Microsoft has 'no plans' to release more first-party games on Nintendo Switch or PlayStation 4
Now we have an answer.
What you need to know
- Microsoft has acquired a lot of studios in recent years.
- A lot of first-party games like The Outer Worlds are also coming to Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4.
- The company has "no plans" to bring additional first-party titles to other consoles.
- Existing commitments like Minecraft will still be supported.
Over the past few years, Microsoft has acquired a lot of studios in order to boost its first-party lineup. However, as is the case with any acquisition, past commitments have to be honored. Titles like Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, The Outer Worlds, and others are still coming to Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 alongside Xbox One.
Apart from that, Microsoft and Nintendo have been working closely together. Cuphead and now Ori and the Blind Forest are both parts of the Nintendo Switch catalog. While both of these games aren't first-party titles, there has been speculation that Microsoft is planning on bringing first-party games to other platforms.
In a recent report by GamesIndustry, the outlet managed to get a statement from Microsoft which revealed that the company has no plans on bringing first-party games to other platforms. The team just had to honor existing commitments like Minecraft, The Outer Worlds, and more. You can read the statement below.
While Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 owners may be disappointed with this answer because Microsoft now owns franchises like Psychonauts, The Outer Worlds, and Pillars of Eternity; Microsoft already has access to hundreds of millions of consumers who use Windows 10. The fact that every Microsoft Exclusive will release on PC opens up each title to countless gamers. PC is by far the biggest platform to be on.
It's unclear if this will always be the case because the gaming industry is a volatile place. Competition is about to get even fiercer with companies like Google and possibly Amazon coming out with their own game streaming services. Only time will tell if this policy holds because anything can happen a decade from now.
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Asher Madan handles gaming news for Windows Central. Before joining Windows Central in 2017, Asher worked for a number of different gaming outlets. He has a background in medical science and is passionate about all forms of entertainment, cooking, and antiquing.