The unenviable bet-hedging console gamers have to do when buying the newest Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 console is Sony’s fault, according to Microsoft.
In the latest instalment from the FTC vs Microsoft saga (pertaining to Microsoft’s contested takeover of Activision Blizzard), Microsoft’s own CEO Satya Nadella advocated for a world where all games would be available on both systems.
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Nadella, quíte predictably as a company in third place in the market, would love to have the likes of Mario and The Last of Us available on the Xbox consoles and would offer the limited Xbox exclusives up in return.
“If it was up to me I would love to get rid of the entire exclusives on consoles, but that’s not for me to define especially as a low-share player in the console market,” Nadella said (via The Verge).
“The dominant player there [Sony] has defined market competition using exclusives, so that’s the world we live in. I have no love for that world.”
During the hearing – during which Microsoft is attempting to convince the FTC the acquisition of Activision Blizzard wouldn’t harm competition in the console gaming market – the Xbox maker has positioned itself as a plucky underdog competing against the might of Sony and Nintendo.
Microsoft itself is relying on exclusives like Bethesda and the Forza Motorsport reboot to revive its fortunes in the current-gen console wars, which PlayStation has a handy lead in once again.
Microsoft has also promised to keep Activision Blizzard titles like Call of Duty available on PlayStation consoles for the foreseeable future and has offered ten year deals to many would-be competitors.
The hearing continues…
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.