Ryan McCaffrey: Xbox Exclusive Game Drought is Officially Over

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman


The Xbox-Bethesda E3 2021 showcase finally delivered what Microsoft has long lacked: exclusive games releasing VERY soon. Microsoft seems poised to capitalize on a strong short-term plan with a compelling Game Pass offering, as well as a long-term investment in first-party studios. Their strong opening with Bethesda's Starfield showed their commitment to long-term AAA exclusive production, while upcoming titles like Back4Blood will hit Game Pass at no additional cost, creating immediate value! We'll take a deeper look at all the moves Microsoft is making to entice greater support not only for the Xbox Series S and X but also for its industry-shifting subscription service.
 
What is it with game journalists and they're insistance on using "officially" in healines to make them sound more important? Who officiates over game droughts and how do companies get official rulings on when they're over? Do they have a certificate now? A badge?
Come on Ryan, tell us all how does this stuff works?
 
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I feel like I've been hearing this for many years now.

Just fucking drop the games already, man.

Biggest issue I have is always the goddamn talking about how "it's going to turn around now."

Just turn it around first, and then can we rejoice in happiness instead of praising the gods for a drop of single, itsy bitsy, water during a 3-year drought.
 
Joe Biden Reaction GIF by Election 2020



I feel like I've been hearing this for many years now.

Just fucking drop the games already, man.

Biggest issue I have is always the goddamn talking about how "it's going to turn around now."

Just turn it around first, and then can we rejoice in happiness instead of praising the gods for a drop of single, itsy bitsy, water during a 3-year drought.


Yes surely tripling the number of first party studios won't change anything!
 
exclusives are cool. but i am just glad Phil drop the bomb on the amount of games you can play this year, or you can say gamepass'd them!
 
Not yet. I dont think any of the big hitters are hitting until 2022. Halo is at the end of the year and then we might have another year long wait until Starfield and Redfall come out.

The fact that Hellblade 2, Fable, Everwild, Perfect Dark, Avowed and State Of Decay 2 werent at this show tells me that they are at least 2 years away.

I think late 2022 onwards Xbox will become an exclusive machine. This article is like a year too early.
 
What about game quality. How is it over of you don't know the quality of those games. What if the next 6 months the games flop and are not as good. What if some of the games that maybe good for others may not appeal to you personally, someone may like Flight Sim but that doesn't necessarily mean it appeals to me which means I would have slinger games draught than someone who likes that game.
 
They don't have an exclusive drought, they have a gameplay drought. I'll be impressed when I see results. The only substantial gameplay we've seen is Halo and it looks like ass.
 
They don't have an exclusive drought, they have a gameplay drought. I'll be impressed when I see results. The only substantial gameplay we've seen is Halo and it looks like ass.
Too you it looks like ass cause you never play it anyway but to actual Halo Players they love it so does it matter what you think when you never ever play it anyways probably not.
 
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Why are you buying and not using Gamepass? That's the bigger question.

Some people prefer to own their games rather than rent them.

I have GP because I got it for the first year at $1 and got the subsequent two years with discounted EA play codes, essentially two discounts. I still don't care about GP.

Hey Ryan, talk to me when they actually release a game. Until then, the drought isn't over.
 
All these games were coming to Xbox anyway it's just now they have exclusive tagged to them and I can get them day one on game pass.

Will they be more enjoyable now? Or did not much really change for me, the end user?
 
The American games media is on joe Biden levels of subservience on behalf of Xbox. I feel like they've been doing it for so long it's not even surprising to see them do this blatant anymore.
 
All these games were coming to Xbox anyway it's just now they have exclusive tagged to them and I can get them day one on game pass.

Will they be more enjoyable now? Or did not much really change for me, the end user?

Incorrect.

During the Xbox One generation there was a clear sign that Microsoft were no longer investing heavily into games and xbox was almost killed or sold. Phil Spencer confirmed this much. So all these exclusive games and the investment into Bethesda, the deal with Avalanche, Avowed, Perfect Dark, Outer Worlds 2, Fable, just to name a few. These were not all guarantees to happen if Microsoft just up and decided they were no longer interested in gaming. Hell, Halo Infinite might not have happened if that occurred.

This represents a renewed commitment to gaming that was sorely lacking after the beginning years of the Xbox One generation. After Quantum Break, Sunset Overdrive, Ryse, Dead Rising 3, Scalebound, Tomb Raider timed exclusive, Recore, there was a clear lul in big new game announcements beyond the usual suspects. It was clear and obvious and everybody noticed it. That's how the "xbox has no games" nonsense started in the first place. It was never true, but in a certain sense there was truth to it because Microsoft wasn't investing like they did during 360 or even during OG Xbox One.
 
All these games were coming to Xbox anyway it's just now they have exclusive tagged to them and I can get them day one on game pass.

Will they be more enjoyable now? Or did not much really change for me, the end user?
When? Sony was inches from lock-up Starfield to 2024 maybe? Sony would of locked up every zenimax game if not for the purchase. Changes it for me day 1 game pass up to 2 years sooner less bugs with less platforms to develop for.
 
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Once the exclusive games start releasing in November and going into next year, the drought for Xbox is not only over but will be stacked year after year, Super hyped!!!
 
Incorrect.

During the Xbox One generation there was a clear sign that Microsoft were no longer investing heavily into games and xbox was almost killed or sold. Phil Spencer confirmed this much. So all these exclusive games and the investment into Bethesda, the deal with Avalanche, Avowed, Perfect Dark, Outer Worlds 2, Fable, just to name a few. These were not all guarantees to happen if Microsoft just up and decided they were no longer interested in gaming. Hell, Halo Infinite might not have happened if that occurred.

This represents a renewed commitment to gaming that was sorely lacking after the beginning years of the Xbox One generation. After Quantum Break, Sunset Overdrive, Ryse, Dead Rising 3, Scalebound, Tomb Raider timed exclusive, Recore, there was a clear lul in big new game announcements beyond the usual suspects. It was clear and obvious and everybody noticed it. That's how the "xbox has no games" nonsense started in the first place. It was never true, but in a certain sense there was truth to it because Microsoft wasn't investing like they did during 360 or even during OG Xbox One.
I'll admit I don't pay too much attention to 3rd party exclusivity deals but it seems the lull was in regards to first party output, not 3rd party games and certainly not big AAA western 3rd party games.
When? Sony was inches from lock-up Starfield to 2024 maybe? Sony would of locked up every zenimax game if not for the purchase. Changes it for me day 1 game pass up to 2 years sooner less bugs with less platforms to develop for.
Inches? Not even based on the rumor was it that close and still it would have been timed, the rest you say is conjecture.
 
Not yet. I dont think any of the big hitters are hitting until 2022. Halo is at the end of the year and then we might have another year long wait until Starfield and Redfall come out.

The fact that Hellblade 2, Fable, Everwild, Perfect Dark, Avowed and State Of Decay 2 werent at this show tells me that they are at least 2 years away.

I think late 2022 onwards Xbox will become an exclusive machine. This article is like a year too early.
Fret not, there will be a remastered version of this article next year!
 
I'll admit I don't pay too much attention to 3rd party exclusivity deals but it seems the lull was in regards to first party output, not 3rd party games and certainly not big AAA western 3rd party games.

Inches? Not even based on the rumor was it that close and still it would have been timed, the rest you say is conjecture.
Exactly timed with project Athena being 2 years timed that is the new bar. So 2024 for Xbox fans to play Starfield. My favorite is Microsoft should just sit idle and let Sony content starve them with endless timed exclusives and don't return the favor. Sony wants to buy timed exclusives Microsoft gets more value buying studios for the dollar.
 
Look, I understand these outlets are doing their job but damn it if they aren't playing with the stupid wording just to get attention from people on forums. Yet anybody with a brain can see that Microsoft isn't anywhere near what this particular article is saying. Unless you're busy in on the fact that these are announced games which are nothing but hype over substance until we get them in our hands. That's from somebody like me who is just about all in with Halo pending a few confirmations on some of the features in the new one. And I love Forza horizon so there I go again. But if we're just comparing it in the overall landscape then they are quite far behind still especially when the competition is trucking along as usual.
 
Flight Sim is about to launch. Forza and Halo later this year. More next year.

Seems over to me?

This isn't profound. Bring on the games yo!
 
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