Exclusive IP remains a key strategy for Xbox

With a decent line-up of exclusive games both already available and on the way, it’s perhaps no surprise, of course.

But Xbox boss Phil Spencer has stressed once again that the development, publishing and availability of exclusive games on Xbox One is an actively pursued strategy at Microsoft.

Exclusive games will continue to play a major role for Xbox in the new console generation, just as they have in previous generations,” he told Forbes. I’m a true believer in our exclusive platform features like Kinect, SmartGlass, and the Cloud, but games have always been the bedrock of our consoles at Xbox.

On Xbox One, we came out of the gate strong last November with Forza Motorsport 5, Dead Rising 3, and Ryse: Son of Rome, and we haven’t slowed down having just released Kinect Sports Rivals, and of course Titanfall. This E3 is important for us to show gamers our future plans for exclusives and third-party support.

Right now I think we have a strong lineup of in-development exclusives, including games like Sunset Overdrive, Project Spark, Quantum Break, and Halo, in addition to some exciting titles you will hear more about at E3.”

Spencer also touched on the saga that enveloped Xbox last year throughout which it had to abandon a number of its Xbox One plans amidst a backdrop of criticism from vocal gamers.

We took the feedback we got last year to heart. I took it personally – you’d be hard-pressed to find someone at Xbox who didn’t,” he admitted. Early on, we could have done a better job communicating our intent more clearly, but I’m proud of the way we responded, changed our plans, moved forward, and ultimately delivered a successful product that fans are really enjoying.

We were reminded just how important it is to listen to our fans. We proved they can impact the products we make. Maintaining an open dialogue with Xbox fans is a commitment we’ll continue to uphold.”