I wrote on the Xbox Series X’s requirement for a more compelling roster of exclusive games than the Xbox One in 2020, just before the debut of the most recent console generation, for Microsoft to compete with Sony’s PlayStation 5.
Three years later, it’s evident that Microsoft disregarded my advice because the PS5’s library currently outpaces that of the Xbox Series X. However, this week, Sony opened a door that allowed Microsoft to re-enter the discussion.
Sony held its annual PlayStation Showcase on Wednesday to showcase the hundreds of new titles coming to the PS5 later this year and beyond.
The eagerly anticipated sequels Alan Wake 2, Dragon’s Dogma 2, and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, as well as several independently produced titles like Sword of the Sea and Neva, were among the genuine highlights.
A startling lack of PS5 exclusives, particularly first-party, was present for a live event with “PlayStation” in the title. Only a few PlayStation Studios had anything to show us, most of which were CG trailers.
Even though Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 was announced over two years ago, we know almost little about Fairgame$ (Haven Studios) or Concord (Firewalk Studios). Have all of the triple-A exclusives been produced?
Microsoft, however, did not waste any time in highlighting the fact that the majority of the titles we saw during the ‘PlayStation Showcase’ will also be available on Xbox:
What a good looking group 😎 pic.twitter.com/eDZo8vTXtB
— Xbox (@Xbox) May 24, 2023
Even given PlayStation’s generally underwhelming performance, Xbox still needs to do much more convincing before I believe the Xbox Series X is a legitimate rival to the PS5.
Bethesda’s open-world, co-op FPS Redfall, which scores a dismal 56% on Metacritic and 58% on OpenCritic, was the most recent Xbox platform exclusive. That’s poor for any significant release, much less a game billed as one of the year’s top Xbox exclusives.
Minecraft Legends is another recent Xbox-exclusive game, and that’s about it. If you aren’t getting value for your money from Xbox Game Pass, likely, you haven’t been a happy Xbox Series S or Series X owner lately.
What can Microsoft do, then, to change the situation? The forthcoming Xbox Games Showcase is scheduled for June 11 if you have already seen our extensive list of summer gaming activities.
This will undoubtedly blow out. We don’t want CG trailers and ambiguous release dates. We require tangible results from these studios.
I have no idea how much effort goes into creating a game as large as some of the future Xbox exclusives, and I have no idea how much pressure these studios have been under in recent years as they have attempted to create massive virtual worlds while dealing with a pandemic that has affected the entire planet.
Must check some of our popular articles here:
- Sony Ramps Up PS5 Development: A Major Shift in Gaming Strategy
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Xbox owners will feel betrayed until Microsoft can launch many profitable games consecutively. Microsoft may begin to gain the momentum that PlayStation lacks if it can deliver in-game video and reliable release dates for a couple of its most anticipated games (Avowed, Fable 4, Perfect Dark, Forza Motorsport, and Everwild — take your pick!).
Then, when Starfield is added to that list—the first single-player Bethesda Game Studios title since Fallout 4 in 2015—the Xbox Series X has a solid argument to make versus the PlayStation 5.
“There’s nothing that’s more difficult for me than disappointing the Xbox community, and just to watch the community lose confidence, be disappointed. I’m disappointed, I’m upset with myself,” Phil Spencer, Head of Xbox, said in response to the adverse reaction to Redfall. This is your time to make everyone you let down feel better.