Wikipedia

Platform exclusivity

(Redirected fromConsole exclusivity)

Platform exclusivity(also known asconsole exclusivity) refers to the status of avideo gamebeing developed for and released only on certain platforms. Most commonly, it refers to only being released on a specificvideo game consoleor through a specific vendor's platforms—either permanently, or for a definite period of time.

Exclusivity is a topic used in discussions of the advantages and disadvantages of rival vendors in the video game market, and one which is used formarketingby vendors involved. Industry analysts generally agree that there is a correlation between availability of exclusive titles, and hardware sales.

Usage in the video game industry

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A video game's exclusivity to specific hardware may either be permanent, or timed—the latter case allowing a game to be released on different console platforms and/or PCs after a specific timeframe lapses. Permanent exclusives are often developed (first-party title), published or heavily funded by the console manufacturer. In some cases, the exclusivity may only apply to a game's console release, either for games being ported from PC to console (such asPlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds,whose console release was a timedXbox Oneexclusive), or games being released on PC along with a single console.[1]

Games may also include features and content that are exclusive to specific consoles, such as features that leverage a specific platform's distinguishing features, or appearances by characters from the platform's first-party franchises (such asBanjo and Kazooiebeing playable characters on theXbox 360version ofSonic & Sega All-Stars Racing,andFox McCloudfrom Nintendo'sStar Foxseries being playable in special content on theNintendo Switchversion ofStarlink: Battle for Atlas).[2][3][4]Timed exclusivity may also apply todownloadable contentfor an otherwise multi-platform game, such asActivision's exclusivity agreements withSony Interactive Entertainment(which cover theCall of Dutyfranchise).[5][6]

Exclusives are typically at the forefront of promotional efforts during gaming conferences such asE3,in order to help drive sales ofhardware,as a consumer choosing between options may be swayed by the different range of games available on each different console. Analysts have stated that sales figures in the past have indicated that there is a relation between hardware sales, and the release of software specifically for that hardware.[7]They state that there is also data which shows that during holiday periods, whenconsumer spendingis generally higher, hardware with a list of exclusive releases generally outsell those with a smaller selection.[8]Correlations have also been drawn between the sales ofsoftware,and the sales of relevant hardware, as in late 2009 theWiidominated both the hardware and software charts.[9]

A console manufacturer may invest in or acquire othervideo game developersso that their expertise can be leveraged for first-party titles, such as Microsoft's acquisitions ofLionhead Studios(Fable) andRare(which, up until then, had been strongly-aligned with, and minority-owned by Nintendo), and Sony's acquisitions ofNaughty Dog[10][11][12]andInsomniac Games—two studios that had primarily developed titles for PlayStation (with the latter having also developed Sony-published titles such asRatchet & ClankandSpider-Man).[13]

There have begun to be exceptions to the practice: Microsoft Studios-published exclusiveOri and the Blind Forestwas given aNintendo Switchport in 2019 (although this was part of a larger pattern of collaboration with the company, including cross-platform multiplayer support between the Switch and Xbox versions ofMinecraft,and inclusion of the title duo from the Rare-developedNintendo 64gameBanjo-Kazooieas a downloadable character forSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate). Following its purchases ofDouble Fine,Ninja Theory,andObsidian Entertainment,Microsoft stated that it would honor the multi-platform release plans for games from several studios that it had recently acquired (includingObsidian Entertainment'sThe Outer Worlds,whose publishing rights had already been sold toTake-Two Interactiveprior to Microsoft's purchase of the studio),[14]but that they would focus on Xbox platform exclusives in the future.[15][16]In December 2019, Sony announced plans to transition its first-partyMLB: The Showfranchise to multi-platform releases "as early as 2021".[17]

Exclusivity in PC gaming

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In thePC gamingmarket, a form of platform exclusivity has emerged involvingdigital distribution,whereby an online retailer acquires exclusive rights to distribute a game by means of eithervertical integrationbetween a publisher and a co-owned distribution platform, or through a financial arrangement between a publisher and a third-party distributor.Microsoft Studiosemployed this strategy on certain first-party releases by making them exclusive toMicrosoft Store(formerly Windows Store), including cross-buy support withXbox One.This also made the games, such asQuantum Break,exclusive to theWindows 10operating system,due to the use ofUniversal Windows Platform(UWP). Games on the UWP architecture also included technical and compatibility limitations that critics and consumers considered unfavorable and contrary to norms (such as locked frame rates and incompatibility with third-party tools).[18]However, Microsoft would later re-releaseQuantum BreakonSteamwith support forWindows 7and newer,[19][20]and announced in May 2019 that it would begin to offer more of its flagship first-party titles on third-party platforms such as Steam to widen their availability, and inWin32architecture to remove the limitations of UWP.[21][22][23]

Epic Games Storehas faced criticism for employing this strategy. One prominent case was that ofMetro: Exodus,which was abruptly announced as being an Epic Games Store exclusive only shortly before its release, even after taking pre-orders on Steam. Its ownerValvecriticized the move as being unfair to consumers, but stated that it would still fulfill and support the game for those who had purchased it prior to the exclusivity deal.[24][25]Justification for these complaints have included allegations that the store client isspyware,sinophobia(due to minority shares in the company being owned by Chinese conglomerateTencent,allegedly subjecting it to Chinese government influence and possibleespionage), lacking features in comparison to the market-leading Steam (such as per-game communities and cloud saves), and subjection of the PC gaming industry to exclusivity deals reminiscent of those seen on consoles.[26]

Epic Gamesstates that its store is more favorable to publishers by taking only a 12%share of revenuein comparison to Steam (30%). It also waives the separate 5% royalty on games that license Epic-ownedUnreal Engine.In response to the criticism, Epic Games stated that it would be less aggressive in seeking exclusivity deals if Valve reduced its revenue cut, and that it would try to avoid repeating the "pushback" associated with theMetrocontroversy.[27][26]

Impact of exclusivity on sales

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In addition to sales data supporting the relation of hardware sales to software titles,[7][8]CNETstated that "one of the biggest decisions when choosing a video game system has to be the exclusive games".[28]The focus of E3 on exclusive titles at each manufacturer's press event also reflects the marketing power of exclusive titles, in addition to exclusive hardware.[29][30]

Many media reports include exclusive hardware and software as points of consideration for consumers.[31]They also draw attention to the relevance of such exclusive titles for the developer, as there may be a potential for greater sales volume when releasing on multiple platforms.[32]Console makers such as Microsoft,SonyandNintendoalso use exclusive titles to their advantage in order to createmarketing strategies.Microsoft claimed that theHaloseries, specificallyHalo 3,was a key "payoff" in their strategy when entering the console market with theXboxandXbox 360.[33][34]

The Wii's dominance during theseventh generation of consoleswas credited primarily to Nintendo's focus on targeting a wider audience, rather than competing withPlayStation 3and Xbox 360 on hardware fidelity and the core market. The console distinguished itself on-launch with its innovativeWii Remotemotion controller,as well asfamily-friendlygames that were intuitive and accessible to audiences not typically associated with video gaming. These goals were exemplified byWii Sports—an exclusive title which was bundled with the console, as well as otherWiiseriesgames designed with a similar positioning.[35][36]By July 2007, it was reported that the Wii had outsold the PlayStation 3 six-to-one, with analysts citing a lack of "killer"exclusives for the platform as affecting market share.[9][37]

In Japan, Microsoft attempted to use the first-party exclusiveBlue Dragon—fromFinal FantasycreatorHironobu Sakaguchi—to bolster the local release of the Xbox 360. Several other third-party titles by Japanese publishers, includingDead or Alive 4,The Idolmaster,The Last Remnant,Vampire Rain,andTales of Vesperia,also chose to initially target the 360 exclusively. A developer ofVampire Rainstated that Microsoft was providing stronger support for developers on Xbox 360 than Sony was for PS3, but when the 360's lack of long-term success in the market became more apparent, they began making ports of the games for PS3 with additional exclusive content to recuperate development costs.[38][39]

By contrast, the Wii'seighth generationsuccessor, theWii U,was hampered by a weak lineup of launch titles, an unclear vision for itsWii U GamePadperipheral, and a resulting lack of third-party support. Nintendo relied primarily on exclusives from its first-party franchises—such asMario Kart 8,Super Smash Bros. for Wii U,and the new IPSplatoon—in order to grow the fledgling console's market share. The Wii U never reached the same market share as its competitors,PlayStation 4andXbox One,and manufacturing was discontinued in 2017.[40][41][42][43]Some writers did note that in terms of critical reception, the Wii U did have a stronger library of exclusive titles than its competitors at the time. As of March 2016, the Wii U had more exclusive titles with aggregate scores onMetacriticwithin the "Good" (75-89) and "Amazing" (89-100) ranking tiers than PS4 and Xbox One combined, and the most within the "Amazing" category (Bayonetta 2,Super Mario 3D World,andSuper Smash Bros.;the PS4 only had one "Amazing" -ranked game at the time,Bloodborne,and Xbox One had none).[44][45][46][47]

The eighth generation of consoles was dominated primarily by thePlayStation 4andNintendo Switch.Microsoft'sXbox Oneconsole faced criticism for not having as many "compelling" exclusives, with critics citing Microsoft's weaker array of first-party studios as a factor.[5][6][48]Microsoft has also increasingly preferred dual releases onMicrosoft Windowsand Xbox One over full Xbox console exclusivity, and deals for console ports of existing PC games to be timed exclusives to Xbox One.[49][50][51]In addition, the company has focused on other distinguishing features of its ecosystem, including an emphasis onbackward compatibilityand itsXbox Game Passsubscription service.[52]In the late-2019s and early-2020s, Microsoft made multiple major studio acquisitions to bolster its first-party development,[53][54]including most prominentlyZeniMax Media—parent company ofBethesda SoftworksandId Software.Microsoft stated that it would honor the multi-platform releases and exclusivity contracts for games already in development (such as Bethesda-publishedGhostwire: TokyoandDeathloop,which were console exclusives forPlayStation 5),[55][56]but that future games would be "first and better" on Xbox.[57][58][59][60]

After Microsoft's January 2022 announcement of its intent to acquireActivision Blizzard,Microsoft Gaming CEOPhil Spencer,by contrast, stated that it would continue to "support" communities for its games on other platforms. Sony warned that it "expect[s]" Microsoft to "abide by contractual agreements and continue to ensure Activision games are multiplatform."[61]In August 2022, as part of a Brazilian antitrust filing tied to the purchase, Microsoft accused Sony of allegedly paying publishers to not place their games on subscription services.[62]In response to these concerns, Microsoft signed 10-year commitments with both Sony and Nintendo to continue developingCall of Dutytitles for their platforms.[63][64][65]To quell antitrust concerns that the Activision Blizzard purchase would unduly bolster theXbox Cloud Gamingservice, Microsoft reached long-term agreements to license Activision Blizzard titles to competing cloud gaming services such asGeForce NowandUbisoft+.[66][67][68]

References

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