Microsoft has had some success with third-party exclusivity deals for Xbox in recent years. Games like “Palworld,” which became a viral hit in Q1, and the much-anticipated “STALKER 2,” set to release in November, are clear examples of this strategy paying off.

At first glance, 2024 seemed like it might be a quiet year for PlayStation, especially when it came to first-party game launches. With not many first-party titles on the schedule, it looked like Xbox Series X|S might dominate the year in terms of exclusive game releases. However, that’s not exactly what happened. PlayStation has managed to stay strong, thanks to smart timed exclusivity deals for games like “Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth,” “Silent Hill 2,” “Black Myth Wukong,” and “Stellar Blade.” While PlayStation did see a stumble with “Concord,” games like “Helldivers 2” and “Astrobot” have helped maintain their momentum.

On the other hand, Xbox’s first-party efforts have had mixed results. “Hellblade 2” and “Starfield: Shattered Space” have received mixed reviews, while games like “ARA: History Untold” haven’t even launched on Xbox yet. Some titles, like “Avowed” and “Towerborne,” have also been delayed until 2025. But Xbox has still had its own victories, which we’ll discuss more in a moment.

So why all this talk about exclusivity? The conversation heated up again with news that PlayStation might have secured another major third-party title, leaving Xbox players out in the cold.

A financial report from Korea revealed that Sony attempted to block Xbox players from getting access to the upcoming game “Crimson Desert” by offering publisher Pearl Abyss a lucrative deal. Sony even offered to handle PC distribution rights as part of the package. However, Pearl Abyss ultimately decided to self-publish the game instead because they believed it would be more beneficial financially.

“Crimson Desert” is shaping up to be a visually stunning action-adventure RPG, drawing comparisons to games like “The Witcher 3.” Thankfully for Xbox fans, Pearl Abyss didn’t take Sony’s exclusivity offer. But what’s interesting is that Xbox doesn’t seem to have been involved in the negotiations at all.

Xbox has pursued its own exclusivity deals, often getting involved early in development and even helping to fund the games. A prime example is “STALKER 2,” where Microsoft has supported the development from the beginning. Another example is “Palworld,” which was developed with Microsoft’s backing. In contrast, Sony’s strategy seems more focused on locking Xbox out of deals rather than supporting developers from the start.

This approach has worked well for PlayStation, which continues to outsell the Xbox Series X|S by a large margin. While Xbox players were happy when games like “Final Fantasy 16” and “Genshin Impact” were finally confirmed for Xbox, they’re getting these titles years after their initial release on PlayStation.

If you’re a customer trying to decide between consoles, you might ask yourself: do you want the one with more exclusive games or the one with fewer?

Microsoft once tried a timed exclusivity deal with “Rise of the Tomb Raider,” but the backlash was so severe that it hasn’t done something similar since. Meanwhile, PlayStation continues to avoid scrutiny for its Xbox-exclusionary deals.

That said, Xbox has seen success with titles like “STALKER 2” and previously with “PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds” (PUBG), which was briefly an Xbox exclusive. But these types of deals may be less common in the future. Pearl Abyss hinted that exclusivity deals may be losing appeal for developers. Even Square Enix has started moving away from timed exclusives and is focusing on multi-platform releases.

There’s also the looming question of Nintendo Switch 2. A more powerful version of Nintendo’s console could attract more AAA games without needing as many compromises as its older model. If that happens, will PlayStation still focus on excluding just Xbox from deals, or will it also try to block out Nintendo? Either way, Microsoft needs to stay ahead of these trends to keep its customers happy.

It’s worth wondering if Microsoft should be doing more to prevent PlayStation from locking down big titles like “Silent Hill 2,” “Black Myth Wukong,” and “Final Fantasy 7.” Missing out on these games can damage both customer confidence and developer interest in the Xbox platform. While Microsoft can’t win every deal, they need to make sure they’re securing enough exclusive content to stay competitive.

In conclusion, should Xbox push harder for more exclusivity deals? Or is it better to focus on other strategies? One thing’s for sure: Microsoft will need to keep adapting if it wants to keep pace with PlayStation’s aggressive approach to securing exclusive content.