Microsoft: We Want More Exclusives

[Scott]

Asked about Xbox 360's weaknesses, Microsoft interactive entertainment boss Don Mattrick replied,


"We’d love to have more exclusive hits on our box, absolutely. Are we investing in that? Yes we are. Does that take a lot of time? Yes it does."
Microsoft's exclusive deals go beyond the boxed product. Grand Theft Auto IV and Fallout 3 will both offer exclusive downloadable content for the Xbox 360 versions. PS3 players wanting an extended experience for those games are out of luck.

Currently, Microsoft's exclusive strategy primarily involves deals with outside developers. Sony, which has double the internal development staff, has begun to rely more on bringing exclusives from within.

In a recent interview, SCE Worldwide Studios head Shuhei Yoshida noted how third-parties are now more inclined to go multiplatform to recoup costs, so outside exclusives are more difficult to come by.


"...We know that is the trend. We, as a company, can invest in our first-party studios; in terms of exclusive titles, our role becomes more important," Yoshida recently told ThreeSpeech. "...My role is to run first-party development, and we are always exclusive."

Money hats for the win?!

[jakncoke]

moneyhats can only get you so far, the price to get exclusives through 3rd party is only going to get steeper from now on. Microsoft needs to buy up some devs and work on a first party and get it up to snuff with the likes of what Sony and Nintendo have. Sooner or later having a lackluster first party lineup will cost them.

[Trunks]

I don't see the big deal in exclusives. I understand it makes more money for Microsoft or Sony. I don't see why fans should care if it's exclusive though.

[jakncoke]

I don't see the big deal in exclusives. I understand it makes more money for Microsoft or Sony. I don't see why fans should care if it's exclusive though.

It defines and justify one console over another, if every console had the same games the industry would collapse on it's self and fall flat on it's face. Also when working on a multi platform game each game doesn't get the attention it deserves thus stunting what it could be, with exclusives they can learn trick about the hardware and optimize the game to the best it possibly can be

[Trunks]

It defines and justify one console over another, if every console had the same games the industry would collapse on it's self and fall flat on it's face.

Well, yea I said I understand why the companies want them, but why do fans care about it?

[jakncoke]

Well, yea I said I understand why the companies want them, but why do fans care about it?

I just told you+ more telling. that is the reason. It defines what purchase you make and getting more exclusives justifies said purchase.

[Ghost]

Hmmm, beefing up your first party sounds way more future proof than courting third party exclusives. Don't know about anyone else but thats how I see it.

[Scott]

Hmmm, beefing up your first party sounds way more future proof than courting third party exclusives. Don't know about anyone else but thats how I see it.

Agreed. I think its great that MS is getting these third party exclusives but i would like to see them beef up their first party alot more.

[EpsilonX]

Well, yea I said I understand why the companies want them, but why do fans care about it?

It helps justify your purchase of one console over another.

Plus, more exclusives means more people buy the system. More system sales leads to more game sales...which leads to developers making more games for that console.

[jakncoke]

Hmmm, beefing up your first party sounds way more future proof than courting third party exclusives. Don't know about anyone else but thats how I see it.

Yup, sooner or later 3rd party devs are going to refuse to make exclusives/or be asking too much for then Microsoft will be in a pickle