Xbox will likely address PlayStation release rumors in a business update next week

Phil Spencer claimed that the company is listening to the conversations regarding possible Xbox exclusives coming to PlayStation and will address it soon.

Image via Microsoft
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One of the hottest topics to take life in gaming discourse over the weekend was the rumor that first-party Xbox titles might be making their way over to PlayStation consoles. Now, Phil Spencer has addressed the matter, teasing that the company has been listening to conversations and will address them next week. It began with a rumor of Starfield making its way across the aisle to the PS5, but it seems if the rumors are true, we could see further games such as Gears of War and Halo find their way over. Either way, it seems Xbox could be talking about it in an upcoming business update.

Phil Spencer spoke to recent conversations in a tweet on his personal Twitter this week. There, Spencer played it just a little coy, not directly addressing the PlayStation rumors, but seemingly mentioning that Xbox will address “more details” in an official update next week.

Phil Spencer tweet about recent rumors and an upcoming Xbox business update
According to Phil Spencer, Xbox has been "listening" to recent conversations and will address them in an Xbox business update next week.
Source: Phil Spencer

It will be interesting to see what Xbox has to say about the recent rumors. The company has gathered an enormous amount of popular IP, especially with the recent closing of the Activision Blizzard acquisition. After many years of the game on other platforms, Xbox is also getting Final Fantasy 14.

Spreading its collected IP such as Gears of War, Halo, and Starfield to other platforms is likely exciting for most gaming fans, but it seems we’ll learn more about what’s going on with Xbox and PlayStation next week. Stay tuned for updates on this story as news drops.

Senior News Editor

TJ Denzer is a player and writer with a passion for games that has dominated a lifetime. He found his way to the Shacknews roster in late 2019 and has worked his way to Senior News Editor since. Between news coverage, he also aides notably in livestream projects like the indie game-focused Indie-licious, the Shacknews Stimulus Games, and the Shacknews Dump. You can reach him at tj.denzer@shacknews.com and also find him on Twitter @JohnnyChugs.

From The Chatty
    • reply
      February 5, 2024 4:52 PM

      Let's just have Sony/Microsoft go software only for the PC and switch 2 :D

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      February 5, 2024 4:58 PM

      remember years ago when people were like nintendo should drop out of the hardware business and just make games for others?

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      February 5, 2024 5:15 PM

      It feels like Microsoft is always taking reactive measures all the time. Why is that? Are they leakier than Sony and Nintendo, are they inherently in a defensive mindset with their Xbox and Game Pass strategies?

      Their messaging should be way more confident but I suppose its impossible to ride that line of "we want our games everywhere" and "buy our hardware", especially after spending $100BN just on M&A

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        February 5, 2024 5:47 PM

        I think Phil Spencer is just not an effective leader and/or doesn’t know how to get the best out of all the game studios Microsoft owns.

        He may wear Hexen t-shirts and be “the gamer boss” but nothing of significant value has been released in 2 generations. What stand out game has come out since he was head of Microsoft studios before his current role as head of all Xbox.

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          February 5, 2024 6:12 PM

          Xbox Game Studios output is subject to their acquisitions during a time of longer and longer development cycles. I'm not sure what Spencer could be doing better with regards to direct leadership with them.

          I think the issue might be that their strategy is contradictory. On the one hand they want their games playable everywhere, on the other hand their games are only playable on Microsoft platforms.

          Microsoft's core competency isn't hardware, it is publishing and services. Microsoft Office isn't tied to Windows, its also available on MacOS, iOS, and Android. The "console war" between them and Sony has been over since the late-2000s. It feels like the sooner they resolve this contradiction and commit to prioritizing publishing, the sooner they can move onto actually growing a stagnant business.

          You don't spend $100BN on M&A and then tie it to a dying hardware platform. Some people say "Microsoft will be the next Sega", but I only see that as a positive. Sega is absolutely killing it and they have a significantly smaller publishing business than what Microsoft could have.

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          February 5, 2024 7:48 PM

          I used to like him, but yeah, despite all talk and acquisitions, he hasn’t delivered the games. Like at all.

          The straw that broke the camel’s back for me was his push of Redfall. Any competent leader would know that was not a good game that had no business releasing in that a state. Instead he promoted it and said he was surprised by the reviews once it became clear it was a clunker.

          Dude, are you blind? A bad liar? Or do just have terrible judgment?

          He’s fucking up the brand over and over. It’s sad.

    • reply
      February 5, 2024 6:27 PM

      [deleted]

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      February 5, 2024 6:34 PM

      [deleted]

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        February 5, 2024 6:52 PM

        They're the only console hardware manufacturer that really matters, its just facts. The main track anyone else sees is "the same as before but faster".

        The DualShock didn't have sticks until the N64 came out, the NES and SNES button layout has been the standard longer than most gamers have been alive, the Wii remote paved the way for VR controllers, the current push towards portables is following the Switch (while being larger than the Wii U gamepad!), the list goes on

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          February 5, 2024 7:19 PM

          [deleted]

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          February 6, 2024 12:40 AM

          kinda funny, considering what everyone overwhelmingly wants from them this gen is "the same as before but faster".

          looking forward to some stupid gimmick that no one wanted or uses in the superswitch.

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            February 6, 2024 12:50 AM

            I'm taking "faster Switch with DLSS" as a given. If there's not at least ONE dumb thing they're doing then I'll be very disappointed!

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              February 6, 2024 12:55 AM

              But seriously, I think they'll be adding cameras back to the hardware and support AR in games, like they did with the Nintendo DSi and 3DS but with much more capable hardware. They're already doing AR with their Pokemon and Pikmin smartphone apps and it seems like an affordable way to add functionality that the Switch doesn't have.

              That's a really conservative guess though. What I really want is a WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS AND NOBODY ASKED FOR IT

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                February 6, 2024 2:35 AM

                Six small cameras and spherical capture of your environment!

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                  February 6, 2024 2:39 AM

                  Six small cameras and you wear it on your face, they'll call it the Wii U Dos

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                    February 6, 2024 2:42 AM

                    Two elastic straps on each joycon so you can wear them like web shooters! Pew pew squirt!

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              February 6, 2024 2:48 AM

              same, although i would still argue that modern Nintendo has succeeded despite that tendency rather than thanks to it.

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                February 6, 2024 3:17 AM

                Modern Nintendo is the sum total of all that goofy shit. The Switch is an amalgam of everything they've made since the Famicom (two controllers included!) and the Game & Watch. Even the failures inform their later successes, look at this prototype: https://pm1.aminoapps.com/6352/940a26264f6a190cf171a8a41ce6118ab392a9a3_hq.jpg

                They wouldn't have gotten to where they are, nor would they have been innovators in the space for decades, without their willingness to explore.

                Slight tangent but this reminds me of a GDC video from 2007 where Miyamoto explains how his concept for Miis started way back in the Famicom days but it took 20 years to finally ship on Wii: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbaNZ7IwrxY

                Watch it if you can, its very funny, especially the N64 and Gamecube iterations. Its also funny hearing how much internal pushback he got from his own team because everyone thought he was crazy, "its not a game", etc.

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      February 5, 2024 7:31 PM

      “We're listening and we hear you. We've been planning a business update event for next week, where we look forward to sharing more details with you about our vision for the future of Xbox. Stay tuned. “

      Sounds ominous and also sounds like a confirmation since it’s not a denial.

      https://x.com/XboxP3/status/1754598552548904973?s=20

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        February 5, 2024 7:36 PM

        Again, I feel if they give up all of their big games, it will make the Xbox console redundant. I hope they realize that and don’t plan to do that or worse yet, end their console journey.

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          February 5, 2024 7:57 PM

          What if they treat PC like Xbox and PS like PC? That might be all right.

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            February 5, 2024 8:12 PM

            PC gaming is still relatively fringe relative to the consoles. It would be fine for shack’s audience but wouldn’t fly with console gamers I would think

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          February 5, 2024 8:32 PM

          Their choice is either publish everywhere after spending upwards of $100BN in acquisitions, or continue to be in denial over a hardware platform that saw its best days 15 years ago and still ended up in third place.

          I still think they have another generation of hardware in the tank. After that it remains to be seen if they keep making consoles or if the box even matters that much in the 2030s. Their upside as a publisher seems much higher than any upside they have in hardware, that seems clear.

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            February 5, 2024 8:46 PM

            Also I think its entirely possible that farther down the line we see Game Pass on PS5 and Switch 2.

            It wouldn't include third party games or indies like all of the stuff they carry from Sega, Devolver, etc, but it would carry their catalog of Xbox Game Studios games. Basically another subscription service like EA's and Ubisoft's and ofc people could also buy a la carte.

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        February 6, 2024 2:43 AM

        I may be old school but I somehow prefer the PS4 vs XBone or PS3 vs X360 models, with different games on different platforms, so I'd prefer if they still continue with hardware and have a couple big first party exclusives. It makes gaming landscape interesting. But playing Xbox games on Playstation is fine with me too obviously.

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      February 6, 2024 12:57 AM

      Series x is still a pretty slick piece of hardware that doesn’t feel out of place next to a receiver. I don’t think consoles should be a conversation piece. Unfortunately it was the weaker series s that most people bought. I was definitely expecting a better Home Screen experience and the placement of ads just infuriated me to no end. Although I haven’t touched either console since hooking my pc up to my tv.

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      February 6, 2024 6:07 AM

      Microsoft needs to just put out good AAA games. It's always been that and always will be that. How can they buy that many studios, that many years ago and put out maybe like 5 games total in the past 3 years.

    • reply
      February 6, 2024 6:12 AM

      1. Release select games on switch/ps
      2. Delay gamepass release for some titles
      3. Disengage from the same console cycle as PS, release the next gen Xbox earlier than expected (2026?) with the low power model being a Steam Deck like device
      4. ???
      5. Profit

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