Summary
Xboxhas proved this year that it is no longer afraid to release its exclusives on rival platforms.Hi-Fi Rushis on PS5,Pentimentis on Nintendo Switch, andSea Of Thievesis on both. Phil Spencer has now confirmed that those tests of the cross-platform waters have gone well, noting that when it comes to which Xbox exclusives might be next, no games are off limits.
Phil Spencer discussed the future of Xbox in detail duringa recent interview with Bloomberg, speaking on the importance of having an open platform when discussing the company’s delayed plans for its mobile store. That led the Xbox boss to provide an update on where the company stands when it comes to porting games that would normally remain exclusive to Xbox and PC forever to other platforms.
Spencer said there are no “red lines” around some of Xbox’s bigger titles. Imaginary boundaries around series likeHaloandGears Of Warthat keep them safe when the decision-makers determine which games will be headed toPlayStationnext. Some believe we’re heading towards a near future where Master Chief appears on a PS5, with the Master Chief Collection feeling like the best, and perhaps most obvious, place to start.
No Xbox Exclusive Is Off-Limits When It Comes To What Might Be Ported Next
Even The Next Halo Game
When noting the absence of red lines around any of Xbox’s exclusives, Halo was the only series Spencer mentioned by name. While we knowthere’s a new Halo game in development, Spencer noted that it’s far too early to even discuss what the launch plans for that title would be. That said, with no red lines holding them back, and Xbox’s hardware plans uncertain, we’re potentially living on a timeline where the next Halo game releases onXbox Series Xand PS5 simultaneously, or whatever the rival platforms' newest consoles are once the game is ready to launch.
We do know a little bit about Xbox’s future hardware plans. Spencer confirmed in the same interview thatthere is an Xbox handheld in the works, but it’s still a few years away.
Spencer himself might not know more until he and Xbox have gauged what happens withIndiana Jones and The Great Circle. The new Indy game will be released exclusively on Xbox and PC on May 07, 2025, hitting Game Pass day one. However, it has already been confirmed that the Bethesda title - an Xbox-owned studio - will arrive on PS5 soon after in 2025. Perhaps if that goes well, games from Xbox studios getting a few months of exclusivity before launching on other platforms will become the norm.
