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Xbox Head Phil Spencer Doesn't Like Paying For Console-Exclusive Content
Microsoft has had some exclusives over the years on Xbox One, but they haven't been lighting up the world they used to. As Forza, Gears of War, and Halo perform admirably but lose momentum as alluring exclusives, the company has made headway with the for-life exclusive Cuphead, as well as the currently console-exclusive version of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. Despite this, Head of Xbox Phil Spencer says he's not too pleased by the practice of exclusive-gathering.
"I don't love the idea or practice of us paying so other platforms can't play or use a certain gun in a game or do a certain level," the Microsoft executive told GameSpot. "I know I say that and, Xbox history – DLC exclusivity windows with Call of Duty – I understand the fingers are pointing right back to Xbox. I can only be who I am. It's not the best PR answer. But I don't like that."
Spencer also talked the GameSpot about Cuphead, which it saw as too good to pass up. "When there are games that come along, Cuphead is a good example, and the team had certain ambition about what they wanted to go do," he said. "And together with them we wanted to invest more. We saw more opportunity. And what that turned into was us having an exclusive game on our platform. That's a game that probably wouldn't have happened the way it did if we didn't invest the way we did."
Our Take
Microsoft's strategy when it comes to exclusives is a bit confusing. It recently started putting its exclusives on PC, making the Xbox One a less desirable console but giving more people access to its games. And saying it doesn't like console-exclusive goodies may sound noble (I can't image many people like not being able to play parts of a game because of marketing deal), but I have to wonder how much of it has to do with them being soundly beaten on that front by Sony.
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