When a new game is announced in 2024, you can usually expect it to release on PC, PlayStation, and possibly Switch. However, the guarantee of new games or ports landing on Xbox consoles has become a little less, and it seems that Microsoft is aware of this and is asking developers why.
Last month, Enotria: The Last Song launched on PS5 and PC…but not Xbox. The developers explained that this was because Xbox had stopped communicating with them. Xbox boss Phil Spencer later addressed the team and Enotria It’s now scheduled to come to Xbox in the future, but it’s just the latest Example of games skipping the Microsoft console
On September 30th Microsoft has published a developer-focused blog about how the company is reaching out directly to developers and studios to “improve the experience” of developing games on Xbox. And interestingly, Xbox wants to hear from all developers, even those who don’t work on Xbox games.
“If you develop video games, we’re interested in hearing from you,” said Dr. Deborah Hendersen, a senior user researcher for Xbox. “If you’re not on Xbox, we’d like to know why. And honestly, if you use our competitors’ products, you probably have a great perspective for us to learn from!”
Xbox claims that this strategy will allow it to “gain new perspectives and avoid becoming an ‘echo chamber’.”
“It’s a bit like testing players who play games like yours – they’re your target audience and you want to hear new perspectives because their expectations may be different to those of people deeply entrenched in your community,” said Dr. Hendersen.
Xbox shouldn’t even have to ask
While I think many developers and creators would applaud Microsoft for openly asking for feedback from everyone, even those who only develop PS5 games, it seems odd that Xbox would openly ask developers, “Hey, why are you doing this?” no games for our consoles?” Although the reasons are pretty obvious.
Between a lack of communication, Game Pass potentially leading Xbox players not to buy games, and low hardware sales, there are plenty of reasons to avoid Xbox and focus on Switch and PS4 or PS5. It doesn’t help that developers have signaled this either The weaker Xbox Series S could hold back some games, something we’ve seen with Baldur’s Gate 3. This is a problem because Xbox requires games to be released on both the Series S and the more powerful Series X. We even have reports that some Publishers asked why they should keep Releasing games on Xbox due to poor sales.
So I’m sure some are happy that Xbox is asking developers for feedback, but it seems like a bad situation that Xbox should have avoided in the first place.
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