The Xbox has been disappointing many gamers with its lack of exclusive games. According to gaming media personality Jeff Grubb, not only gamers, but Microsoft is also unhappy with the performance of Xbox’s exclusive games, saying that Xbox is not taking full advantage of its strengths.
2022 was a silent year for Xbox, with not a single first-party game being released. This is very bad for a new-generation console that has been on the market for less than three years. not only does Xbox have to take the heat from gamers, but it also has to answer to Microsoft for its achievements. Grubb said on Game Mess that Microsoft is not happy with the current state of the Xbox. “They’re frustrated …… you know, they didn’t release a single first-party game last year, and if you always have something to play, that’s great, but a lot of people regret buying an Xbox,” Grubb said.
Earlier this year, Xbox finally released an exclusive game, Hi-Fi Rush, which was an unexpected masterpiece that received high praise and attention. However, Grubb reveals that Hi-Fi Rush didn’t bring in the revenue that Xbox was expecting. “It just didn’t make any money. It got good reviews and good word of mouth, so what’s the problem?” Grubb gives several possible reasons for this, the most likely of which is that Hi-Fi Rush was released on Game Pass, a subscription service offered by Xbox that allows users to play a lot of games without limits for a fee. This would make Hi-Fi Rush a very hard sell.
To change things up, Xbox has two other big exclusives coming out this year: Redfall and Starfield. Redfall, a vampire shooter from Arkane, will be released next month, while Starfield, a space role-playing game from Bethesda, will be released in September. Both are long-awaited Xbox blockbusters, but it’s not certain that they will turn things around. Red Haze Island, in particular, has encountered a lot of negative feedback in recent months. For example, players have found that even single-player games require an internet connection to play, and Arkane’s decision to include Denuvo DRM anti-piracy technology in the game has left players unhappy. In addition, the release date of Red Haze Island is awkward, sandwiched between Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Realm. Although big titles are being released almost every week this summer, it was a risky choice of time frame for ‘Isle of Red Haze’, although Xbox is confident that their game will appeal to gamers.
The big game that Microsoft is really focusing on is The Star, a very ambitious space role-playing game from Bethesda, the makers of The Elder Scrolls and Fallout series. This studio has a very strong development and reputation, so the pressure is on. Starry Night will also face stiff competition, as it will probably be released in the same month as Spider-Man 2. Spider-Man 2 is a Sony exclusive and a long-awaited blockbuster for gamers.
It remains to be seen if Xbox can break the deadlock this year. But either way, it’s going to need to speed up the development and quality of its own exclusive games in order to keep both gamers and Microsoft happy.
