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[Evilms]

Next-gen exclusives – are they necessary to push the industry and artform forward or do they just unnecessarily divide players? Sony takes the former position and will launch the PlayStation 5 with the usual array of exclusives, while Microsoft supports the latter and has promised all first-party Xbox Series X games will also come out on the Xbox One for at least a year.

So, is Microsoft limiting their developers by forcing them to support the Xbox One? In a new interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Phil Spencer rejects the idea that the Xbox Series X will be in any way held back.

Frankly, “held back” is a meme that gets created by people who are too caught up in device competition. […] The diversity of hardware choice in PC has not held back the highest fidelity PC games on the market. The highest fidelity PC games rival anything that anybody has ever seen in video games. So this idea that developers don't know how to build games, or game engines, or ecosystems, that work across a set of hardware... there's a proof point in PC that shows that's not the case.

Later in the interview, Spencer goes a step further, saying Sony’s next-gen-exclusive-focused approach is “completely counter to what gaming is about”…

As a player you are the centre of our strategy. Our device is not the centre of our strategy, our game is not the centre of the strategy. We want to enable you to play the games you want to play, with the friends you want to play with, on any device. […] Gaming is about entertainment and community and diversion and learning new stories and new perspectives, and I find it completely counter to what gaming is about to say that part of that is to lock people away from being able to experience those games. Or to force someone to buy my device on the day that I want them to go buy it, in order to partake in what gaming is about.

Okay, I generally like Spencer, but let’s be real – forcing studios to support seven-year-old hardware is going to limit what they make. There’s no way around that, particularly since we’re at a place where new technology, like solid-state drives, are going to fundamentally change the way games are developed. Epic’s amazing, photorealistic Unreal Engine 5 demo only used as much GPU processing grunt as Fortnite. It was cutting-edge technology, only available in new consoles, that made that possible.

Spencer tries to frame crossgen as a pro-gamer thing, but realistically, Xbox Game Studios is largely made up of recently-purchased devs who were already working on stuff for current-gen hardware. Also, Microsoft has made no bones about the fact that they want a platform-agnostic future where Xbox Live and Xbox Game Pass is available on all hardware. So, this isn’t that altruistic.

Anywho, what do you think? Are next-gen exclusives important to you or do you prefer Microsoft’s more inclusive approach?

Xbox’s Phil Spencer Says PS5-Style Next-Gen Exclusives “Counter to What Gaming is About”

The idea that Xbox Series X games will be held back by crossgen development is nothing but a "meme" insists Phil Spencer.

wccftech.com

 

[Stiflers Mom]

Us gamers want our anti consumer products.
How dare Phil say otherwise..

 

[ElCasual]

Phil"Blablablabla" Spencer.

 

[hyperbertha]

Middle earth shadow of mordor had a gimped nemesis system on ps3/x360 for a reason. You can't have ambitious game with this support all systems policy of theirs. They know they are cornered (due to releasing the Scorpio) and now has to make borderline absurd claims to justify their position.

 

[Entroyp]

Nah dude, we’re good enjoying exclusives.

 

[sircaw]

I better say nothing, before i am attacked by shill force one.

 

[The Cartographer]

When did he change his mind?
Because when he was the general manager of Microsoft Studios his tune was very, very different.

 

[Psykodad]

Why not become a 3rd party and put GamePass on Playstation and Nintendo then?

 

[GymWolf]

Will garbage dispencer please shut his trap? Him and that Aaron Greenberg lapdog of his. Middle earth shadow of mordor had a gimped nemesis system on ps3/x360 for a reason. You can't have ambitious game with this support all systems policy of theirs. They know they are cornered (due to releasing the Scorpio) and now has to make borderline absurd claims to justify their position.

I better say nothing, before i am attacked by shill force one.

ok i laughed at these

 

[MDSLKTR]

This will not go down well.

 

[SlimySnake]

Also Phil Spencer.

 

[MrS]

The market will decide who is correct.

Personally, I think he's full of shit. The point of making a next gen console is to leave old tech behind, not to be tethered to it and its limitations forevermore. Looking forward to what PlayStation studios cooks up next gen.

 

[Metnut]

Guy whose console just had an embarrassing paucity of exclusives goes on rant against exclusives.

News at 11.

 

[John254]

Of course. Because when only argument about "next-gen" exclusives is "that's how it was always done," you know it is failed argument.
And games like Miles Morales are proof, since that game almost scream "I'm old-gen game blocked from PS4 release by Sony"

 

[ClosBSAS]

good for phil, its all good, no need to buy a ps5 when at some point ill get most of their exclusives on PC for 10 bucks.

 

[Dr Bass]

If Series S/X games have to run on One S and One X, yeah, it's going to affect the games, absolutely. Mainly because of the CPU and HDD difference. Either that or it's going to be so stripped down it's going to be a different game. Like back in the NES games when you finally got Double Dragon at home, but it only had single player and looked and sounded nothing like the arcade. Pointing to the PC as proof of his concept is absurd as they have had decent cpus for ages.

His logic also doesn't make sense. If the newer boxes aren't required to run new kinds of software, why make them? If it's merely a visual upgrade why produce yet ANOTHER generation? The whole point of generations is to make new things possible. So by definition, cross generational titles can't take full advantage of the new platform. Why not make Halo Infinite available on 360 then? Oh wait, you mean there ARE points where software can't happen on certain hardware?

I know people like this guy, but he's either not very smart or a complete corporate tool. He just can't have it every which way. So Halo Infinite is going to be "designed" for the Series X but will run on the One S? And that's not going to affect any kind of game design choice at all? Not a single one? Ok dude.

 

[GymWolf]

Also Phil SPencer.

i can phil the bipolarism from my home.

 

[JCK75]

I don't think it's a limitation considering they have basically turned their platform into a lite version of PC gaming.. devs are going to have multiple sets of assets to support the PC already which will cover, Low Quality 1080P up to Ultra Quality 4K.. this just translates to the consoles now and personally I think it's the perfect move and I'd certainly feel better buying a game late gen knowing I can play it on my next gen purchase rather than having to buy it again under a "Remastered" Label.

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

 

[SlimySnake]

Will garbage dispencer please shut his trap?

You are gonna get banned for this but i just wanted to let you know you made me laugh.

 

[jakinov]

Will garbage dispencer please shut his trap? Him and that Aaron Greenberg lapdog of his. Middle earth shadow of mordor had a gimped nemesis system on ps3/x360 for a reason. You can't have ambitious game with this support all systems policy of theirs. They know they are cornered (due to releasing the Scorpio) and now has to make borderline absurd claims to justify their position.

I mean, doesn't that game actually show that the old consoles didn't hold back the game on new consoles? Which is sort of the topic at hand. They let the PS3/360 versions look like shit and stripped down features available in the next-gen version.

 

[Gavon West]

All hes saying is that their exclusives will spread across the Xbox platform/ecosystem. Not that there wont be any exclusives for next gen. If you guys didnt try so hard to be willfully daft, your efforts would come around a bit better. They have the tools to scale games across devices so everyone has a chance to play, where they want to play with applicable assets etc. If you can do it and still make Series X and PC versions look and feel next gen, why not???

 

[Nikana]

This won't go over well obviously but it makes sense from a strategic standpoint as the ability to get more customers in has been expanded exponentially.

But it might be a bit too soon in my opinion to be basing you're entire strategy on services. But GP speaks for itself and consumers are enjoying it.

 

[Qudrat Rabbi]

maybe start making some games that actually rival Sony and Nintendo then I’ll listen to what you have to say.

 

[Trogdor1123]

No more ms exclusives now! Sweet

 

[Ascend]

Also Phil SPencer.

Maybe he learned his lesson.

 

[CrysisFreak]

>play on any device
But I don't want to fucking play on "any" device.
Might as well play San Andreas on my phone if I wanted.
I want to play goddamn next-gen games with a next-gen controller on a next-gen console using HDMI 2.1 and don't you fucking dare show me one more loading screen in my whole fucking life.

 

[SleepDoctor]

Guys are so desperate you repost the same thing Rolla got banned for lol good luck

 

[Dee Dah Dave]

A short transition period of a year or so is fine, it’s not like launch window exclusives ever max out the new hardware anyway. Plus it’s just the same as what most 3rd parties will do. What matters most is if the games are good. Someone else not being able to play the game is not what makes it good.

And it’s probably going to be best to wait just a couple of weeks to see what the games look and play like on the Series X.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

Sony could have made Phil Spencer look dumb here had they produced a handful of PS5 games that looked like they couldn't be done on current gen hardware.

Instead we got Demons Souls, Ratchet and Clank 9, Spiderman 2, Gran Turismo 7, and...Kena BoS.

Phil Spencer is absolutely right.

 

[NickFire]

In my opinion, Phil should either announce PS5 and PS4 Halo, or wear a sign on a busy street corner that says "I lie for money"

 

[MrS]

Sony could have made Phil Spencer look dumb here had they produced a handful of games that looked like they couldn't be done on current gen hardware.

Instead we got Demons Souls, Ratchet and Clank 9, Spiderman 2, Gran Turismo 7, and...Kena BoS.

Phil Spencer is absolutely right.

The omission of Horizon Forbidden West on your list tells its own story.

 

[Neff]

Oh come the fuck on Phil

 

[Qudrat Rabbi]

The omission of Horizon Forbidden West on your list tells its own story.

Also goodluck running GT7 and ratchet and clack rift apart on PS4. Yea those dimension hopping are really gonna work

 

[hyperbertha]

I mean, doesn't that game actually show that the old consoles didn't hold back the game on new consoles? Which is sort of the topic at hand. They let the PS3/360 versions look like shit and stripped down features available in the next-gen version.

Depends on the scope and how integral your ideas are on the game's basic framework. The nemesis system managed to have two versions because the game still worked without it, albeit an inferior version. But something that defines your whole game? That you built from the ground up? You can't have two versions of that without making two entirely different games.

Also , their whole strategy is about 'not leaving xbone gamers behind', which means they are going to have to maintain parity. So the Shadow of mordor approach won't work either.

 

[namekuseijin]

AA Massively Online Kiddo Sandbox BR, here we go

 

[Vasto]

Still waiting to see something that truly looks next gen. Hellblade 2 and Flight Sim are the only 2 games that I have seen so far that look like they cant be done on current gen.

Phil Spencer is right once again!

 

[Psykodad]

Depends on the scope and how integral your ideas are on the game's basic framework. The nemesis system managed to have two versions because the game still worked without it, albeit an inferior version. But something that defines your whole game? That you built from the ground up? You can't have two versions of that without making two entirely different games.

Also , their whole strategy is about 'not leaving xbone gamers behind', which means they are going to have to maintain parity. So the Shadow of mordor approach won't work either.

They have to support current-gen, because they lost 40% of their installbase, with high chances of losing more going into next-gen.

All the pro-consumer messaging is necessary PR.

 

[Vognerful]

Sony could have made Phil Spencer look dumb here had they produced a handful of PS5 games that looked like they couldn't be done on current gen hardware.

Instead we got Demons Souls, Ratchet and Clank 9, Spiderman 2, Gran Turismo 7, and...Kena BoS.

Phil Spencer is absolutely right.

And their show with GTA 5, A PS3 game.

 

[namekuseijin]

Us gamers want our anti consumer products.
How dare Phil say otherwise..

like Nintendo games

 

[bender]

It was just a joke, Phil. Let it go.

 

[Umbral]

It’s called generations, Phil. Try and keep up.

I buy next-gen for next-gen shit, not to be chained to the past.

 

[DeepEnigma]

 

[supernova8]

Could this be the first time one of the platform holders has a (potentially) more powerful system and is choosing not to take full advantage of that power from day one with first party titles?

Seems like a really bad move that could backfire. They keep banging on about how it's the most powerful console but then put out last-gen hamstrung content? I see this going down like a lead balloon.

 

[Kagoshima_Luke]

Imagine a world where saying the player is the center of a game company's strategy being mocked. Some of the responses here are parody at this point.

 

[Slings and Arrows]

So, we won't be seeing Xbox exclusives on the 23rd?

Or do we have to "wait until next time" til we see exclusives?

 

[-Plasma Reus-]

Oh now he doesn't want exclusives anymore.

Suck it.

 

[iorek21]

Usually, people who talks too much doesn’t end up well

Either MS is VERY confident with their upcoming releases, or they’re just barking for the sake of it

 

[Bernkastel]

This seems like another bait console war thread that you guys enjoy. This is why I dont post in the Next Gen Speculation thread. A whole circlejerk obessed with talking about something they hate.

 

[Psykodad]

Usually, people who talks too much doesn’t end up well

Either MS is VERY confident with their upcoming releases, or they’re just barking for the sake of it

They have to sell a new console that won't have 1st party next-gen exclusives for at least a year.