Devs Believe Exclusivity For Games Is No Longer A Viable Strategy, Survey Reveals

Well, that's interesting, but it isn't really up to the devs, usually. It's up to the platform owners. I'm not surprised devs want to sell their games on as many platforms as they can (increases their odds of survival), but platform owners have their own reasons for wanting at least some games to be exclusive (console exclusive, that is; I don't think shipping to PC later matters much to them).
 
Kacho said:
"Appearing on the GamerTag Radio podcast, Spencer said, "I want people to pick hardware based on the capabilities of that hardware and how that fits into the choices they want to make about where they want to play. We want our hardware to win based on the hardware capabilities that we have."

www.gamespot.com

Xbox Boss Phil Spencer: "We Want Our Hardware To Win"

"I look at hardware as a critical part of what we do."
www.gamespot.com www.gamespot.com
Click to expand...
In the real world, people reading the specs of Xbox and PS5

iu
 
I've always been heavily pro exclusives cause it drives competition and innovation, but I also think eventually they should all be on PC as well just so we can always find a way to get them to work, even when the console long gone.
 
When a third party studio going the extra mile, you knew it's gonna be special and nothing's like it from any first party studio ever. 3rd party studios just deliver more when they aim for it cause they can.
 
I mean xbox is just going to be pc, and sony game won't work on switch 2 so aren't they technically all going to be exclusives from next gen?

This new mentality is because the only thing that has blown up is steam and we have China to thank it for.
 
...
"devcom" isn't just the "guy making your level", the entire studio/company tends to be represented, that includes community managers, pr, production, publishing etc.
 
Tiago Rodrigues said:
People thinking Nintendo game costs won't get to a point where they will also release in other platforms are funny.
Wait 5 years if Switch 2 sales numbers aren't up in comparison with their previous console and we'll see.

They already have games in development for like 6 or 7 years.
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It's not even about that. Nintendo has IPs like Mario, Zelda, and especially Pokémon. It's amazing how people on this forum can't seem to grasp that these IPs are very unique.
 
This is a silly argument because Xbox is going to be gone in a few years, it essentially is now. Sony is putting games on PC. I don't see them putting a new God of War on Switch 2 so what are we doing here.
 
Okay then, devs.

Let me buy partial ownership of every single one of your IPs. In fact, let every customer do it.

Exclusivity for games is no longer viable, right? 🙄

Kacho said:
Seems like the current meta will be to draw people to your platform with unique features like backwards compatibility, handhelds, controllers, etc. Part of the reason the Switch was so successful was because it was a hybrid. That's why Sony is now going to reintroduce a handheld to their ecosystem. It gives potential buyers an option that currently only Nintendo provides.

"Appearing on the GamerTag Radio podcast, Spencer said, "I want people to pick hardware based on the capabilities of that hardware and how that fits into the choices they want to make about where they want to play. We want our hardware to win based on the hardware capabilities that we have."

www.gamespot.com

Xbox Boss Phil Spencer: "We Want Our Hardware To Win"

"I look at hardware as a critical part of what we do."
www.gamespot.com www.gamespot.com
Click to expand...

Well the way things are right now, and considering the direction they may be going...if Sony/SIE's strategy is reliant on features, they're worst than screwed. Here's some of the areas their platform falters compared to Steam, gaming PC, and in some cases even current Xbox hardware:

-Higher price for base subscription service ($80/year vs $60/year)

-$80 paywall for non-F2P online gaming

-Terrible browser support (the whole things is hidden/obfuscated)

-Horrible refund policy

-Lack of transparent game player metrics for GAAS titles usable by the community

-No community forums

-Cloud saves behind $80 paywall

-No 4K UHD Blu Ray movie playback (even current Xbox consoles support this!)

-Worst media functionality than the PS3, a console with tech going all the way back to 2004

-No support for community mod content

-No alternative to Steam Early Access

-Limited 3P controller/fight stick/flight stick/racing wheel support compared to Steam & PC

-Limited user-side reorganization of store categorization or system folders

-Higher latency on average vs. Steam for some competitive games

-Limited monitor & refresh rate support vs PC (impacts competitive games, namely FPS and such)

-No Quick Resume or a comparable alternative (they got rid of the Cards system :/)

-Limited upgradability options (no GPU, CPU, memory etc. upgrade options without buying a whole new system)

-Trend of increasing subscription costs (and little to no new features to justify)

-Trend of increasing console hardware MSRPs​

-Still fairly mediocre PS1/2/3 BC support, let alone PSP & Vita​

So yeah, if that is SIE's future strategy in lieu of less or even no exclusives (or just generally shortening the window between PS and PC/other consoles for ports), they've got a LOT of work to do when it comes to being competitive on features, IMO.
 
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The entire reason for PlayStation and Xbox to exist is the 30% cut they get on every third-party game and the 30% they don't give away on their own games.

If you don't have exclusive games, you won't convince people to use your hardware. If they don't invest in your platform, you lose all of that and would be better off just being a fully third-party publisher.

Sacrificing that to maximize profits on your games seems awfully short-sighted.
 
Mr Moose said:
Why would devs give a shit? That's a publishers thing.
Click to expand...
Because if their games aren't profitable they lose their job due to layoffs or studio closures.

And as AAA game budgets skyrocket for every generation they need to add extra revenue sources to keep them profitable unless they are one of the few top sellers (which are a rarity in the industry).

To add extra revenue sources the main ways are:
  • Release the game in more platforms to reach more players
  • Release more DLC/go GaaS
  • Focus in more popular (often licensed) IPs instead of in new or low seller IP
  • If the game/IP is successful, make movie/tv show/etc non-gaming adaptations
Sooner said:
If you don't have exclusive games, you won't convince people to use your hardware.
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There are many types of exclusive games and PS has a ton of them.

In any case, most people buy hardware because of the games available there, not because they are exclusive. And exclusive games represent a very small portion of the game sales. Gamer John who just plays Fortnite, CoD, GTA or some sports game doesn't care if they are exclusive or made by a platform holder.

Nintendo is a rare case because it's the only portable console in the market and most people has it as secondary device mostly to play the Nintendo games (mostly 3-4 decades old IPs), because since their devices are underpowered players prefer to play the 3rd party games in their primary, more powerful gaming device (mainly PC or PS).

Rhazer Fusion said:
I understand where they are coming from, but why do we need multiple platforms then if they all offer the same games and experiences?
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The experience isn't the same:
  • Portables allow you to play a game everywhere but in a tiny screen and lower visuals, less inmersion
  • Home consoles limit you to the living room but allow you to play a more inmersive and comfortable experience with a huge tv and way better visuals in a platform and cost more optimized and limited to gaming
  • PCs are played in a table, often with KBM and 2 or 3 displays connected, in an office/bedroom offering a more expensive but more versatile and multitasking experience like playing a video with a science or geopolitics podcast by Autumn Falls in a screen while playing game in the other one, or using the same device to work
For that reason the demographics and game genre preferences vary for each one of these gaming markets.

Rhazer Fusion said:
What primarily attracts people to Nintendo consoles?
Click to expand...
  • The only portable console in the market
  • Nostalgia of 30-40 years old IPs that their customers played when were a child
  • Fathers thinks have good games safe for their kids and can use that excuse to convince the wife to buy it (but the fathers are the ones who end playing them)
Rhazer Fusion said:
Why has XBOX sales suspiciously plummeted as soon as their games went to PC day one and collapsed significantly further now that they are showing up on other consoles? Coincidence???
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Moving away from Xbox consoles to focus instead on being a multiplatform publisher with Windows as home base is the consequence of their consoles tanking and failing hard to compete against PlayStation, not the cause.

They lost many billions with Xbox consoles before starting to publish their games day one on PC and starting to acquire multiplatform devs like Mojang, Bethesda and Activision Blizzard King.

They killed their consoles on purpose, dropping them highly reduces their loses and releasing their games in more platforms highly increased their revenue. So business wise MS gaming division is and (specially will be once they completely bury Xbox consoles) way more successful as a multiplatform publisher with Windows as base than they were as console makers.

It's also worth mentioning that their first game sales on Xbox did suck for most games even before starting to include their games day one in GP and the PC push, so -like the other AAA publishers- they needed extra revenue sources to make their AAA profitable as the AAA budgets increased every generation.
 
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It depends how you value you success. If you're a developer you don't care about hardware sales or investment, so software sales is all you care about to as many buyers as possible.

If you're Sony you want as many buyers of your machine so they only buy all those games on your machine so you make more money overall.

However, if the hardware is usually a loss to make, and software even for someone like Sony is the bulk of the dollars (which it is), then if they want people to buy the 5-7 year cycle way too much money spent AAA on all platforms possible.

The issue these guys haven't cracked yet is that if you want to admit it or not, fan boys will hype your game up and make it seem even better if it's an exclusive.

As players and developers though exclusivity also leads to competition to make better games. Devs make better games, get more sales, and players play better games.

TLDR: I love boobies.
 
Not wrong, but it is all a matter of perspective. Coming from Nintendo's point of view this statement doesn't hold true as they conditioned their costumers for all these decades to play mostly their games while not offering the same third party support as their competitors. And I'm not defending Nintendo, but it is how they do their business and has been working flawlessly so far, meaning there is no incentive to change it.
 
As a gamedev I of course want my game to be played by as many gamers as possible. But if I were living off making games it depends on how much money is payed for exclusively.
 
Roman Empire said:
Not wrong, but it is all a matter of perspective. Coming from Nintendo's point of view this statement doesn't hold true as they conditioned their costumers for all these decades to play mostly their games while not offering the same third party support as their competitors. And I'm not defending Nintendo, but it is how they do their business and has been working flawlessly so far, meaning there is no incentive to change it.
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"Not offering"???
bad guy said:
As a gamedev I of course want my game to be played by as many gamers as possible. But if I were living off making games it depends on how much money is payed for exclusively.
Click to expand...
PAID
 
Roman Empire said:
Not wrong, but it is all a matter of perspective. Coming from Nintendo's point of view this statement doesn't hold true as they conditioned their costumers for all these decades to play mostly their games while not offering the same third party support as their competitors. And I'm not defending Nintendo, but it is how they do their business and has been working flawlessly so far, meaning there is no incentive to change it.
Click to expand...

Nintendo is basically self sufficient. People buy their hardware to play their games. Nobody else is capable of this btw.
 
Topher said:
Bit of a click bait title from the article author. The survey asked if exclusivity will remain a "core strategy", not whether it is a "valid" or "great" strategy.

"Only 6% believe exclusivity will remain a core strategy."

Thanks for putting the source link in the OP
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They all do that, though. The other options were: "The Console War Might Finally Be Over, As Everyone Seems To Think Exclusives Are A Dying Breed", "Game Developers Agree: Full Exclusivity No Longer Works", and "Exclusive Games Are Losing Power, Devs Say".
 
thicc_girls_are_teh_best said:
Well the way things are right now, and considering the direction they may be going...if Sony/SIE's strategy is reliant on features, they're worst than screwed. Here's some of the areas their platform falters compared to Steam, gaming PC, and in some cases even current Xbox hardware:

-Higher price for base subscription service ($80/year vs $60/year)-$80 paywall for non-F2P online gaming-Terrible browser support (the whole things is hidden/obfuscated)-Horrible refund policy-Lack of transparent game player metrics for GAAS titles usable by the community-No community forums-Cloud saves behind $80 paywall-No 4K UHD Blu Ray movie playback (even current Xbox consoles support this!)-Worst media functionality than the PS3, a console with tech going all the way back to 2004-No support for community mod content-No alternative to Steam Early Access-Limited 3P controller/fight stick/flight stick/racing wheel support compared to Steam & PC-Limited user-side reorganization of store categorization or system folders-Higher latency on average vs. Steam for some competitive games-Limited monitor & refresh rate support vs PC (impacts competitive games, namely FPS and such)-No Quick Resume or a comparable alternative (they got rid of the Cards system :/)-Limited upgradability options (no GPU, CPU, memory etc. upgrade options without buying a whole new system)-Trend of increasing subscription costs (and little to no new features to justify)-Trend of increasing console hardware MSRPs
So yeah, if that is SIE's future strategy in lieu of less or even no exclusives (or just generally shortening the window between PS and PC/other consoles for ports), they've got a LOT of work to do when it comes to being competitive on features, IMO.
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Definitely seems like the game is changing. The next generation is going to be very interesting IMO.
 
Honestly, with the exception of the guys at Nintendo, I'm starting to believe most of the people involved in this industry are just flat out idiots. They all think they can make all the money, which just isn't true and never has been.

Both Sega Sammy and Square Enix have just released their quarterly reports. The numbers don't lie.
 
I know the thread title is a copy paste of the article but there's some editorialising going on.

This is what is actually written on the game press website.

Platform exclusivity is fading
Only 6% believe exclusivity will remain a core strategy. Most expect limited (28%) or timed exclusives (34%) to become the norm, with 32% predicting exclusivity will become less common altogether.
 
kaizenkko said:
It's not even about that. Nintendo has IPs like Mario, Zelda, and especially Pokémon. It's amazing how people on this forum can't seem to grasp that these IPs are very unique.
Click to expand...
I guess it's the old "I don't care about those, so they don't count".

I'd like Xenoblade franchise and Fire Emblem on PC tho...
 
lh032 said:
dev cost is catching up to userbase, its inevitable. thats how business works. That is why companies nick and dimed their consumers all over the place.


10 years ago nobody believe console exclusivity will go away, Xbox first, Sony 2nd, and what makes you think this wont happen to Nintendo?
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There is a difference between the three companies. Its obvious and doesn't need explaining, but Nintendo has the most powerful stable of IP on the planet at the moment, and they will dictate where that IP appears.
 
GHG said:
Honestly, with the exception of the guys at Nintendo, I'm starting to believe most of the people involved in this industry are just flat out idiots. They all think they can make all the money, which just isn't true and never has been.

Both Sega Sammy and Square Enix have just released their quarterly reports. The numbers don't lie.
Click to expand...

From 2020 → 2023 (pre helldivers 2)

Sony went from $35M → $80M → $250M → $450M

Year Helldivers 2 released they reported $700M

Numbers don't lie 🤷‍♂️. They're making a shitload of money with little effort
 
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yurinka said:
In any case, most people buy hardware because of the games available there, not because they are exclusive.
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If you want games A, B, C and D and A and B are on all platforms, but all four are on just one platform, which would you choose?

I agree it's not just exclusives, it's total games. You want to have a BETTER selection on your platform, not just equivalent.
 
Sooner said:
If you want games A, B, C and D and A and B are on all platforms, but all four are on just one platform, which would you choose?

I agree it's not just exclusives, it's total games. You want to have a BETTER selection on your platform, not just equivalent.
Click to expand...
I'd choose the platform that has all 4: PlayStation.

Because tons of games I want (at least at launch) aren't in Switch, or aren't in Xbox, or aren't in PC. But in 99% of the cases are on PS, and I'm confident they'll run very well there in terms of performance, which isn't always the case of my laptop or Switch.

In most cases are available in PS at launch, and in a few cases around 6-9 months later, mostly timed console exclusive indies that I don't care if I wait a bit to play them.

I think ensuring the availability of the games you want to play in your device is more imporatant than if they are exclusive or not.

Buggy Loop said:
From 2020 → 2023 (pre helldivers 2)

Sony went from $35M → $80M → $250M → $450M

Year Helldivers 2 released they reported $700M

Numbers don't lie 🤷‍♂️. They're making a shitload of money with little effort
Click to expand...
Isn't 'little effort', Sony is making now twice the money they were making a generation ago because they made big improvements and expansions in all areas:
  • Highly increased their first party game manpower (both lead dev teams and support teams)
  • Expanded the genres they are approaching with first party particularly to GaaS ones (having now 4 top performing GaaS active)
  • Expanded and improved achieving record revenue in their:
    • hardware side
    • multiplatform side
    • off-gaming side
    • accesories side
    • game subs side
    • cloud gaming side
    • signed a record amount of 3rd party exclusives and strategic partnerships
    • spent a record amount in 2nd party games
    • are working in more 1st party games at the same time than ever before, being also now them way more expensive than before (each one needs more people and time)
 
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Kacho said:
Definitely seems like the game is changing. The next generation is going to be very interesting IMO.
Click to expand...

In a good way or a bad way? Right now I'd give it 50/50 which is....not great.

KINGMOKU said:
There is a difference between the three companies. Its obvious and doesn't need explaining, but Nintendo has the most powerful stable of IP on the planet at the moment, and they will dictate where that IP appears.
Click to expand...

Now that many feel SIE are buckling to the whims of greedy investors & shareholders and slimy big corporates seeding venture capitalist vultures in target companies/sectors to influence factors to their favor "market conditions", they will naturally turn their sights on Nintendo.

While being highly ignorant of Nintendo's history or the many times within the past they have shown where their values lay, when it comes to actions taken as going gets tough. They understand better than any other company that when you start doing multiplatform actions the way Microsoft and SIE have, there's no reversing course. You can't "take back" any of it, or sway the narrative away from the course of action.

Once you put your foot in, you're diving the whole way into that pool. Question is how fast or slow you do it. I don't doubt that in the future Nintendo likely will put their stuff on other platforms, but they'll very likely do it on their own terms, and tie it into keeping it all exclusive to a storefront/launcher of their own making, even for the single-player non-MP titles.

Yeah by 2040 they might have a mainline Mario Kart or Pikmin on PC & PlayStation, but you're gonna need a My Nintendo account and have everything tied to their own launcher/storefront on that device. And that's going to be the only storefront you can even buy the game. Nintendo'll find a way to treat it like a virtual platform/console, essentially and as usual, they'd be the only one of the Big 3 to make that change the right way (i.e not in a way minimalizing or devaluing their brand).

And even then, they'll probably still make their own hardware. SIE could've had a similar transition but they let greed of chasing profits cloud their judgement, and have minimalized some value of their brand by focusing their PC ports to Steam. So now, that is the customer base expectation on PC, and they are doing similar on Xbox with Helldivers 2 (since you can buy that on the Xbox Store, instead of through a PlayStation store app on the Xbox console). A PS PC launcher/storefront now isn't going to shift PC games purchasing habits to that storefront, and the fear of PC port sales plummeting will prevent SIE from yanking titles off Steam to make them & future titles exclusive to a hypothetical PS PC launcher (sorry yurinka yurinka ). They won't risk that.

They should've had a PS PC storefront up back when HZD got ported in 2020 and just kept their ports to that exclusively for a few years, built up on competitive features and getting as much AA & indie game support as possible plus incentivizing console 3P to put preference of PC versions to that PS PC launcher ahead of (or in lieu of) Steam/EGS/Microsoft Store etc. Then maybe by PS6 gen they'd have a respectable PC storefront with a decent install base, and any lost console sale would simply be a lateral transfer/conversion of that customer to the PS PC storefront instead (so effectively, no loss). But they've missed that opportunity now by rushing the way they have. They'd have to sacrifice Steam, GOG, EGS etc. for several years to try that now (and more time on top of that, due to potentially alienating customers of those storefronts by removing games), and that's just not something modern SIE is realistically going to do.
 
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Buggy Loop said:
From 2020 → 2023 (pre helldivers 2)

Sony went from $35M → $80M → $250M → $450M

Year Helldivers 2 released they reported $700M

Numbers don't lie 🤷‍♂️. They're making a shitload of money with little effort
Click to expand...

But do you count day one PC flops in that calculation?
Like Concord, Bungie's next game?
 
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