Xbox Boss Talks PS4 Third-Party Exclusives, Own First-Party Exclusives

Exclusives play a big role in the console wars and the script has flipped a bit with the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One from the previous generation. Now it’s Sony signing exclusivity deals with third-party publishers and that’s led to speculation that the change is due to the PS4’s substantial lead over Microsoft’s console. Xbox Head Phil Spencer argues that is not the case while talking up his console’s first-party exclusives.

“So, they don’t ‘gobble’ the deals up. They buy them,” Spencer told GameSpot in response to his thoughts on Sony “gobbling” up third-party exclusives. “You know, I read the same things you do, and I know some people think it’s somehow less expensive to sign third-party exclusives if you have a bigger market-share. I can tell you, it has nothing to do with market share.

“When you go in to do a deal, with a third party, that third party has its own view of the global market and the value of it. And they should, they should think about their assets and how valuable they are, just like anyone would when they are selling their goods,” he continued.

The PS4 sales lead is undoubtedly part of Sony’s sales pitch when it comes to trying to garner third-party exclusives. However, money is the ultimate factor when getting third-party publishers and, right now, Sony appears to be more willing to spend parts of its budget on various types of deals from timed DLC exclusives such as Destiny, Call of Duty: Black Ops III and the many others it announced at E3 to full on exclusives such as Street Fighter V.

Outside of a handful of deals that include Rise of the Tomb Raider and Titanfall, Spencer says his attention is now on the first-party games for the Xbox One, echoing earlier comments covered on Inquisitr.

“We’re making a conscious decision to focus on our first-party games,” Spencer said. “It doesn’t make it harder or easier, it’s just a decision. I do think that building up first-party exclusives is creatively more difficult than signing a deal, just by the nature of what it is.”

Spencer went on to point that Sony is producing “great first-party franchises” too, such as the Uncharted series from Naughty Dog and the Gran Turismo series from Polyphony, before turning the conversation back to the first-party games that are coming out for the Xbox One over the next two years.

“Xbox is in a stretch where all its first-party teams are doing an incredible job. I’m proud of that as the head of Xbox, and as the head of first-party. To be able to open a show with Quantum Break, to be able to close it with Halo Wars, and to have Dave Jones and Hideki Kamiya on stage in between, makes me incredibly proud. Oh I should mention Forza too.”

[Images via Xbox, PlayStation]