Recent rumors suggested that the PS5 and the future Nintendo Switch 2 may get some first-party Xbox games when Xbox decides to branch out into third-party production. Now, Microsoft’s CEO, Nadella seems to have hinted that these rumors are true.
Nadella Seems To Confirm Xbox First Party Games Release On Multiple Platforms
During Microsoft’s annual shareholders meeting, CEO Satya Nadella affirmed the company’s intention to release Xbox first-party games on “all platforms,” extending to PlayStation and Nintendo consoles.
In response to a question regarding Xbox’s current state and future, Nadella highlighted his excitement for the state of gaming, especially in light of the completion of the Activision Blizzard King acquisition. He claims that Microsoft can now work toward its long-standing goal of developing excellent games and making them available to players on a variety of platforms.
He says, “We think that now, we have the ability to really do what we’ve always set out to do, which is to build great games and deliver them to players across all platforms, which includes Xbox and consoles, the PCs, and now even including mobile gaming and cloud gaming.
This isn’t the first time Nadella has hinted at this process. In a conversation with Bloomberg this week, Nadella briefly touched on the company’s gaming strategy post the completion of the ActiBlizz deal, stating, “We love gaming. In fact, Microsoft Flight Simulator was born even before Windows. But, we were number three, number four. And now with Activision, I think we have a chance of being a good publisher — quite frankly — on Sony, Nintendo, PCs, and Xbox. So yeah, we’re excited about that acquisition closing, and I’m glad we got it through.”
Nadella acknowledges the reality of Xbox’s previous position in the market, trailing behind Sony and Nintendo. However, with the acquisition of Activision, the company aims to bridge the gap and become a substantial publisher across multiple platforms, not limiting itself to Xbox. And the fans have had a varied reaction to these rumors.
The initial rumors gained traction when Tim Stuart, Microsoft Gaming and Xbox Chief Financial Officer, sparked controversy by expressing the desire to bring “first-party games” to “every screen possible,” including Nintendo and PlayStation devices. Subsequent speculations suggested that titles like Hi-Fi Rush and Sea of Thieves might lose their exclusive status and become available on PlayStation or Nintendo Switch.
In the past, Nadella mentioned during the Activision-Blizzard acquisition hearings that Microsoft’s approach to exclusivity was driven by competition practices. This stirred reactions within the Xbox community, with some expressing concerns about the potential shift in the company’s exclusive game strategy. Despite these mixed reactions, Microsoft seems determined to redefine its position in the gaming industry, emphasizing a broader presence beyond its traditional platforms.
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