Introduction to Xbox Exclusivity Survey
Xbox has reportedly surveyed players on how they would feel about a return to console exclusivity for all of its games, with the exception of Call of Duty.
Survey Details and Questions
The survey, first spotted and shared by Windows Central, asks fans multiple questions about exclusivity. Some of these questions ask about specific games, such as Fallout, being exclusive to Xbox consoles and PC, while one question asks fans to imagine a world where all Xbox titles, excluding Call of Duty, were made exclusive to Xbox and PC. Interestingly, one question also suggests removing Minecraft from sale on platforms like PlayStation and Nintendo, though players who already own the game could keep it. However, existing Minecraft games would not receive any further updates.
"Imagine it was announced that all future title releases from every Xbox-developed gaming franchise except Call of Duty will be console-exclusive to Xbox," the question reads. "For Minecraft only, existing titles would no longer be available for purchase on PlayStation or Nintendo consoles, and would not receive any new content updates. However, there is no impact to any of the existing titles or content you already own. Nothing changes on PC in this announcement."
Implications of Exclusivity
The survey's questions are largely trying to see if fans really care about exclusivity, if they would switch hardware for it, or if they would skip a game because it was made exclusive. Whether this will actually amount to anything remains to be seen; companies consider a wide range of possibilities, regardless of how realistic they may be. However, all of this suggests that Xbox is at least considering on doubling down on exclusivity.
Earlier this summer, Xbox announced that Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution would be exclusive to Xbox and PC forever, but were hesitant to confirm exclusivity for other titles. Games like Forza Horizon 6 and Fable are still slated to come to PS5, but it's unclear what will happen when something major like The Elder Scrolls 6 is released.
Xbox's Current Strategic Position
As of right now, we'll just have to wait and see what the future holds. Xbox is in a pretty critical spot right now, where it is trying desperately to salvage not only its reputation, but its financial viability after a tough generation. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma reportedly pointed the finger at Game Pass in a recent meeting, as players were no longer incentivized to purchase major releases like Call of Duty on day one.
Xbox has spent this year walking back some of its previous plans by pulling Call of Duty from Game Pass on day one, and it's also rumored to be making some changes to day one offerings in 2027. It'll be interesting to see where Sharma takes Xbox next, but it does appear that they're trying to see what fans want before making some big changes.
