Key Takeaways
1. Microsoft is moving away from platform exclusivity, welcoming first-party PS5 games on other platforms.
2. Moon Studios, known for the Ori series, has decided to self-publish their new game, No Rest for the Wicked, during its early access phase.
3. The studio’s director, Thomas Mahler, rejected Microsoft’s proposal for exclusivity, citing the importance of reaching PS5 and Switch audiences for sales.
4. Rising development costs make multi-platform releases more financially viable for studios, as opposed to traditional exclusives.
5. The future may see a decline in exclusivity, particularly from PlayStation, while Nintendo is likely to maintain its exclusives for the upcoming Switch 2.
In a recent chat, Sarah Bond shared that Microsoft does not believe in platform exclusivity for the future. The Xbox President has welcomed a shift where first-party PS5 games are also available on other platforms. Interestingly, some game studios had already foreseen this change years back. An action RPG called No Rest for the Wicked might have been exclusive to Xbox, but its director decided against what he called a “dumb business decision.”
Popular Titles and Publishing Choices
Moon Studios is known for creating beloved games like Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps. These metroidvania-style games were initially published by Microsoft and were exclusive to PC and Xbox consoles. In the case of their new game, No Rest for the Wicked, the studio will self-publish during its Steam early access phase, although Microsoft did try to keep it under their umbrella.
The Decision Behind Multi-Platform Support
Thomas Mahler, co-founder and director of the studio, explained the reasoning for bringing No Rest for the Wicked to PS5 and Switch. He mentioned that Microsoft had made a proposal for his new project to again be an Xbox exclusive. At that time, Microsoft still hadn’t given up on their strategy for platform-specific games. However, Mahler could not justify missing out on sales from PS5 and Switch.
On social media, Mahler pointed out the financial struggles that many studios are currently facing. The costs of development have skyrocketed since the days of exclusive Xbox and PlayStation titles. Despite the technological improvements, creating models and animations is still a tedious process. Because of this, firms can’t afford to miss out on more lucrative multi-platform opportunities.
The Future of Exclusivity
With the decrease in Xbox console adoption, Moon Studios’ strategy seems to be paying off. The director of No Rest for the Wicked also predicts that PlayStation will let go of more exclusives in the future. On the other hand, Nintendo is determined to keep its first-party games for the upcoming Switch 2 exclusive to its handheld. Addressing potential comparisons, the director of No Rest for the Wicked shared his insights.
Mahler believes that Nintendo’s “business model is completely different.” Gamers often associate Nintendo consoles closely with first-party intellectual properties in a way that has never been the case for PlayStation and Xbox.
Even though there were rumors, No Rest for the Wicked is still expected to arrive on Series X|S. However, if the next Xbox console operates on Windows, it could deal a significant blow to the concept of exclusivity.
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