Rise of the Tomb Raider’s Xbox Exclusivity Wasn’t Made Lightly, Says Square Enix

Square Enix knew what they were getting into with Rise of the Tomb Raider when they decided to give an extended period of exclusivity to Microsoft. 

As an Xbox One exclusive title, the game will be out on the Microsoft platform months before it comes out on the PC, and a full year ahead of its release on the PlayStation 4. While many gamers suspected that the exclusivity was a timed one, it wasn't until recently that the publisher announced that the game would be out on platforms other than the Xbox One. 

According to Square Enix's Phil Rogers, the decision to give exclusivity to Microsoft wasn't made lightly. 

In an interview with Examiner, Rogers said that he hoped the fans understand that it wasn't an easy decision for the company took the deal because of the promotion Microsoft would provide to Rise of the Tomb Raider ahead of and beyond its release. 

“I hope fans know that it wasn’t an easy decision,” Rogers said. “I think any sort of partnership at this level is a decision that took a long time for us to get to. The decision at a studio level, we took very, very seriously. We knew it would, in the short-term, disappoint fans.”

Rogers said that the commitment of Microsoft to the franchise are one of the few reasons that lead to Square Enix taking the deal. 

“We’re about growing our IP, this is a long-term decision. We’re going to take Tomb Raider up to the next level,” he said. “With Microsoft’s belief, passion and sort of muscle to help us deliver, we really think this is going to be an awesome game that people will enjoy for years and years to come.”

The game will be out this November for the Xbox One and Xbox 360.