Why Exclusivity Is Ruining the Future of Gaming

KeenGamer: "Exclusivity is becoming worse for the future of gaming. Platform exclusive content and modes are trending recently. Studios are alienating other platforms in favor of one platform only. These practices need to end to ensure all content available for all gamers without restrictions based on preference."

[DARK_WOLF]

How bowt NO! Exclusive games define the platform. Exclusive content and such for games that are multiplatform is another story.

Seems only one platform is lacking with giving its gamers proper exclusive games in recent years (hopefully not for much longer) and its not right to try call an end to exclusives just cos your missing out and feeling sad about it.

Just go buy a nintendo or playstation if you want their libraries of greatness.

[Mr Pumblechook]

I'm a lifelong Xbox gamer and I write hack articles for Keengamer. I think exclusives are ruining the gaming industry.

Nintendo make me sick. They designed a console and the invested in their own IP and they created all these amazing franchises like Zelda Breath of the Wild, Pokemon, Super Mario Odyssey etc but they are gatekeeping them and preventing normal gamers from playing them - unless they buy them on Nintendo Switch.

THIS IS CONSOLE RACISM.

[BrainSyphoned]

Racism. So glad we have you and keengamer /s

[JonTheGod]

Judging by vote responses, it seems most people are missing your sarcasm. Sadly people take everything seriously unless you add "/s".

[PS-Gamer-1986]

Looool nice

[Mr Pumblechook]

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[The Wood]

Almost got me. Then I woke up

[bouzebbal]

No exclusivity kills gaming.. Just see how sad xbox looks right now

Pumble: you just admitted being xbox fan writing on the website saying exclusives kill gaming..
Let me tell you, gaming survived pretty well since gen1 thanks to the exclusives each console had to offer. It's what creates excitement.. Without exclusives having wouldn't have survived the same way

[neutralgamer1992]

Mr Pumblechook

are you serious because i can't believe that's a serious comment. I doubt nintendo needs your advice since they have been doing fine for over 4 decades. Console gaming isn't complicated make a great console and support it with enough exclusive software to make it worth it. HZD sold over 10 million on ps4 what about pc? same for death stranding and quantic dreams collection all of them sold better on ps4 than pc. don't blame sony/nintendo if ms can't do it right they are screwing themselves and making their own brand less impactful

their biggest game to show for after 5 years and 500 million has become a meme

[mikeslemonade]

Games should be only exclusive. I don’t like multiplats

[Mr Pumblechook]

@neutralgamer1992. I don't work for Keengamer. Please read the first line of my previous comment.

[Sarcasm]

LOL some people actually believed you.

[1Victor]

Mr pumble nice comment THIS IS CONSOLE RACISM 😂🤣.

With a stupid question like that as a headline it’s not getting a click from me regardless of how insightful and well written the article is.

[chiefJohn117]

Don't forget the /s guys like razzer can't see obvious sarcasm without it

[SierraGuy]

Always been that way bro...are you new/coherent?

[Critic4l_Strik3]

Did you forget to add "/s" at the end?

[Saviior95]

I've not heard a worse response than this to the argument against exclusivity. PS4 massively outsold the Xbox One - why? Their exclusive titles. Now, this isn't me saying "Playstation is better, look at me, hahahah." I am a long-time Xbox user. Exclusive titles to consoles are buy and large the biggest Unique Selling Point of them. Without them, the can't sell nearly as many as they would like. It is a business after all. This gen, Xbox flopped it on the exclusive front, tragically as well.

Nintendo on the other hand is a widely different thing, their games on the Switch are designed specifically for that console, to port them to another system wouldn't be the same. Nintendo are also conscious that many people who own an Xbox or Playstation also own a Switch as a secondary console. The Switch has outsold the Xbox in less than half of it's life-time - if exclusivity wasn't a thing - that wouldn't happen.

Console Racism is also not a thing and you're dumb if you think it is.

[RazzerRedux]

@chiefJohn117

No....he just doesn't suck at sarcasm like you do. But yeah, the /s is always helpful.

[Army_of_Darkness]

He's referring to 3rd party time-exclusive content and I agree. There should be no need for that bullcrap. First party games however, Wil always be needed to define that particular console.

[BISHOP-BRASIL]

@zacfoldor

The problem, though, is that most of the time said game never needed said funding. With a few notable exceptions, timed exclusivity deals now a days are usually made between a console manufacturer and an AAA publisher with a game already far along it's development and only really cover part of the content being timed, not the entire game. So they are not really funding anything but maybe the marketing there... It looks more like they are basically bribing the publisher to withhold content elsewhere, really.

It may seem like a reasonable business tactic for the companies, but it's not so much for the costumer. It may win the console manufacturer some extra sales and the publisher get a straight payment, but their costumers are usually getting nothing out of it... I mean, these deals are "securing" a game, or part of it, the players would be getting anyway, the players are not gaining anything, in fact, I'd say they are loosing some, as all the players will likely pay the same for the content, but a part of them will be waiting longer to get what they paid for... May not seem such a problem when the shoe is on the other foot, but if you support this kind of deal with your wallet is only a matter of time for you to find yourself in the other end of it.

I'm not dismissing your point entirely, I know this is plagued by generalizations and flip flopping opinions from either camp... Yes, some games absolutely do need funding to ever even happen. Sometimes the whole backstage deals work in completely different, less-bribery-sounding, flows too... There are times when the investment is to actually allow multiplat development, something the studio would not be able to afford. There are deals to support extra content themed after an IP belonging to the console manufacturer... There were even cases of games which started development as exclusive but wound up multiplat in the future because the extra funding meant a better game that attracted further investment for other versions! But let's not fool ourselves, those are not your everyday timed exclusivity deals, the garden variety stuff is about stupidly minimal content only being accessible for a week or month in the paying Console platform version of a game from EA, Ubisoft, Activision, Square, Capcom, etc... The usual suspects...

There's a reason many people disapprove of timed exclusivity, there's a reason this is seem as a waste and pitiful move... And when they are in fact buying worthless junk to fluff their platform library and get nod in marketing, the costumer is allowed to ask why not put the money of those deals towards making some true exclusives instead, giving your customer MORE products to buy, rather than spend money giving your competitor's costumer less options.

[Teflon02]

Because of Sony funding SFV Capcom likely survived when they couldn't afford to even develop a SFV. I don't think they're bad if they're done like that. If it's something like Rise of the Tomb Raider where the game was announced first then a year later they say it's a Xbox exclusive when the fanbase is on PlayStation. Then yes it's a issue.

[RacerX]

I can't afford two consoles. I've had Xbox so long, I'd lose soooooo much content if I switched to PS5 (which I am considering).

Exclusives just exclude gamers, or corner them into buying every brand of console.

[AspiringProGenji]

I mean the choice is always yours of which console to get. You are not entitled to play PS exclusives on Xbox if you don’t get a PS or vice versa. Sony isn’t cornering you by making exclusive games for their console. They are enticing you to get it, but they know you won’t die if you can play them now. Save some money and get a PS overtime. If you haven’t got a PS then you were never interested in it in the first place so why sony should make their games available to you? Gaming is a business that strives with competition.

[potatoseal]

If you're serious, then you could start off by getting a 2nd-hand PS4 slim. They are so cheap right now. There are so many amazing PS4 exclusives you could play.

[Shadowsteal]

Problems with your logic:
1. Why would one company pay to develop games just to put them on the direct competition's console.
2. You wouldn't "lose" anything. Keep your Xbox to play your games.

[Mr_Writer85]

@RacerX

Can't you just enjoy the platform you have?

Or just switch? If you keep your current Xbox you lose no content. And get to enjoy games you missed out on.

If truth be told, if you're on Xbox and eyeing up other platforms because of their games, then maybe you should change, as Xbox are clearly not satisfying your gaming needs.

[IamFrasierCrane]

Keep the Xbox you currently own and you’ won’t lose any of your content.

[CaptainHenry916]

"Why Exclusivity Is Ruining the Future of Gaming"
Only an Xbox fan would think that 🤔

[chiefJohn117]

I mean I do recall you and some others crying about Tomb raider being timed exclusive. And worried about Bethesda games

[CaptainHenry916]

Wait you putting words in my mouth again. Last time I checked I'm a PC gamer first so I would care less. I never even mentioned Bethesda games. Get your facts straight before you comment

[Kiwi66]

Are you 100% sure that its only them who say that as there has been comments from non xbox gamers in exclusivity articles saying things along those lines

[gamer7804]

I’m fine with exclusives but all third party multiplayer games should have crossplay.

[Sayai jin]

That's a big negative. Sony and Nintendo excluisives and even some of MS define them.

I just hope people keep that same energy when/if MS keeps all future Bethesda games exclusive to the MS ecosystem.

[GamerRN]

I find this a weird point of view. Back when PlayStation had all the exclusives, no one complained. When Microsoft started buying developers, suddenly exclusives were bad for the gaming community.

Exclusives define a console and it's image, and I'm pretty sure most of us adults just buy both consoles...

[AspiringProGenji]

It is always when xbox lacks exclusives that they become a problem. When the Xbox one launched exclusives and gatekeeping were cool, with PS fans getting bullied to death over Titanfall , Dead rising, and Sunset overdrive. The latter was even more notorious since it came from a long time PS developer that left their man fanbase behind.

I frequented IGN more when titanfall had a second-coming-of-christ hype that people bullied others over exclusives more than they talked about the game, only to abandon the game in less than 6 months.

[GamerRN]

That game wasn't abandoned in 6 months

[Princess_Pilfer]

You know what should define gaming hardware?
The HARDWARE. Nintendo, to their credit, actually does this. But even then, most of their exclusives gain little or nothing from whatever hardware gimick they've done this time.

The consoles can and should be competing on their own merits, not on the merits of however many studios the respective companies can afford to buy.

[lelo2play]

Blame Sony!... they started with all this BS 3rd party exclusives since the PS1 and PS2 consoles.

[Silly gameAr]

Blame Sony for building legit relationships throughout the years, and betting on unknown franchises that we might not have today, if it wasn't for Sony and the Playstation? Yeah, I blame Sony for giving companies that weren't a sure bet a chance. Silly Sony.

[lelo2play]

WOW... what a stupid reasoning.
So Sony paid for 3rd party exclusives to save companies, and not to delay the launch of certain games on other platforms...

https://www.gamespot.com/ar...

[xHeavYx]

@lelo
"What a stupid reasoning"

Ha! I got a good laugh, the irony.

[The Wood]

I smell a entitled millennial.........

Maybe the type that doesn't understand business and competition..

[QSPR]

Short memory and sad troll....
https://www.gamespot.com/ar...

[DaveZero]

Why do you think Sega is no longer a console manufacturer, partly because of sony.

[Kurt Russell]

I blame Sony for one thing and one thing only.
Shutting down Studio Liverpool and my favourite franchise of them all... WipeOut :(

[P_Bomb]

Nintendo and Sega did it all the time. Genesis does a Castlevania that Nintendon’t, vice versa.

Konami, Tecmo, Sunsoft, Acclaim, Data East, Hudson, SNK, LJN, Capcom happily played the field to the point something like Strider had completely different versions.

[Rimeskeem]

You know there were console wars before Playstation existed...

[SierraGuy]

He wasn't even born yet...look at his avatar for crying out loud.

[RazzerRedux]

This started long before Sony was even in the console business. Go back in time and try to play Final Fantasy on a Sega console.

[SierraGuy]

Original street fighter 2 was snes exclusive for a whole year before sega genesis got it.

I'm still hurt from that.

[RazzerRedux]

It is kinda cute people like lelo2play think gaming began with Sony. So much ignorance in one person.

sigh

[SmokinAces]

Funny I dont remember Microsoft putting the first Halo on anything other than xbox.

[StoneyYoshi]

This is a good point! MS never owned Bungie.... They just owned the IP and Bungie left the moment they could.

[ocelot07]

It was suppose suppose to be a Sega Dreamcast game. Until Microsoft starting putting fingers in pies.

[Dirtnapstor]

Realize that if it wasn't for Sony, the og Xbox would have never came about. Sony had to help them get it off the ground from the get go. So of course, Sony will always have exclusives to separate themselves from other console plebs.

[jwillj2k4]

You must be new to this...

[StoneyYoshi]

🤣🤣🤣

Not a single console manufacturer is solely to blame for this. They all have done it. You want to blame Sony but you don't bat an eye about how MS just purchased a WHOLE F****** 3RD PARTY PUBLISHER??

You seem to be stuck on this GTA3 example that was a timed exclusive 😂. Remember how GTA3 came out on the OG Xbox and actually looked better than the PS2 version? They actually put that extra time into making it better for the XB. Do you forget about the 3rd party games like MGS1 and FF7 that were completely exclusive and not just timed? Just about every console in existence has had 3rd party exclusives to some extent.

[S2Killinit]

@lelo2play
Wasnt this MS’s bread and butter? I mean they even built an entire business model after it. Why do you think they didnt foster any 1st party developers of their own until Sony showed them how wrong they were to bet solely on purchasing exclusivity. The irony in what you are saying is outrageous.

[Sunny_D]

Wrong. 3rd party games came to Playstation 1 because Sony used CD rom compared to the constrictive low memory cartridge system of the N64. Devs could make much longer and detailed games that they couldn’t make on the N64. Nintendo also had high licensing fees which put off devs as well. PS2 got 3rd party games because they were first to the market compared to the Xbox and GameCube which were completely dominated by the PS2. A lot of devs didn’t find a need to spend on development costs for the other platforms when PS2’s install base was many times more than the other 2.

The only time people really started talking about 3rd party exclusives was timed DLC for GTA4 for the Xbox 360. As well as the timed COD maps for the 360. The 360 also had Mass effect and Bioshock as timed exclusives before they made their way to the PS3.

[notachance]

like microsoft did with halo?

[Mr_Luke]

@lelo2play
I'm still looking for a comment of yours that makes sense.
Unless i'm completely missing your sarcasm, in that case i'm sorry i didn't understand you :P

[QSPR]

Edit

[N2NOther]

Congrats on this truly inane and uninformed argument.

[SierraGuy]

Bro it's been longer than that...the original street fighter 2 was exclusive to snes for a whole year before coming to sega genesis.

Are you 12?

[DaveZero]

Actually the first streetfighter titled fighting street was on arcade in 1988. I can tell you this as for a certain since seven years later I first laid eyes on it in my local arcade in 1995 when the first ever Marvel super heroes beat em up landed on arcade also. Also asked the Owner why does this game not look like Marvel super heroes, to which she replied: I've had that baby a whole seven years since it was first released and it's still bringing money in to this day, it was the first arcade in sight as you walked in. cant call streetfighter 2 an exclusive because streetfighter 2 was also on arcade, so exclusive gets thrown out the window there I'm afraid. If it's one game and its history I know about it's all the different variations of streetfighter.

[Atticus_finch]

So much concentrated ignorance in 2 sentences. Bravo!!!

[JackBNimble]

If you feel you're missing out on games because they're exclusive, then maybe it's time to switch consoles.

[CrimsonWing69]

When did you start gaming? Pretty sure Nintendo and Sega did this long before Sony. Ever heard of a company called Squaresoft? I don’t remember seeing Super Castlevania on Sega’s console.

[isarai]

No, exclusives promotes competition, competition is good for business and consumers. Without exclusives people have little reason to buy into your platform, not to mention the techical edge exclusives have over others, being bespoke to a single platform if static and closed specs allows you to get closer to the metal, it's why 1st party titles are usually more advanced and of a higher quality than 3rd party games. That edge gets lost when you start developing for multiple platforms.

[LegoIsAwesome]

The only ppl who hate exlusives are those who primarily game on PC. They'll be like "Oh crap Sony release this awesome exclusive" The next thing they'll do is comment on it with "When will it release on the PC?" or the most desperate move of every PC gamers, create a petition to release the exclusive on PC. Kinda like what they did to Bloodborne. The petition is going strong for that one. 2015 until today lmao.

[DVAcme]

And this in itself is absurd, cause the PC's volume of exclusive games is MAGNITUDES more than consoles. Hell, there's entire GENRES that are pretty much exclusive to the PC. When's the last time you saw a MOBA, space sim or 4X game on console?

[LiViNgLeGaCY]

@DVAcme

Dude, there's loads of MOBA's on consoles. Lol. I don't know what 4X games are though, so you're probably right on that one.

[DaveZero]

And alot of exclusives also get released on that we dont ever see on console and they are better than most on console.

I enjoy console gaming and there are more than plenty of games I'd enjoy seeing on console.

What you say is very untrue you know.

There was a time on xbox 360 and ps3 that its be a dream if a pc game would land on console, it's been alot more since last gen and should be even better this new gen.

Are you saying those of you who say no to exclusives being ended that pc should just go ahead and keep all those games for themselves, somehow I really dont think so at all.

[LegoIsAwesome]

@DVAcme
Can I ask if your high or something? Because who on their right mind would play MOBA on a console with only a controller? And a space sim on a console? My god bro since when did console became a place for space sim? Is console players training to be a astronaut? Are you just boasting games on pc that is not on console?

@DaveZero
And how many exclusive on PC are well known compare to exclusives on console?

Edit: also I like that you guys didnt deny the first comment you guys usually do. And that petition lmao. Can I ask are you one of those who sign on petition on every exclusive sony or nintendo to bring on pc?

[IanTH]

I guess Keen brought this on themselves. They are the ones who posted it, and they should know by now that no one on here reads the articles, and this title is pure clickbate. It's about 3rd party minor content exclusivity, like in Avengers where Spider Man was only on PS4.

It's not about exclusives from 1st party developers. It even touches on why the MS Bethesda acquisition is different than IPs that are inextricably linked from specific platforms. It's actually a pretty normal article that contains a lot of stuff most people in these comment sections agree with. It was just a bad title...well, good if you want no one to read it, but get a lot of comments lol.

[Princess_Pilfer]

No, they aren't.
Put simply, what exclusives do, ultimately, is mean whoever has the most money and can buy the most talent wins, regardless of the actual quality of the hardware they produce.
This is bad for the consumer. Consoles aren't genuinely competing for value/quality of their hardware, so they're worse than they would be.
Your friends on other platforms can't play those games with you. Bad for both them, and you.

Do you think MS would be able to get away with selling their flimsy garbage controllers that still use that cheap plastic tensioner on the bumpers for 60 bucks if you could easily just buy a PS4 controller and use that instead?
Do you think Sony could get away with charging *100* extra USD for a version of the PS5 with a 20 dollar disk drive put in it if they weren't the only place you could get Demon's Souls?

No, they coulnd't. But they have figured out, they can just buy studios and/or pay off AAA developers to make games exclusive and falsify a sense of value. Doesn't matter if their controllers are garbage or if they're pricegouging the crap out of you for a disk drive, it's litterally the only place to get X game, so you have no choice. That is *bad* for you.

And the real kicker is, the overwhelming majority if those exclusive games? They'd still exist anyways. It is demonstrable that companies can make 1st party games (or buy 3rd party games) and sell them on platforms they don't own, and still make money. That's why they keep doing it. And that's how all 3rd party games work.

Exclusives help nobody except multi-billion dollar mega corperations. Everyone else loses out on hardware and service compettion that we *would* have if those companies weren't just holding things hostage so people had a proper choice in which hardware to get.

[Knightofelemia]

Exclusives are what draws the attention of the customer to your product everybody knows the PS4 sold better then XB1 because Sony was popping out great exclusives. The exclusives make you say damn this is great I can't wait for the sequel like I am waiting for the new God of War and Horizon 2. Timed exclusives are all right they also help make that console stand out the only down side is by the time that timed exclusive hits the other console it's expensive and you can buy the other version cheaper. I don't see exclusives really ruining gaming only way they are ruining gaming is if a company is not popping out the eye catching eye popping got to peak my interest exclusive. Or if that exclusive whether timed or console only exclusive is if it's an over hyped piece of shit that's how an exclusive is ruining gaming. The only other way an exclusive can ruin gaming is if say Microsoft announces a game for Xbox then ports it to pc at the same time. You need some of those exclusives to stay Xbox only to draw the customers attention to buy a Series X or S or the PS5 will just leave the new Xbox in the dust.

[DaveZero]

Not every exclusive games leaves me wanting a sequel..

[ApocalypseShadow]

Keen gamer, get a clue. Exclusives have been happening since Atari. And it's not just gaming that it happens like with Hulu, Netflix or Disney Plus. Happens everywhere. Companies need to stand out to get noticed.

I'd rather Sony give reasons, or any company, to make you want to buy their product. Excluding the fact that Microsoft has this idea that you don't have to buy their system, even they have games you can't play on other consoles.

If a third party company chooses to make their games on one console, it's their right. And remember, Sony didn't ask Disney about Spider-Man. Disney asked Sony. As for Spider-Man in Avengers, Microsoft could have clearly asked for exclusive characters for themselves just like Sony did. They just didn't think ahead like Sony did. And we can all see that because it was Sony that thought ahead in making a new UI, a new controller, a customized SSD, giving out a free game. AND, having games for launch.

Microsoft were just too occupied buying up publishers in response to Sony buying Insomniac when they could have spent that 7.5 billion on making quality games or acquiring content for their base. I mean, they spent a half a billion failing to give Craig a face lift. They could easily do better than what they are doing.

Lol. Last thing. Microsoft fair? Where were you during Xbox 360 days? Where were you when Microsoft bought Primesense away from Dr Marks who was working with the Z cam on PS2 which then became Kinect? Where were you when Microsoft bought into Immersion to profit off of Sony's lawsuit with Immersion that took rumble away from PS3? Sony using Immersion tech in Dual Sense is a perfect middle finger to Microsoft for doing that back then. But, it's business.

Saying there should be no exclusive content is like saying there should only be one console on the market. And that would be ridiculous. Third parties can do whatever they feel like doing. Even when it doesn't go the way of one side of gamers.

[UltraNova]

He's definitely forgetting about the GTA 4 DLC MS exclusivity back in the 360/ps3 days too...

[Charlieboy333]

Yeah...he's too young to even have knowledge to write about the subject. Clueless kids should just shut up

[P_Bomb]

“Luckily for PlayStation owners, Microsoft likes to play fair.”

Hellblade 2 to PlayStation confirmed! /s

“I wouldn’t say karma, but I bet they wish Spider-Man can be on Xbox now, right?”

If the Avengers need Spider-man to break even, they have bigger problems than Galactus.

[DaveZero]

What when Avengers has lost all but a small percentage of its players already, yeah of course everyone is feeling hurt over spiderman when they couldn't give to F's anymore about it.

Personally I'd of rather them put in Conan the Barbarian Wolverine, the Punisher, Venom, Elektra and Doctor Voodoo who are all from the savage avengers.

There are possibly hundreds of Avenger characters who I would of rather had to use, than the roster it released with.

[NealGamby]

I bet that KeenGamer author believes in participation trophies.

[RazzerRedux]

"Luckily for PlayStation owners, Microsoft likes to play fair. "

lol.....is this guy serious? Hilarious how he just ignores the shit ton of timed exclusives from both Microsoft and Sony, focuses on Spider-man for Avengers and CoD exclusive PS content, and then shills for Microsoft. He chides Sony for giving their customer the "best" version of Avengers and CoD, but gives MS a pass for saying future Bethesda games could be "first or best" on Xbox.

"However, Microsoft could restrict content or modes to comfort more of their player base than other platforms."

And that is ok? But he just said....

"How is that fair to everyone else who has to pay the same price tag for the same game? It’s not fair. "

Then it wouldn't be fair to give PS gamers a lesser version of Bethesda's games either assuming they even come to PS. Sorry, no you cannot have it both ways.

[dumahim]

What was it called? Parity rules that forced 3rd party developers to have their games come out first on 360? I think there was some other BS attached to it as well.

[StoneyYoshi]

It was something like that... Parity clause I believe. The game couldn't look or perform better on the other systems. It had to perform or look better on the 360 and had to either release earlier than other consoles or on the same day as the other consoles.

[SmokinAces]

Exclusivity is what makes gaming, its what makes a console relevant. Nothing wrong with creating and nurturing developers to make quality exclusives for your console, buying up studios that have been making multiplatform games for decades is something else entirely.

[Viking_mo]

This doesn't affect me since i have all 3 except the xbox series x. But exclusives does matter, look at the switch and PlayStation. No one honestly cares what console is powerful. Its like Jim Ryan said, the games does the talking

[DaveZero]

Games would still do the talking if there was no exclusives and everything was playable of anything, consoles is only the beast you ride with but the game is what use to get your enjoyment.

Console will always be the afterthought once your playing that game you cant seem to get your head out of.

[Levii_92]

No no no no no no no and no

[staticall]

So, let's imagine that Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft (and any other company) have the same set of games.
What's the point of buying different consoles then? Please, answer. Every game will look and sound (almost, probably) the same, with same gameplay, same controls, you name it... Sounds so much fun! /s

Exclusives take full advantage of hardware, services, software of the console. Remember Metal Gear Solid and Psycho Mantis (reading saves)?

Also, how long does it take for a console cycle, 8-10 years? So if you want to take full advantage of new graphics and/or features (that are not available on current gen), you'll have to wait for another X years or release on PC? Sounds even better, right? /s

[BLow]

This is what happens when your a fanboy and your console of choice is not getting the games lol. If there were games, this conservation would be different. What's the point of having these different gaming consoles if y'all want them to do exactly the same thing and have all the same games. I'm just going to quit. Sometimes I can't help myself and comment but I realized that this nonsense will never stop lol. I glad the majority of gamers don't read this crap lol.

I think we need to go take Business 101 again lol.

[Shikoku]

🙄 it wasn't ruining gaming in the past it's not ruining gaming now. Buy the platform the majority of your friends own and enjoy the games if you want the exclusives on the other platform then wait til it's older buy it and play jesus these game journos you have grown up in the last couple decades have no damn clue about what actually benefits gaming.

[Dirtnapstor]

This has been an ongoing discussion since the PS2 & Xbox. It's ridiculous to think competition is not important for this industry. Pretty much every time this topic gets brought up, it's an Xboner subconsciously complaining about how MS never has anything exciting to play beyond the infamous three: Forza, Halo, Gears.
Hopefully MS will bring some new ips to the table.

[DaveZero]

It's important for the console developer to get your money, its less important for us because we could be playing and I'll say this again anything we bloody well wanted to on any platform we chose.

[Futureshark]

Sounds like KeenGamer has already got buyer's remorse for going in with his Xbox One X, jealously looking over at Demon's Souls on Youtube every night before 8pm bedtime and his "Oreo with warm milk please Mummy".

[RaiderNation]

This article is so full of nonsense, I don't even know where to begin!

1. Exclusives provide incentive to purchase a console to begin with.

2. Exclusives typically are the best games because developers only have to focus on one platform and can program their games closer to the "metal" of the hardware which results in the best looking, best performing games available.

3. Exclusives help to create brand identity. They are what distinguishes one platform from another.

Yeah I don't see any negatives here. The only people crying about exclusives are the ones who either can't afford or refuse to own multiple consoles. Boo hoo! Either let go of your ridiculous allegiance, swallow your pride and become a multiplatform gamer or save your pennies until you can afford multiple consoles. Exclusives are extremely important to the gaming industry! They aren't ruining it!

[patterson]

This 100%

[Miraak82]

lol Sony introduced the platform in which MANY unknown or starting developers florished and dominate now , it was the first console to hit 100 mill sales . Tech was very different back in the sega/nin era ports or multiplatforms weren't a thing , most game were built from the ground up for that particular console , arcade ports were heavily downgraded to accommodate each system . The success of the ps1 made microsoft wanna piece of that pie ...... creating the mutliplatform we know today ...... still just the competitor and why we complain about multiplatforms ..... in never ending articles like these

[S2Killinit]

That is BS of epic proportions

[ILostMyMind]

Another one unhappy with the platform he chose, but stupid enough to not admit it, so he blames the other platform for ruining his enjoyment.

[Einhander1971]

Don't be silly this is what defines owning various systems. What would be the point of the big three investing millions into console development if all the same games are on all of them. Don't talk nonsense.

[masterfox]

oh sure yeah look at us now in this year and age, gaming is so ruined cause of the PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4, lol sure right , in a matter of fact this gaming industry is big as it is cause of one reason and that reason is Sony Playstation, a bit of gaming History will let you know on why Playstation it keeps sustaining this industry as big as it is and exclusives is a huge part of it.

[GoodGuy09]

No

[Father__Merrin]

lol seems like it's been written but a butt hurt fanboy who has no games...

[Vanfernal]

Exclusives have been around since the dawn of the industry and they are what keep game companies competitive. Gtfo with that narrative. Companies like Nintendo's whole business model revolves around their exclusive content. This article reads like the author backed the wrong horse and now is salty because he doesn't have access to the exclusives.

[spambot0815]

companies who want to benefit from gaming without putting a certain amount of effort and resources into developing games themselves are more problematic than exclusives.

[Fluke_Skywalker]

Only an Xbox fan boy would write such drivel.

[ReignMan_27]

Or a pc fanboy begging for pc ports

[GrizToof]

I have no problems with exclusives, I just don't like seeing these companies buying out all the 3rd party game studios. I want these console makers to create in house studios to make new and fresh ip's to have as their exclusives.

[ILostMyMind]

Why are these stupid articles always made by xbox users?

Tip: only one game in that thumbnail is exclusive.

[godofboobees]

Wahhhhhh the company that I gatekeep for has no good exclusives. Wahhhhhh sony u big bully, u keep getting these deals and your first party studios are churning out banger after banger. Wahhhhhhhhhh

[drunkenspy007]

wtf nonsense crap is this? keengamer failing hard.

[Spenok]

This childishly tired and well debunked "argument" again?

[Nuvem]

Why Articles Like These are Ruining Gaming Journalism

[DarkZane]

“Luckily for PlayStation owners, Microsoft likes to play fair.”

Are you kidding? Microsoft are the worst and they're the most anti-customers of the 3. They literally buy companies to keep franchises off from other platforms because they're too incompetent to make games of their own like Sony or Nintendo or buy developers they already have a good relationship with like Sony. They just flaunt their checkbook like it's going to solve the fact their problems.

[patterson]

So true.

[Chevalier]

Did these idiots forget 360 era? Bioshock? Mass Effect? GTA? Oblivion expansions? Gears of War? Dead Rising? Idiocy to the next level

[tombfan]

without exclusive games there wouldn't be a reason to buy a switch, for example, neither a PS, nor an Xbox, like Dark_Wolf says, Exclusive games define the platform.

[Tetsdah]

Lmao, content is king and this EVERY entertainment industry has done. Providing your own exclusive content in addition to purchasing licensing aka timed exclusivity. Exclusive content is intended to make that particular platform more appealing in the eyes of consumers. It is cutthroat, but timed exclusivity removes some appeal of competitors version of the game while bolstering the appeal of their own. Just simple competitive tactic. You combat this by providing content or experiences powerful enough to satisfy your consumers for missing content. This is what Sony had to do with the PS3. This is what Ninty lives and dies by. Sony applied the same tactic on the PS4 ontop of strong exclusive output. Now it is MS's turn to provide strong enough incentive to persuade consumers to stay or consider their platform. It is what it is...

[FloydianAndroid]

It’s funny how this is only looked at as bad since Microsoft bought zenimax. NO one complains about Nintendo or Sony. Just stop with the hot takes and fake news.

[JonTheGod]

BULLSHIT!
It breeds competition and makes everyone up their game.

[C-H-E-F]

definitely not ruining nothing. LOL, That's like saying oh well Toyota is ruining Car Manufacturing because they have patent hybrid cars. LOL This whining and crying about exclusives is insane. I've been playing the playstation brand since 1994. I have only wanted to play Shenmue (dreamcast), Fable 1 and Forza 4 I believe in the 26 years that i've been playing Playstation only those games that were exclusive grabbed my attention. 99% of the other games I wanted to play was on the platform I preferred.

[talocaca]

There's different approaches to exclusivity.

For example, Nintendo totally deserves Bayonetta 3. They basically made it happen. Same goes to Sony and Shenmue 3.

Microsoft buying Bethesda could go the other way....if they keep all their games exclusive they might never be profitable.

That's the kind of exclusive that affects the industry. Limit sales and waste money only because you have it.

[Elda]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with first-party & second party exclusivity. Exclusive games on consoles is what differentiates each console,giving the console its identity.

[PhantomX02]

Well let your preferred console of choice to make exclusives asap so you can enjoy them...

[Charal]

Exclusives are critical hardware selling assets for console makers. It push them to go across boundaries an propose never seen before games.

They are what makes videogame industry move on a target technical breakthrough.

[waverider]

Whats destroying gaming is renting, gaas empty games, trying to buy every studio they can, dlc, loot boxes and not exclusives.

[ILostMyMind]

You have defined an XBox.

[BioShockGX]

It only ruins the future of gaming if you don't have a PS console

[neomahi]

I beg to differ.

[Sarcasm]

Right, let's also wish every car manufacturer released the same cars too, I mean why limit people to not drive the same car from another brand with theirs? I want me a Honda Corvette C8!!!

[Dragonscale]

Wrong. It should read 'Why lack of exclusivity is ruining the future of xbox'. PlayStation and Nintendo seem to be doing just fine with them.

[Miacosa]

Jealousy is a bad look.

[Thundercat77]

This argument is a total joke. When Xbox had exclusives, there was no problem and everything was peaches and cream but now that Xbox doesn't have exclusives and Sony and Nintendo are providing amazing exclusives experiences that sell millions, now suddenly exclusives are a problem?

This is not an industry problem. This is an Xbox problem.

[Charlieboy333]

Well said

[VTKC]

So did Mario ever appear on anything other than Nintendo? How long that's been going on for? So it's only just started ruining things now. Right ok then.

[UltimateOwnage]

I love exclusives. They keep gaming diverse and fresh, and sustain unique innovations like Dual Sense and VR. The one size fits all mentality being applied to everything is ruining culture across more than just gaming. I’ll enjoy my Switch and PS5, and enjoy games made just for their hardware, thank you very much.

[Charlieboy333]

So you just want everything for everyone.....no motivation then for anyone to create anything great or be able to buy something that gives you great things. Everything must all be vanilla and mundane....just like your life. I bet you wish all the hot girls would just like all types of guys as well.....that way you don't have to put in effort for that either. Here's some tips....lose that weight. Hit the gym. Get some sun....and if you're losing your hair shave it off. Do all this and you can get an 'exclusive' hot girl. Put in the effort to get a Playstation and you will be able to enjoy mindblowing amazing 'exclusive' games. Just like you're not gonna get the girl if you sit at home on the couch all day stuffing your face, you're not gonna get amazing exclusives by complaining to your xbox. Either deal with it......or do something about it. Just stop bitching over crap.

[chiefJohn117]

It does suck to a degree. After playing Halo CE on PC I immediately when to the store and asked for 2, than found out it was Vista only and I didn't want to buy an Xbox as I was a Playstation guy. Exclusives do sell the platform for the most part cause had it been on PS I would have never owned an Xbox. As long as it not a game I'm desperate to play I'm cool. Like if gta6 was exclusive to a platform I didn't own i would flip out

[blacktiger]

That's like saying exclusive tv show is ruining the future of television.

[spoonard]

Coming in 2021, announcing the Sega XtendoStation Series 5 DS!!! Just one console that plays EVERY game!!! No more need to cry out in angst about your own poor decision making! No more need to take responsibility for your own purchasing habits! Now you are entitled to play any game any time you want!!!

[RgR]

" These practices need to end to ensure all content available for all gamers without restrictions based on preference."

So that's kind of nonsensical. What's the point of mentioning preference. No need for preference if it's available to all.

This agenda is to make all things equal. All things are not equal. Some things are better than others and so the same with consoles. There is preference to a point but analysis on performance + sales + critically acclaimed games + other factors = a clearly better option.

Competition drives every industry.

[Sokol]

Hasn't been ruined in 25 years.

Stop your whining and buy the console/pc you wish to play games on...

[BlaqMagiq1]

Uh no. Sony has been putting out the BEST exclusives and it has been paying dividends for Sony! Dumb article.

[anast]

Maybe for Xbox diehards. Console exclusivity is a good thing.

[DivineHand125]

I know exclusivity is problematic for some, explecially if you are on Xbox but some franchises would not exist if it was not for exclusives. Only platform holders are willing to take the risk these days on new IP or single player only games with no microtransactions. If Sony did not include dual sense features on their games I doubt we could rely on third-party to take advantage of it. Exclusives are there to push the platform to its fullest potential and it usually ends up pulling third-party along making gaming better for everybody. The type of exclusivity I don't like is when platform holders choose to purchase an IP or developer that was third party with the sole intention of making it not release on another platform. Unfortunately, this is the strategy that Microsoft has chosen as in their words it is more feasible to purchase an established franchise than try to build one from scratch.

[sin7279]

Lol!

[LucidIllusion]

Then what is the point of life if everyone has access to everything regardless of what they use?

[XxINFERNUSxX]

They can come to PC at least. The PC is open, and all games can be played on it, it wouldn't take anything away from the consoles. That and if you really want the best version of a game, it will be on the PC. :D

[Harryvok]

I don't think you would have seen all those amazing exclusives over the years without them being exclusive. Those games are generally built to take advantage of the hardware by having a deep knowledge of it and that's why they often end up such great games.

[N2NOther]

LOL. No. Who is this clown?

[LMosche]

Cyberpunk, Elden Ring and Dying Light 2 hard delays from lack of optimization for the numerous platforms it wants to release on says hello. God, I hate people who talk about things they know nothing about.

[leejohnson222]

The main reason i choose a console, its called identity and compelling software.
If all systems had the same games all systems would be boring, not just the one platform

[thecodingart]

Exclusively allows developers to choose to make the best version of the game they can. This is not only naive, but flat out ignorant in thinking that exclusives are bad. Someone is just butt hurt.

[CrimsonWing69]

Omg it is not. This is how you compete in a market. How the hell else do they get people to pick them over the competition? No, I’d say the lack of exclusivity ruins the future of gaming. That’s less games for us to play.

[ajax17]

oh fuck off

[BehindTheRows]

Uh, no. It isn’t. Folks must be young, because otherwise, they’d know that this is how the industry was built. On what one home device could go that another couldn’t (and this was down to games).

[Canadiananimal]

Actually.. I have not read the article yet... but in my opinion the article title is wrong. Complete wrong. Its scalpers that are ruining gaming. Plain and simple.

[Flewid638]

Imagine going to Wendy's and getting mad that you can't get a Big Mac.

[Bronbron92]

Yeh I don’t see exclusives a problem at all I just think journalist and Xbox fans would probably agree with due to Xbox lack of exclusives through this generation but Xbox has been buying studios to change and besides exclusives gives developers more competitive motives to make something complicated new

[DaveZero]

I for one would love exclusivity on any platform to come to an end. I always said it ever since the internet came along and Sony started snapping up everything left right and centre in the way of deals, which in turn aided in sega's removal from video games. Now I'm not saying its solely Sonys fault there because Sega had there bad decisions also, but when a company cares less about the rest in the business around them, they would use exclusivity to wipe the rest out if they could where only they stand. Now imagine that happening to your fav foods, would be boring right?? restaurants and so on where one day they dont exist anymore because some other competition that your not really bothered about went and decided to snag everything up that muscled out the rest, the world would be a very boring place. Its healthy to have competition yes but not at the cost of a players choice. Gamers shouldn't have to be forced to choose what platform they play on all because of a console developer snagging up everything that's Sony, MS, Nintendo, I'm not sure the pc follows the path of console exclusivity does it because alot more games release on pc.

The only way gamers will ever be truly happy, is when exclusivity ends and gamers are allowed to play whatever they like on whatever they want.

I really feel abit of a Neo here, when I say it is all about choice, that the gamer deserves that choice, the choice to choose. Platforms should not be making you choose because your backed into a corner by a certain selection of games that appeal to you but the choice of a console and the fact you could play anything you wanted on it.

You know console developers by buying up all these exclusives only do it to make you feel like you have no other choice but to go buy there console, they dont care about you one bit or they would all get together and end that nonsense of exclusivity.

I'd end console exclusivity today if I could, would of never let it begin in first place which was way back when i was a kid. I dont think we will ever get rid of it. I like games from all platforms yet i or anyone shouldn't have to fork out for multiple consoles, just to play other titles when more care to the gamer could be given and we all could just buy one console (of our choice)to play everything on.

[Flewid638]

LMAOOO.

Sega CD, 32-X, 32-X CD, Saturn and Dreamcast are what killed Sega. But ok you keep telling yourself otherwise. lol.

[esherwood]

Dumb article. The reason they pump so much money into exclusives would be gone if they where no longer exclusive resulting in the games probably not existing. It’s not hard to get another console, it’s not like the games are hidden behind some extremely limited club

[Game-o-holic]

Silly. These articles keep returning every couple of months. Everything has exclusives built in, from different phone brand options to Movies on Specific networks. You are crying in the rain if this is really bothering you.

[glennhkboy]

" These practices need to end to ensure all content available for all gamers without restrictions based on preference."
This business model is already existing today, call Free-To-Play (on mobile phones). Do we really want all of our game using this business model?

[gold_drake]

i feel like i read this every damn week.

if exclusives are killing the gaming industry, than nintendo would have destroyed it ages ago. lets not pretend that exclusives are not console sellers. thats the main reason why they exist.

sure, id love to see Zelda games or even Pokemon games on playstation, but thats just not going to happen.

[Wulfer]

Welcome to the 1980's and 90's this was the way gaming use to be!

[garos82]

bollocks. Exclusives enable a game to be the best it can possibly be by allowing developers to optimise and develop without thinking of other platforms and utilize each platforms strengths accordingly

[sagapo]

I understand exclusives as a selling point for consoles, but as a gamer you’ll miss out when you’re not able to afford more than 1 platform.

[Charlieboy333]

I miss out on driving a Ferrari every day because I can't afford it either, but I don't cry about it. That's life.

[sagapo]

I’ll pick a Lamborghini over a Ferrari to be honest.

[IRetrouk]

What a load of shite ffs

[cloganart]

Multiplatform games require more funding and development time. Not a luxury for all developers

[addictedtochaos]

This is a bad take.

[PlayDavid]

For me, games which not come to console what I have at home, does not exist... Easy... I dont care if I play a game, which is not availabe on other systems...

So yes, for me exclusives dont change anything, I play what I can.

[ZwVw]

How much did Phil Spencer pay you to write that article?

[MocBistro]

Ruining? Wtf? Exclusive games are usually funded by or made by the 1st parties. They are very serious about their money so they make sure the products great. If there were no exclusives you guys would be getting shits like Fornite or COD

[Germaximus]

nevermind

[gazgriff2k12]

what a load of bull. exclusives are needed for each platform. the problem is the bs buying of already well established third party devs because they cant be bothered to create their own studios

[FloydianAndroid]

I’ll use small words so maybe you’ll understand. In business (any business), competition is GOOD. Without exclusives, that competition wouldn’t exist. COMPETITION pushes all parties to be better.

I’m sure you think you’re a journalist, but I disagree.