Xbox and Playstation will forever be in eternal war over the exclusive properties that can be made and sold. Both companies go head and head to fire back in hopes of enormous sales. With the gigantic purchase of Activision as a Microsoft gaming company, many worry that Call of Duty and everything that comes with Activision will not reach Playstation consoles. The major problem for Playstation is that the company feels Xbox will solicit and attempt to make one of gaming’s largest franchises as scarce for their console as can be. Imagine the issue there, yet Phil Spencer feels the opposite. To me, exclusives should come to an end, but unfortunately that is how the three major console hitters make their cash flow.
The purchase of Activision came as a shock to gamers all over the globe, as this is a company that has been on the pendulum for decades, making AAA titles. This sparked a purchasing war between companies, with everybody being afraid that the mass purchase of developers would lead to exclusivity becoming an eventual problem. We may still be heading that way, but it seems as if Phil Spencer rightfully wants to keep his companies making titles for all. The reason for the outcry from him is that Playstation fired back with the purchase of other developers such as Housemarque, Bluepoint Games, and Bungie studios with Destiny 2.
With the purchase of major studios from Playstation Studios, Phil Spencer does have the right to enact his exclusivity for companies he buys. In the world of gaming, these two have never stopped bickering, passing down the fight to their consumers on Halo versus Killzone and God of War versus Gears of War. Of course all four of those games are vastly different, but it is a simple comparison of how long we have watched the studios go at each other’s throats. For example, Bluepoint Studios “Demon Souls” has yet to come to any other console, which is a shame for how truly beautiful of a game it is.
Although there are other problems with the Activision purchase, like my beloved Tony Hawk Pro Skater remakes getting scrapped, it may signal the start of one-sided reveals. Activision is not only Call of Duty but it consists of numerous other hitters. This will provoke Playstation Studios to continue their exclusive production, many of which they’ve succeeded in. For example, God of War: Ragnarok, Horizon, Final Fantasy, Ratchet and Clank, etcetera. Another problem with the deals is the ability of crossplay for friends and family on different consoles. To play together, companies must allow and have the ability to connect the fan bases between consoles, yet both companies seem stubborn to do so. Without a clear cut future for Xbox and Playstation, we must wait and see on which developers will be acquired and how they will be used for the gaming community. My guess would be that the vast majority of companies would love for their games to be readily available to as many players as possible, not shying away from cooperation between competitors. What could the next move be for Phil Spencer? We will have to wait and see as hard ball is going to be played.
