Xbox head Phil Spencer confirms there will no longer be platform-exclusive beta for CoD

Xbox head honcho Phil Spencer has revealed that there will no longer be a platform-exclusive beta for CoD following the Activision deal.

[SyntheticForm]

Good.

[Jin_Sakai]

But early access was ok during the entire Xbox 360/PS3 generation when you had it right Phil?

[SyntheticForm]

Nobody said they weren't hypocrites.

[1Victor]

@Jin:” But early access was ok during the entire Xbox 360/PS3 generation when you had it right Phil?”

We all know there’s a PlayStation before the platform in that statement 🤦🏿

[Profchaos]

Those deals were brokered under Peter Moore to be fair. And they were winning at that time

[Rdeal]

He wasn't in control can't blame him for things he had no control over

[sean1987]

Wait so you're complaining that now everyone has the opportunity to participate in the early access regardless of platform? Isn't this a good thing?

Would you prefer it if they removed early access off the PlayStation and went exclusive early access to Xbox. I think having it multiplatform early access is a great result out of the buyout. Only means more players at launch.

[Jin_Sakai]

“Wait so you're complaining that now everyone has the opportunity to participate in the early access regardless of platform? Isn't this a good thing?“

No I’m calling out the hypocrisy that it was all good when they had the beta first all throughout the Xbox 360 generation but now it’s not that they don’t have it first.

[Petebloodyonion]

@Jin_sakai
Care to remind us what version of COD on 360 got an exclusive public beta?
Actually what version of COD on 360 got a public Beta in 1st place?

[porkChop]

COD didn't get exclusive betas on Xbox 360. They got the map packs 30 days early. IIRC the exclusive betas started when PS got the marketing deal. Also, whereas Xbox got maps 30 days early PS got entire modes exclusive for a full year. Both are terrible for consumers but they're hardly the same thing.

[Neonridr]

so he's making the right choice this time, you should be applauding that.

[Michiel1989]

@jin except he wasn't head of xbox then. You're trying too hard buddy, at least I got a good laugh out of it

[itsmebryan]

@jin

I don't get your point. Your talking about something from almost 18 years ago. That's the best you got? Both companies were doing the same thing now they say they will stop it. What's the problem? Isn't that learning from past mistakes or are you just salty because the ABK deal went through?

[neutralgamer1992]

Good beta should be played by as many as possible so the devs could get the feedback and test the server’s capabilities

[Christopher]

I mean, Game Pass isn't a platform. No lie.

[Jin_Sakai]

Christopher, what’s going on with the site? N4G is almost unusable. It’s incredibly slow.

[Vengeance1138]

Seriously it's just endless server issues with this garbage site.
What incompetent apes are running it??

[Jin_Sakai]

@Vengeance1138

N4G being acquired by BGFG was the biggest mistake ever. The site has went downhill ever since and barely works as of late.

[Christopher]

They're looking into it.

[outsider1624]

Too slow sakai. I can't even open a single article without that runtime error. And this is the only site i check for everything gaming. And Reddit.

[gold_drake]

right? omfg its a nightmare. i ejther cant get access due to a server error or it takes a long time ha

[ErcsYou]

I tried to view this story yesterday the lag was unbearable, but those ads load perfect every time

[anast]

I've been having the same issue.

[rippermcrip]

Are you going to delete this duplicate of an article? No shame at all, bypassing rules and how this site is supposed to work.

[darthv72]

hmm... this is a duplicate of another article: https://n4g.com/news/257118...

Does videogamer get special treatment regardless of the rules?

[-Foxtrot]

Yes

Happened a dozen times now

It’s hypocritical yet you could get a warning for some of the smallest things

[AdonisIsBeast]

Yup, and there’s now only one mod on this platform correct? Surprised people haven’t sent in formal complaints to their new ownership.

[-Foxtrot]

It’s insane to me

A mod gave me a warning recently because I thought (being on the mobile site) that a submission I approved had actually fixed their report, they hadn’t

Ohhhhh but a duplicate article, it’s fine, no sweat.

The rules feel made up these days

[Jin_Sakai]

“Yup, and there’s now only one mod on this platform correct? Surprised people haven’t sent in formal complaints to their new ownership.“

From my knowledge BGFG are pushing Christopher to submit videogamer.com articles since they own both sites. At least that is what I was told. I miss the old N4G.

[Terry_B]

Yup....silly articles from them about random people saying something on reddit as well as duplicates from videogame seem to be okay.

Thank Christopher for that.

[Vits]

Yes, take a look at who submits their articles and you will understand.

[purple101]

n4g is ment to be an aggregator website, it cannot function as such if a creator / people / sites get preferential treatment,.. that's not how a natural organic aggregator works,

so most people know now, which articles get most heat and bubble up, are fixed.,

any alternatives to n4g that allow article voting>?

[Christopher]

I'll address this, even though I know people aren't going to be happy.

First, this isn't a duplicate, it's a SWAS. I embedded the video, but the article is about a very specific and buried part of the podcast. This is in our guidelines.

Second, it does break one guideline in that it is allowed earlier than usual (6 hours after approval). But, people, this is how content works sometimes for people who control the site. If I'm told to push it, that's how it goes. But I do my best to make sure it at least follows the guidelines otherwise. I have not put content I was asked to put here many times because it is truly duplicate. This is not one of those times.

Third, yes, VideoGamer, WePC, and N4G Unlocked do get some preferential treatment at times. I'm sending your feedback to them, but that doesn't mean that they are going to stop promoting their content at times. That's what happens when you own N4G and other sites. Your feedback resulted in not using pinned content, for example. Thank you for voicing your concerns.

Fourth, the mass majority, almost all submissions from VideoGamer, are approved by the community. It's not me pushing the majority of content you complain about, it's your fellow N4Gers. I just submit them.

Fifth, I have a job to do and I'm trying my best to keep to the spirit of what N4G is, but we all understand how the market works and N4G is now more than just an aggregate site but a portfolio of gaming sites that rely on clicks, views, and ad revenue. If you have an issue with how it is being handled, please continue to communicate it.

Thank you.

[Elda]

He meant to say it'll be exclusive on the platform he works for.

[Knightofelemia]

I'll believe it when I see it.

[purple101]

its ok, there won't be any cod either by the time they get their hands on it. haha

on that bombshell, where's perfect dark?? been a while

[Gamerscore2077]

We’re never going to see that game & when we do it’s probably going to look like a XBO game because of the Series S.

Phil & his team are cancerous tumor for the Xbox division & the gaming industry as a whole.

[TheRacingX]

I love how people say , "Oh but Phil said he'll keep CoD on Playstation for 10 yrs"....we are only 3 yrs into this gen, Do you actually think there will be CoD on PS6? doubt it. MS will run out the clock by making a PS5 version for 7 more yrs and then it will be an exclusive to XB. Their next step is Game Pass on PS...its coming, it will be the only way PS players will be able to play Fallout, Doom, Diablo, Overwatch, Elder Scrolls, CoD, and anything else they get their hands on....Welcome to games as a subscription.... . the days of owning a fully playable game to play whenever you want is over.

[Ninver]

N4g is slow as shitt. Fix the damn site

[Petebloodyonion]

Is it me or does Phil seem to have been under quite a stress and fatigue just by looking at how much he physically changed in the last 10 years?

[Kornholic]

That's how aging works.

[tagzskie]

just make all activision game exclusive to gamepass especially cod so all users can be happy ahahah. Most of the game design of acti is meant for gamepass. Diablo 4 with 70$ price tag + season pass and paid skin? I'll be happy if all acti games release day one on gamepass. Do it phil im counting on you.

[Amplitude]

The second any game is exclusive to Gamepass, the death of retro gaming in the future is secured lol

[Barlos]

Spencer Says

[DiRtY]

First improvement for the Gamers.

[gold_drake]

funny, cause i remember these betas to be on the x360 almost exclusively bk then.

[Markdn]

Casuals don't care they'll. Play this game where ever they can. Everybody else has moved on and just don't care. If I could just buy the single player campaign for 40 and not have the multi element I'd like it like that as I don't like cod multi at all. And I never have

[Notsofast]

yeah right its going to be game pass only access for the first month LOL

[DefenderOfDoom2]

So does that mean Xfinity cable subscribers will not get early beta codes for COD also?

[ChasterMies]

All of Phil Spencer’s promises about eliminating platform exclusivity have come true /s.

[P_Bomb]

I figured as much.