Xbox's New Studios Will Be Focused On Making Exclusive Games

@walbo:

I do appreciate your viewpoint. For me, it's functionality and overall value that's key over title exclusivity. I had both a PS3 and an Xbox 360 in the prior console generation (as well as the Nintendo consoles, but they've positioned themselves on the "Z axis" to any competition, and that's a much more complicated discussion). This generation I've entirely passed on PS4 simply because it doesn't hold enough value to warrant the purchase for me, despite it having several "exclusive titles."

I generally wait until new consoles have been out a few years before adopting one, which allows time for a library of games to develop, initial bugs to work out, and often in a redesign and/or price drop. When comparing the two systems, the Xbox One S and X were competing against the PS4 Slim and Pro. At the time the S was cheaper than the Slim, offered support for 4k Blu Ray discs, and backwards compatibility with a large - and importantly, growing - number of Xbox 360 and original Xbox titles. The PS4 models did not support 4k Blu Ray, and offered *no* backwards compatibility for any existing PS1, PS2, or PS3 games. They had a growing library of previous generation games *for sale*, but no option to play them using the existing discs.

The Xbox Models were either cheaper with more appealing features (S vs Slim) or cheaper/similar prices for much better specs and more appealing features (X vs Pro) - in all cases the Xbox One models simply offered more than the PS4 models. Not having to purchase a separate 4k Blu Ray Player, and having backwards compatibility with hundreds of prior generation games, is worth far more to me than exclusivity of the 3-5 current generation games on the PS4 that I have interest in playing, a list which at this point consists of Spider-Man, and the new Uncharted, Infamous, God of War and Star Ocean games. Persona 5 would have been on that list, but it was also released on the PS3, and I purchased and played that version instead. Purchasing a PS4 simply does not make sense to me as a value proposition, despite it having a better reputation for "exclusive games."

The exclusive titles are barely a consideration, from my perspective, as there are at least as many exclusive Xbox One titles I've enjoyed and it ends up a wash. Exclusivity is an arms race that is to the consumers detriment, where competition over inherent value is to the consumer's benefit.

Based on the announcement regarding the next generation Xbox, this will be among the first consoles I'm intending to purchase at launch. They have announced it will be fully compatible with the entire library of original Xbox, Xbox 360 that the Xbox One currently supports (and based on track record we can assume the backwards compatible original Xbox and Xbox 360 titles will continue to grow), all Xbox One titles , as well as all Xbox One peripherals, i.e. current gen controllers, while retaining the 4k Blu Ray support, and obviously next gen titles.

This is huge, a previously unheard of level of value - 3 prior generations of backwards compatibility (not complete to all titles for original Xbox and the 360, but decidedly heading there), optimal physical media playback (4k Blu Rays), prior gen peripheral backwards compatibility (Xbox One controllers), and next gen gaming. This is the first time an upcoming console has sufficiently "sold me" to buy one at or near launch, and it's based on the overall value, rather than *any* exclusive titles whatsoever.

The Switch, despite having no backwards compatibility at all and limited media player options, was another such "near launch" purchase, because it provided a value proposition of a different kind - a reasonably powerful home console that doubles as a portable console. Another example of Nintendo competing on the "Z axis." The Switch is the one you can grab on the go, take on vacations and dock into a hotel's TV, etc. It's an entirely different approach to value, but still a valid one.

If Playstation 5 announced full backwards compatibility with every PS1, PS2, PS3, and PS4 game, as well as 4k Blu Ray support, then we have a challenger. At present, as they've only announced single generation backwards compatibility (PS4 only, based on what I've read), it's simply not competitive. Still, it's not too late for them to change my mind, but "exclusive titles" won't do it. Features and overall value proposition might.

@thelostscribe: I'm convinced there will be another Fable. It's too big a franchise with too much potential for Microsoft to let lie. In the meantime Greedfall has some resonance in combat, customisation, choosing sides and exploration that with Fable to tide me over until then.