“X Is Designed for the Hardcore Gamer”
The most powerful console in the world is arriving a little later this year, and from the looks of it, the box won’t be supplemented by any big Microsoft exclusives. According to the company’s Director of Program Management, however, it doesn’t really need any.
In an interview with Eurogamer, Microsoft’s Mike Ybarra expressed plenty of confidence in the Xbox One X by saying it wouldn’t need console launch exclusives. Just like the PS4 Pro, a mid-generation upgrade doesn’t merit a launch title; gamers will want the console because they want all existing games to look better. And when it comes to current games, he believes Microsoft already has a pretty solid lineup:
“Any exclusive gets people excited,” Ybarra told Eurogamer. “Of all those games, I think all of them will have an interest to people, whether they say ‘wow, I’m going to buy an Xbox One X’ is up to them.”
“Bluehole’s announced an Xbox One X-enhanced version of PUBG on the console which I think gives people a lot of confidence. I think our line-up proves itself out. And when I look at six months beyond December, I see Crackdown which has a lot of excitement and I’m happy with the reaction to the delay – people saying ‘quality is what we want, take a few more months’. State of Decay 2 is coming. I like what that next six months looks like past December.
“X is designed for the hardcore gamer who wants to play the best versions of those games. When I look at the Xbox family I don’t feel like we have to come out with six new games just for X, it’ll play everything that’s come out, back compat will work on it, elements like that. I don’t know if we’re still in the world of having to have big, exclusive titles just for one box, versus the promise that games you buy will work and look even better on X. It’s up to the user to choose. And for us it’s more that choice element, rather than holding an exclusive and throwing it out with a console there.”
Microsoft’s marketing strategy for the Xbox One X has been to consistently tout its ability to play all games better, in true 4K. Thus, Phil Spencer and co. are relying on the enhancements of third-party titles, probably more so than their current list of exclusives. Crackdown 3 was initially meant to launch alongside the 4K system but got delayed. Obviously, despite Ybarra’s words, Microsoft initially believed a launch exclusive was good marketing. Fortunately, they decided on delaying for the sake of a better game.
What are your thoughts on Ybarra’s words? Do you believe new Microsoft exclusives are more a luxury? Let us know in the comments below.