Story Highlights
  • An analyst has emphasized that exclusivity is a model of the past.
  • He states that Microsoft is wise to try and shift to a bigger third-party focus.
  • According to the analyst, the proper approach is to maximize revenue through releases on other platforms.

The concepts of console ecosystems and exclusivity are rapidly evolving. Apart from Nintendo, major gaming giants are going multiplatform one way or another, with Xbox being the most active in this instance.

An analyst has attempted to explain Microsoft’s strategy, stating that exclusivity is no longer a tactic that works too well.

Why it matters: Xbox is the first to break away from this trend in such a manner, leading to confusion and criticism from the masses.

Michael Pachter, an analyst for Wedbush Securities, has commented on Microsoft’s recent PlayStation and Nintendo releases.

He states that Sony and Nintendo are still stuck in the past and rely on a broken model. According to Pachter, the concept of tying games to specific platforms was viable at one point.

However, this is no longer the case.

The Nintendo and Sony model is the wrong model. It’s a broken model.

-Michael Pachter

He compared Sony and Nintendo’s approach with that of certain movies that were released in specific theatres in the past. Pachter states that this reduced their reach astronomically.

Meanwhile, Microsoft is already moving in the third-party direction after acquiring Activision Blizzard. He reckons this may have pushed the gaming giant to try releasing several other games on rival platforms as an initial experiment.

The Game Pass model also relies on exclusivity, but Xbox is much more open than PlayStation and Nintendo. Perhaps Microsoft could go completely third-party in the future since it has clarified that selling hardware is not the company’s primary goal.

Call of Duty Xbox Game Pass
Call of Duty Will Remain Multiplatform

Pachter’s analysis holds weight since Sony has reached similar conclusions. However, it intends to rely on PC gaming for additional growth. Meanwhile, Nintendo has shown no signs of straying from its roots.

In the future, the lines between consoles could be blurred further. Compared to a few decades ago, modern consoles are already similar hardware-wise. If games are no longer limited by the hardware, this will take companies further away from the old model.

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Avinash Jaisrani
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