Only ten days into the year and 2017 has already claimed its first victim in #Scalebound, an #XboxOne exclusive set to be released later this year, has been cancelled. Scalebound, originally unveiled at Microsoft’s 2014 and 2016 E3 conferences, was one of the most highly anticipated #console exclusives for 2017 and its cancellation has certainly disappointed many #gamers.
#Microsoft Studios’ decision to cancel the title has largely been greeted by droves of saddened gamers suggesting that it was one of the very few #exclusives that Microsoft had planned to release for the Xbox One this year and that it may have a general negative impact on the many gamers’ desire to purchase the console.
It is for this reason that I have recently begun paying closer attention to the console exclusives that are set to be released this year for each console, as well as the overall importance of console exclusives and the role that they play in a gamer’s decision to invest in a particular console.
Fanning the Console War: A Look At The Console Exclusives Set To Be Released In 2017
With a quick glance at the list of titles set to be released this year, it would be easy to see that 2017 is going to be a good year for gaming. However, when one starts breaking down this list into console exclusives, the fact that Microsoft has less exclusives lined up for their premier console is quite plain to see.
The Xbox One’s exclusive list for 2017 consists of seven games:
- Rise and Shine
- Halo Wars 2
- Tacoma
- Cuphead
- Crackdown 3
- Phantom Dust
- Sea of Thieves
- State of Decay 2
This list actually isn’t all that bad; it is when it is compared to that of Microsoft’s prime competitor in the console market that it seems as if it leaves something to be desired.
It is easy to see that the #PlayStation4 may have a lot more going for it in 2017 than the Xbox One with their list of exclusives for 2017 consisting of titles such as:
- Horizon: Zero Dawn
- Persona 5
- Crash Bandicoot: N.sane Trilogy
- Uncharted: Lost Legacy
- MLB: The Show 17
- God of War 4 (potentially)
- and many others
At the moment, it may be difficult to make direct comparisons between the Switch and the Xbox One due to the fact that the #Switch has yet to come out and may thus have a number of titles announced for it throughout the year.
However, it must be noted that Nintendo’s strong exclusive content as always been one of its strongest selling points.
Do Exclusives Make The Console?
Whilst there are a number of reasons that may explain why people choose to invest in a particular console, there is no denying that console exclusives do in some way impact some gamers’ decision to buy a certain product.
There is a clear example of this with the Xbox and the acclaimed Halo series. It’s difficult not to remember that one of the reasons that some gamers’ state for buying an Xbox 360 or One can be surmised as “but, Halo.” The series has pushed the sales of Microsoft’s consoles in a very noteworthy manner.
It is also important to remember, however, that good exclusives, whilst able to play a pivotal role in a console’s success, do not necessarily guarantee it. An example of this can be seen with the Nintendo Wii U, which lacked third-party support, but grew to have a good line-up of exclusives and still sold rather dismally.
Then there is also one’s own personal preferences and the reasons for buying the console to take into account. If one is a casual gamer who simply enjoys playing a few rounds of team deathmatch in Call of Duty, then perhaps the fact that Xbox One has very few exclusives set to be released in 2017 may not mean anything to you.
What Does This Mean For The Xbox One?
Some (including myself) feel that the lack of a number of exciting exclusives on the Xbox One is a one of the exceedingly negative points when gamers look to buy a new console. To be honest, Scalebound and Sunset Overdrive were the two titles that made me decide to buy an Xbox One, after already owning a #PS4.
The fact that Scalebound has been cancelled as well as that I am not really all that interested in the other exclusives set to be released for the console this year is somewhat disheartening, and has certainly made me question my decision to buy an Xbox One, especially due to the fact that its exclusives are mostly available on PC.
However, this is just a single perspective. There are also many Xbox owners out there that perhaps weren’t all that excited for Scalebound, but simply cannot wait to get their hands-on State of Decay 2 or Halo Wars 2 and thus don’t feel as if the console has an exclusive list that is inadequate.
Again, it is perhaps important to reiterate that while console exclusives can help sell consoles, they are not the only aspect that consumers look at when buying a new console. A whole list of factors is considered, of which exclusive content is only one.
It is also only the start of the year thus there is plenty of time for Microsoft to announce new exclusive content, especially with the Xbox #ProjectScorpio due to be released this year.
[Source: GameSpot; CheatSheet; GameRant; LifeWire; GeekWire]
