The End of Xbox One First-Party Games: What's Next for Microsoft?

First-party studios at Microsoft have officially stopped making Xbox One titles, signaling an end to the company's cross-gen game development strategy. This move puts an end to speculation about when cross-generation game releases will transition to the Xbox Series S/X. While cross-gen releases are common during the start of every console generation, this transition period has been particularly lengthy this time around. Despite the fact that both Microsoft and Sony's ninth-generation consoles have been available for almost three years, their predecessors continue to receive support from both first- and third-party developers. The extended life cycle is largely attributed to the coronavirus pandemic, which caused semiconductor shortages that coincided with the launch of the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. As a result, Microsoft ended up developing Xbox One titles for a full decade due to the impact of COVID-19 on Xbox game development.

Xbox is setting its sights on releasing four exclusive games each year, which has caused first-party studios to shift their focus away from Xbox One development, according to Matt Booty, the head of Microsoft Studios. In an interview with Axios, Booty disclosed that the only teams currently working on Xbox One development are those dedicated to supporting existing titles like Minecraft with long-term roadmaps. This aligns with what Phil Harrison, a former Microsoft VP, stated leading up to the Xbox One launch in 2013 when he promised a decade of support for the console.

Many may assume that the Xbox One is nearing obsolescence as Microsoft's subsidiaries are no longer producing new games for the console. However, this is far from the truth as the majority of upcoming Xbox Series X/S games are also set to be released on the Xbox One. Of the 228 previously announced games that have yet to be launched, 146 have been confirmed for the last-generation system. Furthermore, Microsoft plans to continue supporting the Xbox One through Xbox Cloud Gaming, which is currently available to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers for $15 per month. This cloud technology allows users to access all first-party Xbox Series X/S games that are technically unavailable on the Xbox One, and according to Booty, this feature will remain available in the long term.

Source: Axios