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VG24/7: 2 years in, the Xbox Series X/S still lacks even one killer exclusive

solidus12

Member
After two years, I step back and look at the Xbox Series X and S, and realize… Does this thing really have any must-play exclusive games? Is there any one game you can point at to make you feel brilliant about your purchase? I’m not even strictly talking about true exclusives here. Cross-generation games are a reality and a necessity right now for numerous reasons – so I’m cool with the hot Xbox Series games also being on Xbox One. But even counting those, there’s just… not much to shout about. At least there’s not much that isn’t also available on PlayStation.

But Sony’s list is also punctuated by God of War Ragnarok, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Horizon: Forbidden West, Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Gran Turismo 7, and even Astro’s Playroom – a pretty strong sextuple of first-party hitters for PS5’s first 24 months.

The Xbox list has Forza, and Flight Sim – both utterly excellent – but that’s sort of it? There’s Halo Infinite too, of course, but though I enjoyed that game’s campaign tremendously it’s absolutely fair to say that it has been severely damaged by a botched roll-out that still sees the game lacking cooperative play and with a glacial multiplayer update cadence.

There's more at the link:
https://www.vg247.com/xbox-series-xs-still-lacks-even-one-killer-exclusive

Seems like people are finally speaking up about the dire state of Xbox first party; hopefully this will push Phil and Matt Booty to do better.
 
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Topher

Gold Member
I mean, at this point I feel more people buy Series S/X's for Game Pass than exclusives anyway...

That's the reason I have Series X.

Awkward John Krasinski GIF by Saturday Night Live
 

Abriael_GN

RSI Employee of the Year
"the Xbox Series X/S still lacks even one killer exclusive" -> Starts listing them in the article. 🤔

Personally, I've had more fun with Microsoft Flight Simulator over the past two years (granted, on PC, but that's irrelevant) than with literally any other game excluding perhaps Final Fantasy XIV, but to each their own.
 
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93xfan

Banned
Master Chief Collection, BC, Gamepass.

Bethesda is a huge get as well. Then there’s Forza Horizon 5 and the Hot Wheels Expansion, Halo Infinite’s campaign had a great open world, though some of the missions were lacking, Ori 2 was great. Sea of thieves is fun. Found so many other good games on game pass as well.
 
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Represent.

Represent(ative) of bad opinions
Good. More articles like this. Call these pretenders out.

You’ve been in the business for 20 years and still don’t have a stable list of first party exclusives?

Do better or get the fuck out of the console business.

And all this praise for Phil Spendser needs to stop. The guys gaming portfolio is abysmal. What games has he delivered? All he ever mentions is Starfield and Gamepass.

Newsflash, your subscription service is useless without games I want to subscribe for.
 
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HTK

Banned
Yeah it’s not very impressive. Complaining about it is not going to help in the short term though, unless you want MS to start buying timed exclusivity from third parties.

And while Sony’s lineup is good, I’d take Starfield and STALKER 2 over all of them.

So you'll take two games that are not even out or proven to be any good....over games that are out and proven to be good. Gotcha! That's some sound logic there.
 
if they didnt have halo they wouldn't exist. did you not forget about the PS3 launch and how the general consensus was "playstation has no games"
Well let's look at history. X360 was MS's most successful generation with several big name exclusives. They came in 3rd out of three in sales. Last generation they had few exclusives and they came in 3rd out of three in sales. Hmmm its almost like exclusives never really carried the platform at all. This generation as the article points out Xbox has no big exclusives and its selling better than last generation but still they are 3rd out of three... in... sales... Exclusives aren't why people play on Xbox although they are always nice to have. Xbox will be fine even if they have less exclusives than other platforms.
 

solidus12

Member
They have exclusives.

They have a different idea of what makes a good game.

A lot of people don't count games like Grounded, Sea of Thieves etc.

They don't want different experiences or variety. Just endless sequals or differently skinned games that are too similar.
The article mentions killer exclusives, not your typical Gamepass fodder. You don't see PlayStation gamers mentionning MLB the Show or Destruction All Stars...
 

64bitmodels

Reverse groomer.
X360 was MS's most successful generation with several big name exclusives. They came in 3rd out of three in sales.
because they stopped bringing quality exclusives later down the gen
Last generation they had few exclusives and they came in 3rd out of three in sales.
because they stopped bringing quality exclusives during the 360 era previously and didnt have anything for the next gen. they had to rely on fucking insomniac and indies to carry their ass

the lack of exclusives is why they've been staying in third for 12 years. you're forgetting how much better the 360 sold than the ps3 during 2005-2010.
 
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Topher

Gold Member
Same here and in all honesty I can't say I regret it either. Two years into having this console and I reckon I've already saved around half the amount of the console on games I would have bought on the PS5 anyway. Should pay itself off soon enough.

I like the whole ecosystem. I've got XSX and a PC. I have an Android phone is pretty much dedicated to xCloud. I've got Game Pass and the cherry on top is MS Rewards which has paid for Game Pass for a year and a half already and I'm paid up until July 2023. What's not to like?

First party needs to improve, but that's already happening. In the meantime, I really don't have many complaints.
 

Stuart360

Member
I almost feel this concern trolling has been ramped up this year (even though its been a terrible year for games anyway) because everyone knows its only a matter of time before their 30 studios start pumping out the games, and should be at a regular rate too the second half of the gen.
I wonder what the next thing to be 'concerned' about will be when that starts happening.
 
I almost feel this concern trolling has been ramped up this year (even though its been a terrible year for games anyway) because everyone knows its only a matter of time before their 30 studios start pumping out the games, and should be at a regular rate too the second half of the gen.
I wonder what the next thing to be 'concerned' about will be when that starts happening.
Then they'll be a monopoly 🙄
 

64bitmodels

Reverse groomer.
I almost feel this concern trolling has been ramped up this year (even though its been a terrible year for games anyway) because everyone knows its only a matter of time before their 30 studios start pumping out the games, and should be at a regular rate too the second half of the gen.
mhm. we'll have this discussion in 2024 when all of the biggest xbox exclusives have supposedly come out. until then hold ya tongue
 

Abriael_GN

RSI Employee of the Year
They've been feeding you Halo and Forza since the 360 days, so no these are not "killer exclusives" otherwise I would have bought a Series X to play them.

I don't think what a "killer exclusive" is depends on what you personally buy.

Also, it doesn't depend on whether something is a long-running franchise or not.
 

wolffy71

Banned
They've been feeding you Halo and Forza since the 360 days, so no these are not "killer exclusives" otherwise I would have bought a Series X to play them.
By that measure, everyone either bought a PS5 and Switch or they have no killer exclusives.

I play almost exclusively multi-player games and none of these single player games on any platform really move me. Everyone is different.
 

MarkMe2525

Gold Member
Idk. I played a bunch of good games over the past 2 years. Some exclusive, some not. Seems like a reductive statement to make as the premise is purely subjective.
 

Banjo64

cumsessed
The article mentions killer exclusives, not your typical Gamepass fodder. You don't see PlayStation gamers mentionning MLB the Show or Destruction All Stars...
I’m surprised that 5m people bought Sea of Thieves on Steam between June 2020 and December 2021, considering it’s Game Pass fodder.

🥱 I think it’d probably be Sony’s wet dream to develop a live service game that’s half as successful.

MLB and Destruction All Stars :messenger_tears_of_joy:
 
So you'll take two games that are not even out or proven to be any good....over games that are out and proven to be good. Gotcha! That's some sound logic there.
What is hard to understand? Bethesda games are pretty much a known quantity. And the STALKER games are some of my favorites ever so unless it’s a total bust I will love it. Returnal is basically the only must-play PS5 game for me.
 

Termite

Member
Sure, Sony is doing better with exclusives overall, but give me Flight Sim, Psychonauts, Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite over Spider-Man, GT7, Astro's Playroom and Ratchet & Clank. And double that when you're giving them to me day 1 on a cheap game pass sub.

Horizon and GoW are strong, though, and make me want to buy a PS5.
 

Black_Stride

do not tempt fate do not contrain Wonder Woman's thighs do not do not
I’m surprised that 5m people bought Sea of Thieves on Steam between June 2020 and December 2021, considering it’s Game Pass fodder.

🥱 I think it’d probably be Sony’s wet dream to develop a live service game that’s half as successful.

MLB and Destruction All Stars :messenger_tears_of_joy:
Sea of Thieves and Grounded are really hard games to "show off" and dont have the spectacle of Ragnarok or TLOU.
So they basically get brushed under the rug like they arent good games or even worth being listed in the "good exclusives" conversation.

Which i think is weird considering the most popular games are live games.
People get through SP titles, show them off for maybe 8 months then go back to their MP titles.

Even as a Sea of Thieves fanboy, im still shocked the game is still going strong.
But they have been supporting it really well.

But we dont talk about that cuz its not a cinematic story driven experience.
 
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