A “reset” is in progress at Xbox. The rapid changes and springy vibrations have left many confused and uncertain about what’s next for the console maker. The announcement during the June Xbox Showcase that Gears of War: E-Day not coming to PlayStation 5 was one of the most notable changes, an about-face on the part of Microsoft at large. cross-platform pivot over the past two years. How does this decision square with Xbox CEO Asha Sharma’s harsh memo about the dismal profit margins of the tech giant’s gaming division?
While exclusives are an essential part of any console-focused gaming strategy, they also deprive studios and publishers of revenue generated by players on other platforms. As Xbox prepares for massive layoffs due to the poor financial situation of different parts of its business, rumors started to circulate that the current return to some level of Xbox Series X/S exclusivity is just a temporary move to gain goodwill.
Some have even hypothesized that preventing Gears of War: E-Day to come to PS5 is secretly a process intended to prove this exclusivity is not financially viable for Xbox and ends it once and for all. Microsoft categorically states that this is not the case.
“These rumors are false,” Matthew Ball, Xbox chief strategist wrote the X on June 16. “Gears of War: E-Day And Mechanical revolution will remain exclusive. There are no conversations and there have been no conversations to “turn the tide.” And as we said last week, players can continue to expect signed exclusives from us every year.
In a Gaming business live event last weekBall said Microsoft announced a few exclusives during its recent showcase to prove to fans that the move was part of a deeper strategic shift and not just a one-off event for Xbox’s 25th anniversary. The suggestion is that new exclusives will be announced in 2027 and beyond, in the run-up to the expected launch of the company’s next-generation Project Helix hardware, although details on how decisions will be made regarding which games are exclusive and which are not remain elusive.
Ball was asked during the event why 2026 Mechanical revolution would be an Xbox Series X/S exclusive, while the upcoming Ninja Theory Hellbladand the sequels Senua wouldn’t be. “No comment,” he said at the time. We now know the answer. Microsoft is currently end this studio and this game.
