Satya Nadella: Console-Exclusive Games Shouldn’t Exist, Says Microsoft CEO

The recent Federal Trade Commission hearing involving Microsoft and Activision has brought to light the discussion around console-exclusive games. In a surprising statement, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella expressed his belief that exclusive games should not even exist in the first place.

According to a report by The Verge, Nadella explained that while he personally would like to eliminate exclusives altogether, Microsoft, as a “low share player in the console market,” does not have the authority to redefine those terms. He acknowledged that Sony’s dominant position in the industry has, in fact, “defined market competition using exclusives,” making that the prevailing standard.

“If it was up to me, I would love to get rid of the entire exclusives on consoles, but that’s not for me to define especially as a low share player in the console market,” said Nadella. “The dominant player there [Sony] has defined market competition using exclusives, so that’s the world we live in. I have no love for that world.”

Nadella’s viewpoint on exclusives coincides with the recent release of Sony-exclusive game Final Fantasy 16 for PlayStation 5, which aligns with Sony’s consistent pattern of securing exclusive titles. Over the past few years, Sony has managed to secure a multitude of exclusives or console exclusives such as Ghostwire: Tokyo, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Sifu, Kena: Bridge of Spirits, Deathloop, Humanity, Stray, Tchia, Bugsnax, and Forspoken. Meanwhile, only a few of these titles have made their way to the Xbox platform. Additionally, Sony boasts an impressive lineup of first-party exclusives including Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Marvel’s Wolverine, God of War Ragnarök, and Horizon Forbidden West.

In a show of consistency, Nadella reiterated their commitment to releasing Call of Duty on PlayStation, aligning with the stance on exclusives not just within Microsoft’s leadership but also among other Xbox employees.

On the other hand, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan was not able to provide a firm commitment when presented with a hypothetical scenario during the hearing. Microsoft’s lawyer inquired whether Ryan would make Call of Duty and other Activision games available on PlayStation if he were working at Xbox. Ryan declined to answer the question and stated that he lacked the necessary knowledge to respond.