Xbox Exclusivity Strategy Tied to Business Health, Says Asha Sharma

Xbox's strategy regarding platform-exclusive games will be determined by the company's business health, according to Asha Sharma, head of Xbox.

Speaking with Fortune about her initial 100 days in the role, Sharma emphasized Xbox's position as a major publisher, seeking to make its games widely available. Concurrently, she highlighted the importance of exclusive services and content for building a robust platform. Sharma indicated that Xbox's business is not currently "healthy," and its future commitment to exclusives will evolve as the business improves.

Xbox is introducing two signature exclusive titles: Gears of War: E-Day, set for October, and Clockwork Revolution, slated for 2027. These titles are not planned as timed exclusives and have no intentions of being released on PlayStation platforms later. In contrast, Xbox also announced that other first-party games, such as State of Decay 3 and Senua, will be available on PS5 upon their release next year, a detail not previously made public for these specific titles.

This differing approach has led to confusion among fans, particularly after a PlayStation 5 logo briefly appeared on Gears of War: E-Day art during an official Xbox Podcast, only to be swiftly removed. The incident suggested a potential earlier consideration for a multi-platform release that was later reversed.

Xbox is reportedly evaluating its exclusivity strategy on a case-by-case basis, using these two initial exclusive games to gauge the success of the approach. Future decisions regarding more exclusive titles will depend on the performance of these games.

According to IGN, Sharma previously stated, "the plan is the plan until it's not the plan," underscoring the dynamic nature of Xbox's strategic planning. (Source: IGN)