More Confusion Over Xbox Exclusives As Reports Of Game Ports Start Leaking

I don't know what it is or why it is, but the Xbox team just can't seem to communicate clearly when it comes to how it's going to handle exclusivity in games for its console. After it gobbled up several game studios and publishers, most recently Activision Blizzard, the messaging from the Xbox team about what games would be exclusives has been muddy at best. It was less than two years ago that we watched them do a full flip-flop on exclusives, going from saying that they're not doing them, to then doing them, only to then say that long-term the company would ween itself off of exclusives because they don't comport with the company's philosophy."

Xbox chief Phil Spencer specifically mentioned that the then-upcoming game Starfield would be a Microsoft exclusive game, which it has been since its release. Except that game, along with some future titles, are now the subject of supposed leaked information that they'd be coming to the PlayStation console.

After a number ofhigh-profile leakssuggesting Xbox is looking into porting a number of first-party titles to other platforms,Phil Spencerhas taken to Twitter to clear the air. The head of Xbox tells fans that they should look forward to a business update event" next week, though he did not provide details on exact timing or the nature of the updates. Considering the widespread coverage the rumors of Xbox games going to other platforms have gotten, it's likely that this event will officially announce the news.

The rumors in question include reports fromThe Vergethat MachineGames is considering" a release ofIndiana Jones and the Great Circleon PlayStation 5 sometime after the game launches on PC and Xbox. Other reports fromXboxEraalleged similar plans for a PlayStation 5 port ofStarfieldthat will release sometime after the Shattered Space DLC.

And so this has sent Spencer scrambling to give some update where he will, in theory, possibly provide some actual answers into whether these games would get PlayStation ports or not. The reality might be more of the same, which is to say vague words about what might happen at some point, which Microsoft will then go back on.

But what can't be argued is that the company has in any way communicated its plans clearly. And Spencer feigning as though he's heard that complaint just doesn't cut it.

Thefull tweetfrom Spencer is as follows: We're listening and we hear you. We've been planning a business update event for next week, where we look forward to sharing more details with you about our vision for the future of Xbox. Stay tuned."

We'll see what comes of this business update", I suppose. The problem here is that Spencer has already tanked his own credibility to such a degree that I don't know if any serious person will take him at his word.