Microsoft and Sony are undergoing industrial transformation, giving up exclusivity and embracing cross-platform publishing strategies.

As industry giants such as Microsoft and Sony gradually abandon their exclusive game strategies and embrace cross-platform publishing models, the game industry is entering a profound transformation period. This shift is intended to broaden the player base and effectively address the challenges of rising game development costs.

Well-known industry analyst Jason Schreier predicts that Xbox will fully adopt a multi-platform strategy this year, and PlayStation will follow suit in this trend. Nintendo may be the only exception, but whether it will stick to its stance of exclusive games is still unclear.

Schreier emphasized that the surge in game development costs is gradually weakening the market position of exclusive games. "Given the high development costs, it is difficult to match the growth rate of the console player base, and ignoring the huge market of Steam will undoubtedly miss major business opportunities. I predict that Xbox will fully shift to a multi-platform strategy this year, and PlayStation will gradually follow suit. ”

The key factors driving this shift are the rising costs of high-quality game development and the limitations on potential revenue from a single console platform. Through cross-platform publishing, companies can reach a wider player base, thereby increasing profitability. Sony has taken the lead in launching original PlayStation exclusive games on the PC platform.

On the other hand, Xbox seems to be fully committed to the implementation of a multi-platform strategy. It is reported that "Raiders of the Lost Ark" will be launched on the PlayStation platform later this year. Another industry insider revealed that more Xbox exclusive games will be launched on competitors’ platforms in the future.

As for Nintendo, Schreier believes that it will probably stick to the path of exclusive games, but the sustainability of this strategy remains to be seen. The success of cross-platform gaming may prompt Nintendo to review its strategic direction in the future.