Variety’s Post

Exclusive games on different platforms has been a popular topic ever since consoles started gaining traction. Whether it be a Playstation exclusive such as The Last of Us or an Xbox exclusive like Halo, these companies will personally create or buy studios to make games specifically for their platforms to have a competitive edge over their rivals. This has been great for everyone except the actual players. Community is extremely important when it comes to gaming, especially games that include online multiplayer. When these companies decide to make games exclusive, it automatically voids a demographic of players from being able to play and enjoy the game. Recently, Microsoft (the company behind Xbox) has been pushing for the end of console exclusives with the expansion of their Xbox Game Pass. Microsoft already allowed most of their console exclusives to be played on PC platforms, but they are now starting to release some of their franchises and iconic games onto competitor platforms. It was recently announced that the player count of 'Sea of Thieves' (an Xbox/PC exclusive) had reached 40 million players, right before its release onto the Playstation store. For a 6-year old game, those numbers are pretty good and will only get better after the multi-platform release, including complete functional cross-play at launch. It's amazing to see a game's player base be revived because an entirely new demographic of players will be experiencing it for the first time while others will be connecting with friends from other platforms. Should games be available for all players on all platforms? Or is the exclusivity a valid business tactic? Reference article linked below :) #gamedevelopment #gamecommunities #crossplay https://lnkd.in/gqYTV84b

Of all the Xbox games selected, Sea of Thieves makes the most sense to go fully multiplatform. It had already reached 40 million players between Xbox and Steam. ---- GameDeveloper: "Sea of Thieves is already a top game on PlayStation 5 Rare's shared seas pirate game has been a hit with the PlayStation 5 audience, which proves Xbox's multiplatform gamble has paid off." (Justin Carter) (June 14, 2024) Sea of Thieves only made the voyage to PlayStation in late April, and already it has become the most-downloaded game on the PlayStation 5. Rare's shared-seas pirate game made the top of the PS5 list across both the US and Europe. Coming in second and third place respectively were Madden NFL 24 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II in the US, and Grand Theft Auto V and F1 24 in Europe. While numbers weren't given, Sea of Thieves' milestone is impressive in the larger context of Xbox bringing it and other games to PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. Xbox revealed Sea of Thieves would go multiplatform in February alongside Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment, and Grounded. All four have come out in the months since, and this is notably the only real milestone for any of the games that jumped ship from Xbox. Of those titles, the pirate game was chosen because, in the words of Xbox boss Phil Spencer, it's a "community-driven" title whose player base could stand to grow from a new platform to play on and a community hungry for multiplayer games. This is also the first Rare game to ever come out for PlayStation consoles, so the game's success (however vague) indicates there's interest from the PS audience for the studio's work. Ahead of the PS5 launch, Rare revealed Sea of Thieves netted 40 million players across Xbox and PC. To date, it's yet to reveal those numbers with a new system in play, but it's clear, regardless, that the game has set sail for success." GameDeveloper: https://lnkd.in/g5BRD6Bc #gameindustry #gamedev #xbox #seathofthieves #gaas #gamesasaservice #onlinegames #cloudgames

1047 Games not only revealed their next game, Splitgate 2, but also the platforms it will arrive in: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, as well as PS4 and Xbox One. The PS5 has been on the market for four years, boasting sales of over 59 million units since its launch in 2020. As of March 31, 2024, Sony says 118 million people are actively using PlayStation Network. That means about 59 million of them are sticking with PS4. I would go so far to say the most popular console at the moment is the the PS4. Splitgate 2 would be the newest game on platforms where 80% of playtime are from games over 6 years old. The most popular games to this day: Fortnite, Roblox, Call of Duty Warzone, and Apex Legends are free-to-play, frequently updated, and are supported on PS4 and Xbox 1. Top premium titles such as Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto V, and Minecraft still dominate sales and engagement, with even new releases supporting PS4 and Xbox 1. I would argue that for a player vs player (PvP) game to have a chance, it not only needs to be free to play, but also be available in as many platforms as possible. Would be curious, as well as a game changer, if the game will have some sort of cross play/cross progression.

Rare's Sea of Thieves has grown into a live service game organically with 40 million players across PC and Xbox. It is now poised to grow larger with an upcoming release on PlayStation. The future of Cloud Games is release on multiple platforms, PC/Console and gradually PC/Console/Mobile. The future of Games is: Cross Device, Cross Platform, Cross Play, Cloud Connected. The thing is one, can't artificially create that. It has to be organic, from the ground up. And to be clear, this doesn't mean that every game or every IP can or will be a Cloud Game. Just the biggest stickiest ones with the most engagement. ----- VideoGameChronicle: "Rare says Sea of Thieves has reached 40 million players ahead of PS5 release. Following Its original release in 2018, The game is comoing to Sony's console this month." "Sea of Thieves has now been played by over 40 million people, according to developer Rare. The Microsoft-owned studio announced the new player milestone on Wednesday, ahead of the launch of Season 12 and the game’s PS5 release on April 30. The pirate-themed co-op multiplayer game was originally released for Xbox One and PC in March 2018, when it became the first exclusive title from Microsoft to launch on Xbox Game Pass day-and-date with its retail release. Microsoft said in July 2020 that Sea of Thieves had been played by over 15 million people, cementing its place as Xbox’s “most successful new IP” of the last console generation. “40 million players across Xbox, Windows 10 and Steam is an amazing milestone to be able to talk about, and of course it wouldn’t have happened without you – our brilliant, positive and welcoming community, who continue to surprise and impress us with your creativity and antics out on the waves,” said Joe Neate, executive producer at Rare on Sea of Thieves. “That said, I also want to take this opportunity to offer heartfelt thanks to the team, who’ve worked so hard to deliver over a hundred free updates since launch and have plenty more excitement and innovation on the horizon. Season 12 is almost here, and the new additions like throwing knives and the Bone Caller are going to transform our sandbox yet again. “I’m also excited about getting to expand our community even further, as we’re just days away from launching on PlayStation 5 and introducing a whole new plethora of pirates to our shared world,” he continued. “The positivity and excitement coming out of our Closed Beta was infectious, and I can’t wait for even more fresh faces to arrive starting next week.” In February, Microsoft delivered an Xbox business update which confirmed reports that it’s planning to bring more first-party games to PlayStation and/or Nintendo Switch, in the form of Pentiment, Hi-Fi Rush, Sea of Thieves and Grounded." VideoGameChronicle: https://lnkd.in/g9N9vPzb #gameinudustry #multiplayer #cloudgames #crossplatform #crossplay

Developers Favours Sony PlayStation 5 over Xbox Series and Microsoft wants to know? Let's Simplify it 🎮 Xbox needs to get its act together! Why are they not making any announcement of the new Halo Game? Giving us the next gen experience in Halo? Why not sort out the ORI 3 situation and announce the next Ori game? The Metroidvania which made the entire YouTube Cry... I still listen to the OST btw Why selling games on Playstation? I know it makes sense to generate revenue but it's like Amazon started selling basics on Alibaba because there's more revenue there.. see Playstation PC is also the same thing for me! Why not make exclusives - exclusives Why do we still have a game pass and day 1 access to launched games ... This doesn't do justice to games... Congratulations xbox you just made it easy for playstation to get more exclusives because guess what there is more margin for the studios there... Phil Spencer I got so many questions TBH! Why why why? I know the Xbox fanbase will hate this but I don't know man... I don't want to see a monopoly in gaming ... Even though I love playstation more... Because monopoly has never been good for consumers i.e. us gamers! Microsoft Wants To Know Why Developers Passed On Xbox Series In Favour Of PS5! My apologies for my fumblings my accent.. I was nervous while recording this TBH... If this gets good reception hopefully will make more such content! #xbox #philspencer #playstation #videogames #gamer #shorts

The PlayStation 5 continues to outsell Xbox Series X, boasting exclusive games and a superior controller. Despite Microsoft's Game Pass and two-console strategy, the PS5 remains more popular, with games like Spider-Man 2 and God of War Ragnarok. The Game Pass includes fewer features over time while Sony gradually releases games on PC. Future developments might shift the console landscape as Sony and Microsoft continue their strategies. #Consoles #ExclusiveGames #Technology https://lnkd.in/gfn37cP7

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🚨 The Subscription Wars Heat Up: Is 2025 the Year PS Plus Overtakes Xbox Game Pass? PlayStation Plus just pulled off a massive comeback—and it’s flipping the script in the battle of gaming subscription services. After starting January with an underwhelming PS Plus Essential lineup (I’m looking at you, *Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League*), Sony quickly course-corrected. The mid-tier Plus Extra and top-end Premium tiers are now delivering insane value. *God of War Ragnarok*—arguably one of PlayStation's greatest hits in recent years—just dropped into the Extra lineup, alongside gems like *Sayonara Wild Hearts* and *Like a Dragon Gaiden*. For fans of classics, Premium tier also added *Medievil 2*. This shift puts the ball firmly in Xbox Game Pass’ court. With a slower-than-usual start to 2025, Game Pass has some promising titles like *Citizen Sleeper 2* and *Sniper Elite: Resistance* on the way this month, but does it have that headliner needed to match Sony's *Ragnarok* move? February will be crucial, with high-profile games like Obsidian’s *Avowed* on the horizon. Here's where it gets interesting: the competition between these two giants isn’t just about games—it’s shaping the future of subscription-based gaming. Whether you’re a developer, a publisher, or a gamer, this ongoing rivalry is redefining how value and loyalty are built in the digital gaming economy. With that in mind, what does this mean for developers weighing which platform to align with? And as consumers, are you more drawn to Game Pass’ day-one releases or PS Plus’ roster of proven classics? Drop your thoughts in the comments. Let’s talk gaming trends, strategy, and what comes next. #GamingIndustry #GamePass #PlayStationPlus #SubscriptionServices #VideoGames