Summary
Amid rampant rumors and speculation surrounding alleged internal plans to release several keyXboxtitles on PlayStation and Nintendo consoles, CEO of Microsoft Gaming Phil Spencer has let fans know when they can expect Microsoft to clear the air.Xboxis coming off a very successful Developer Direct last month, which showcased new gameplay footage and release windows for three of its big AAA titles set to release this year inSenua’s Saga: Hellblade 2,Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, andAvowed.
A couple of weeks ago, rumors began cropping up about Tango Gameworks' lauded rhythm action gameHi-Fi Rushand Rare’s live service pirate sandboxSea of Thievesmaking their way to PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. As they are some of Xbox’s smaller titles, bringing these games to new audiences makes sense, especially in the case ofSea of Thieves.Most recently, though, some ofXbox’s biggest exclusive titles have joined the rumor millas select industry insiders now believe Xbox is debating releasing games likeStarfield,Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, andIndiana Jones and the Great Circleon PlayStation 5. Even Xbox’s long-running staple franchises,HaloandGears of War,are also now being rumored to become available to PS5 players in the future, essentially making Xbox a third-party publisher. Met with massive online outcry from large portions of the Xbox community, these rumors have created a demand for official word from Xbox.
After several days of speculation and Xbox fans calling for Microsoft to clear the air, Phil Spencer has finally responded on Twitter. Expressing that he’s listening to the community, Spencer announced that Xbox is planning a “business update event” set to go live next week. He vaguely shares that tuning in will provide more insight into thevision of Xbox’s future, which will likely include clear answers regarding exclusivity. While he didn’t explicitly mention the rumors in the tweet, this is clearly a response to the uncertainty and outrage drummed up by the rumors over the past few days.
When Can Fans Expect Official Word From Xbox About The Rumors?
While this may not be the answer that many were hoping for, it’s good to know that Xbox is aware of these rumors and the outrage they’ve caused, and is planning to clear things up for the fanbase. With that said, Spencer’s lack of a denial of the rumors and the promise of clarification next week does make it seem like the rumors may turn out to be true, at least in part. If these rumors are true and Xbox confirms plans to port some of its games over toPlayStation and Nintendo consoles, gamers shouldn’t expect any firm release dates immediately, as this event seems to be focusing strictly on the business side of Xbox.
As the online debate overXbox games going multiplatformcontinues to rage on, it’s important to remember that these are all merely rumors and that official word on the matter won’t come until next week. If Xbox really does have plans to go third-party, it’ll be interesting to see how other parts of its business, such as consoles and Game Pass, will be affected, though nothing has been confirmed as of now.
Microsoft Xbox Series X
The Xbox Series X boasts the fastest CPU and GPU configuration currently available for a current-generation console while offering 1TB of fast SSD storage for users out of the box.It comes with an Xbox Series S|X controller, a power cord, and documentation along with a trial for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate in the box.
