The lack of Xbox exclusives on the US “Top 10 Best-Selling Video Games of 2024” list says it all

There was a time when Xbox was valued for its exclusive titles compared to its competitors. In the 2000s, Hello, gearand Forza The Xbox One defined an entire generation of gamers and changed the way we play games, but something happened in the 2010s that caused a huge decline in the quality of Xbox's first-party titles.

The Xbox exclusives slump didn't end with Series S/X, it just got worse. In response, Microsoft began acquiring studios and putting together new teams to work on developing major exclusives for the Xbox family of consoles. 2024 was supposed to be the first year we'd see how Xbox exclusives have improved, but it looks like it's going to be another rollercoaster ride.

Microsoft's new approach to Xbox exclusives is a flop

It disappeared completely during the Xbox One era and now with the Xbox Series S/X due to Sony's monopoly, but then Xbox started acquiring studios like Activision, Blizzard, Bethesda, and smaller studios outright.

At first, it looked like Xbox's “quantity over quality” approach was working and Xbox players were finally getting games worth their time, but major disappointments followed, including: Halo Infinite, Forza 5and StarfieldThe players thought things would improve in 2024, but Hellblade 2′Since its launch, not a single Xbox game has made it into the top 10 best-selling games of 2024 in the US.

PlayStation users Helldivers 2, Stellar Bladeand Final Fantasy VII RebirthIt's clear that Microsoft needs to release first-party exclusives for Xbox. Microsoft has promised the following titles: Indiana Jonessand Ara: The untold historyTheir catalogue still looks weak.

Needless to say, game development is a massive process and can sometimes take longer than expected, so if Xbox is developing a big project that could put an end to its terrible streak of console exclusives, we'll probably see it happen next year.

Why are Xbox exclusive titles so bad?

Despite the strong support of Xbox Game Pass and multiple studios, Xbox is still playing catch-up to PlayStation when it comes to first-party exclusives. But why is this happening? In fact, some aspects that are holding back Xbox's potential are related to how Microsoft approaches Xbox executives.

One of the main reasons why Xbox is failing with first-party titles is its development approach to games made exclusively for the Xbox Series S/X. Xbox itself has admitted that it needs to change its approach to disgraced first-party games.

Xbox's decision to release first-party games on Game Pass may be great for gamers, but it puts a strain on developers, forcing them to look elsewhere for revenue streams, leading to lower quality games and forcing them to opt for live service models.

Microsoft's strategy of prioritizing Game Pass over exclusivity has also hurt Xbox, as the subscription service is so closely tied to first-party Xbox exclusivities that it overshadows them, and Xbox often finds itself in a position where it sells Game Pass to build anticipation for its first-party games.