Xbox will add more console exclusives if business improves

Asha Sharma, chief executive of Xbox, said in an interview that Microsoft will expand console-exclusive games beyond an initial “one or two” titles if the Xbox business returns to stronger health. She named Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution as the first signature exclusives.

Sharma described the company as starting cautiously with a limited number of exclusives and added that the slate will be reassessed as financial conditions improve. She framed the approach as a balance between keeping games widely available as a publisher and offering exclusive content as part of a platform strategy.

An Xbox podcast briefly uploaded an unedited trailer that included the PlayStation 5 logo at the end, an incident that prompted questions about whether some projects had been planned for multiple consoles before being designated exclusive.

Sharma called Xbox “the number two publisher in the world” and acknowledged the division’s finances, noting “Our business isn’t particularly healthy.” She added: “We’re starting by introducing one or two signature exclusives, and as the business is healthy, we will look to try and do more.”

She pointed to rising component costs and consumer affordability as challenges, saying it is “hard to imagine mass audiences can afford spending thousands on consoles,” and predicting “we’ll see radically different business models later this year.”

Microsoft has published games across platforms and also released console exclusives in recent years. Sharma did not provide financial targets or a timeline; any expansion of exclusives will depend on the Xbox division returning to stronger financial health.