Sony uses revenue from Xbox games for exclusivity deals, says Phil Spencer

Xbox boss Phil Spencer took the stand during Microsoft's battle with the FTC, claiming that Sony uses revenue from Xbox games on PlayStation to sign exclusivity deals.

Microsoft's legal battle with the FTC has seen both Microsoft and Sony hit the headlines recently, with details regarding Bethesda's Indiana Jones game originally being multiplatform and the expected arrival of the next Xbox generation have bubbled to the surface. Now, Xbox boss Phil Spencer has suggested that Sony uses revenue from Xbox games on PlayStation to block third-party games coming to Xbox.

Phil Spencer says Sony uses the 30% split it takes from Xbox games for exclusivity deals

xbox games playstation exclusivity deals

Xbox Game Studios has grown considerably in recent years, thanks to Microsoft acquiring a number of studios and publishers, such as Mojang and Bethesda. This has led to many Microsoft-owned games remaining on (and even still launching on) PlayStation consoles, which Microsoft has continued to support instead of pulling them as Xbox exclusives. Games like The Elder Scrolls Online, Fallout 76, Minecraft, and Minecraft Dungeons continue to host large communities on Sony's platform, and according to Phil Spencer, the Sony firm receives a 30% split (via The Verge), which Sony then uses "to try to reduce Xbox's survival on the market."

During the FTC trial, the Xbox boss was asked about Microsoft's feelings when releasing games on PlayStation, to which Spencer replied: "PlayStation uses the money they make off of Xbox Games on PS5 to pay for other games to block on the Xbox platform" (thanks, Windows Central). Due to third-party exclusivity deals, we've seen numerous Square Enix games, most notably Final Fantasy, skip over Xbox when they launch, and even pre-acquisition Bethesda games like Deathloop had a one-year console exclusivity deal with PlayStation. Other deals have blocked content from Xbox users in recent years as well, like Hogwarts Legacy and Call of Duty.

What do you think of Phil Spencer's comments? Drop down below and let us know!

Industry News

Written by Tom West

Tom has been playing video games since he was old enough to hold a controller, experimenting with a number of systems until he eventually fell in love with Xbox. With a passion for the platform, he decided to make a career out of it, and now happily spends his days writing about that which he loves. If he’s not hunting for Xbox achievements, you’ll likely find him somewhere in The Elder Scrolls Online or fighting for survival in Battlefield.