There was quite a bit of uncertainty for the Xbox brand last week. I’m sure you saw the nonstop flood of rumors suggesting that Xbox would see many exclusives leave the brand for other platforms. That also left concerns that we might see Microsoft’s gaming division imploding. We even had rumors that Activision Blizzard games might not even be coming to Xbox Game Pass. But that is not the case as Phil Spencer, Sarah Bond, and Matt Booty clears the air.
Today, Xbox held a special business update presentation that would clear the air of player concerns. It came with the announcement that four games were once exclusives coming to rival platforms. We didn’t get the names specifically for those games, but we know that they were not massive platform exclusives like Starfield or the upcoming Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. So, the fear of exclusives being eliminated by Microsoft can be put to rest.
Meanwhile, for fans of Xbox Game Pass, it’s been a waiting game to see when we would start receiving Activision Blizzard titles. Microsoft had promised that first-party games would land on Xbox Game Pass, especially new releases that would launch alongside the subscription service. However, we have confirmed today that Activision Blizzard games will be arriving on the Xbox Game Pass service next month. While we don’t know if there is a backlog of titles coming next month, there was at least one game that will start the trend of new additions to the service.
At the business update event, the group unveiled that Diablo IV would be the first game to arrive on Xbox Game Pass next month. We know that Diablo IV will be arriving on March 28, 2024. However, there wasn’t anything else revealed beyond that. So, it could mean that the base game experience for Diablo IV and other Activision Blizzard games would slowly be added into the mix.
Still, this might settle some concerns that Xbox Game Pass would take a hit. This also confirms that wave two for this month won’t be featuring any Activision Blizzard games. We’re currently waiting on the official reveal of all the titles confirmed for this month’s second wave of Xbox Game Pass titles. With that said, there was the confirmation that Tales of Arise would arrive on the subscription service on February 20, 2024. So, at least one game we can confirm is being added into the mix.
With that said, if you missed the business update event, check out the video below. It’s relatively short as it covers that Microsoft is still pushing on with the Xbox brand. While four exclusives are coming to rival platforms, for the most part, the heavy hitters won’t be going anywhere. There’s even a brief mention that a new console is already planned, so you can expect a next-generation Xbox to arrive in the marketplace down the road.
