2020 has been a wild year, to say the least. As we approach the eve of the next generation of video game consoles, and Microsoft makes leaps and bounds with its Project xCloud streaming technology in a way that Stadia never will (sorry, Google), exclusivity in video games and content continue to rear its ugly head. Now more than ever, we should put a stop to this practice and embrace inclusivity over exclusivity.
Console Exclusives And Forcing Players Into One Ecosystem
As a publisher, Sony has dominated this generation of console sales, offering players a broad range of exclusive titles that they cannot play anywhere else. Love the God of War series and Spider-Man? Then consumers have literally no choice but to buy into a PlayStation 4.
Of course, this is an optimal scenario that applies only to people who have the socioeconomic resources available to make such a superfluous purchase. Many individuals do not have that kind of money lying around if they already have another console. Are you unable to afford purchasing a different brand of console solely for these games? Too bad, it seems, you simply miss out.
Apple Arcade has recently made headlines for a similar strategy of attempting to lock consumers into using only their ecosystem and no others. While Microsoft prepares to launch Project xCloud onto Android in September, Apple has rejected any notion that its users will be able to stream games on their iOS devices.
The Marvel’s Avengers Fiasco
At this stage, consumers are quite aware that Sony will continue to publish games exclusive to its console, so that is hopefully less of a concern in the long term. However, last week we saw how the granting of exclusive content to one platform over another makes everyone lose.
Marvel’s Avengers has been a game that players have eagerly waited for some time now, and is set to release next month on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Upon its first announcement, one would assume that the game would be the same regardless of platform, but this is not the case as Sony announced that the character of Spider-Man will be available exclusively on the PlayStation 4.
This has frustrated players for several reasons. At its core, players on other platforms will be paying the same amount of money at launch for what is arguably less game content, since they will never have access to this character, according to Sony.
The developer tried to make the situation seem as though it would not be a big deal by arguing that Spider-Man has a special relationship with Sony while seeming to forget about the existence of Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order and Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite. In this case, everyone loses, even PlayStation 4 users who will have a character that technically should have zero impact on the story and may as well not even be included in the game at all.
When Exclusives Go To Waste
The fear that Spider-Man will be squandered as a side-kick, at best, is not unfounded. In the past, exclusives released in this way have been underutilized in Destiny, such as when PlayStation users had access to exclusive Crucible maps, Strikes, and cosmetics. When it came time to select a new weekly rotation for this kind of content, the exclusives sat to gather dust because they cannot be chosen since all other platforms do not have the same access.
In this way, treating one of the most iconic Marvel characters as a platform exclusive dooms any possibility of meaningful storytelling, because if Spider-Man can only be played on the PlayStation 4, he cannot be a major part of any quest or storyline since he will not appear on two of the three available platforms. What could have been an outstanding addition to the game will not be little more than an interesting character on one platform that is relegated to the sidelines of the main content, and in the end, no one wins.
Tipping Into Absurdity With Other Tie-Ins
The exclusive release of Spider-Man onto the PlayStation 4 version of Marvel’s Avengers is already disheartening, but now we are also learning that individual mobile phone providers will each offer their own exclusive cosmetics. Do you want to access a certain cosmetic look for your Avenger’s team? You’ll need to cancel your current smartphone contract, pay a penalty, and sign up with either Intel, Virgin, or Verizon, each of which have their own exclusive tie-ins, for some reason.
Microsoft’s New Philosophy Fosters Inclusivity
For the past couple of years, Xbox head Phil Spencer has been vocal on several topics that are important in the gaming industry, especially when it comes to accessibility. On the subject of exclusivity in gaming, Spencer has pushed for an industry that embraces inclusivity. In an interview with GamesIndustry, Spencer went on to state,
In 2020, we are seeing some of the biggest advancements in gaming thanks to Project xCloud and the future of game streaming, and it is high time that players no longer be prevented from enjoying a game or content in a game, and the entire notion of exclusivity should go the way of the dinosaur.
“I find it completely counter to what gaming is about to say that part of that is to lock people away from being able to experience those games. Or to force someone to buy my specific device on the day that I want them to go buy it, in order to partake in what gaming is about. Gaming is bigger than any one device.”
Will Anything Change?
For now, there is little chance of exclusives going anywhere, especially if the practice continues to be profitable for Sony and others. However, the practice is not one that consumers should reward with their hard-earned consumer dollars. Unfortunately, for now, it seems that the only way to deal with exclusives is not to reward developers and publishers for the practice, and that means voting with our wallet.
Source: gamesindustry.biz
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