Mike Ybarra, the former president of Blizzard and an executive at Xbox, recently shared his thoughts on Xbox president Sarah Bond’s remarks regarding exclusive games, suggesting that they are becoming “antiquated.” He referenced the success Nintendo has experienced with its exclusive titles. Over the years, Xbox has gradually shifted away from being primarily a hardware-focused platform. Although the company still produces consoles, its games have increasingly been available on multiple platforms, with simultaneous releases on PC. Lately, many upcoming titles are also being prepared for rival consoles, including highly anticipated releases in 2025 such as Doom: The Dark Ages, The Outer Worlds 2, and Ninja Gaiden 4, all scheduled for day-one launch on the PS5.
In a recent discussion, Sarah Bond termed exclusive games as “antiquated,” pointing to community-driven titles like Fortnite, Roblox, and Minecraft as key players in today’s gaming landscape.
Bond’s assertion sparked various reactions. Notably, Mike Ybarra, who has voiced his opinions on recent Xbox strategies, responded critically. He had previously remarked that the console market is struggling unless approached correctly and suggested that Xbox fans should rethink the existing strategy.
Ybarra tweeted his response to Bond’s comments, saying, “Someone go tell Nintendo that exclusives are antiquated.” In response to a comment that deemed Nintendo “antiquated,” despite its latest console becoming one of the fastest-selling in history, Ybarra countered, stating: “Nintendo has continually dominated with outstanding games. Sure, some platforms flopped, but they always took risks and came back very strong. It is the opposite of antiquated. It is risk and return.”
His perspective holds weight, especially considering that, despite the underwhelming performance of the GameCube and Wii U, Nintendo has consistently produced standout titles that resonate with gamers.
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