I’m Worried Xbox Could Become Known For Its Broken Exclusives Like Starfield & STALKER 2

Xbox exclusives have been a sore point for fans like myself, largely because there aren’t really any. Of course, PlayStation is in a pretty similar boat when it comes to excuses to pick up these somewhat overpriced consoles, but Xbox really has it worse. Not only does it lack reasons to pick up a Series X/S, but the majority of games released under the Xbox label come riddled with bugs and unfinished gameplay.

That’s not to say that everything Xbox releases is awful, or even that its buggy releases are bad games, as they have the potential to be fixed in the long term. In fact, despite all odds, Xbox Game Pass continues to be a good way to invest in a lot of games, including some of the very best RPGs of all time. However, the more that Xbox continues to push games out too early and the more that it relies on post-launch support, the more its reputation will trend downward.

Xbox Exclusives Keep Being Broken At Launch

Starfield & Redfall Gave The Publisher A Bad Reputation

Starfield continued Bethesda’s tradition of being riddled with bugs at launch despite being heralded as the least buggy launch in the developer’s history. However, worse than that, Starfield missed its potential, lacking important features that it is still missing to this day. While I have tried my best to defend its buggy state as something that Bethesda can fix over time, it becomes harder and harder to convince people to try Starfield out when the game still struggles to capture not only what it should have been, but also the magic Bethesda seemed to have in spades in the mid-2000s.

Similarly, Redfall, a game by the incredibly prestigious Arkane Austin somehow came flying out of the gate smothered in bugs, releasing in such an unplayable state that even Phil Spencer was disappointed. For many, myself included, Redfall finally felt like the hope Xbox fans had been waiting for when it came to having worthwhile exclusives. Yet, years later, Redfall still feels unfinished, a game destined to forever taint the Series X/S legacy and remain a constant reminder of the horrendous layoffs that resulted in the closure of Arkane Austin.

I am not saying that had Redfall come out in a polished and complete state, Arkane Austin would still be a studio today, as there is simply no way of knowing. However, it certainly wouldn’t have hurt Xbox to have had an exclusive that wasn’t broken at launch, garnering media attention simply for being bad and buggy. STALKER 2 has also suffered a similar fate, launching with a slew of bugs rendering it unplayable to some. It has led to it feeling like Xbox simply cannot release an exclusive in a good state.

Xbox Needs To Avoid Rushing Out Games Like Redfall & Starfield

It’s Hurting The Brand

Of course, I recognize that the situation is far more nuanced than Xbox deciding it will ensure every game it releases is a buggy mess. For one, STALKER 2 was being developed – and still is – in the midst of a terrible war that slowed down production enormously. It is also getting a constant stream of updates that are fixing the majority of minor issues, with bigger updates intended to address the larger problems coming at a later date. I am extremely grateful for the work that GSC Game World is putting into making STALKER 2 the game it should be.

However, Starfield and Redfall never got that same treatment. While there were a number of patches to Redfall that made it playable, significant updates to the game stopped with the closure of Arkane Austin, which left a lot of fans in the lurch. Starfield, on the other hand, has had a handful of updates, but nothing particularly substantial outside a nifty car that I, admittedly, enjoy driving across its plethora of empty planets. Even its DLC proved to be contentious, which upset those who had hoped its handcrafted content would make Starfield the game it was always meant to be.

It has made me wonder how Xbox can let all of this go through and is so eager to push everything out, especially when it has proven it is capable of delaying games at the last minute. Xbox Game Pass and its need for new releases could be a contributing factor, especially if Microsoft feels there need to be more first-party releases on it to entice new subscribers. This would also explain why, for the most part, PlayStation exclusives launch in a polished state or feel feature-complete, as it rarely puts its exclusives on PS Plus on day one.

I could speculate wildly about Xbox’s reasoning for releasing broken games for $70, but what is far more important is the realization that Xbox will need to come too eventually. Simply put, there has to be a cutoff point. Triple-A developers like Ubisoft are finally coming to the realization that releasing unfinished games is hurting their bottom line and have changed tactics to appease consumers. Xbox is only hurting itself and its brand by becoming associated with broken experiences and, ultimately, promises.

There Is Hope For Xbox Exclusives

Future Exclusives Could Restore Xbox’s Name

Luckily, I’m not all doom and gloom and I have genuine hope for the future of Xbox exclusives. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle looks set to be a fairly polished experience that offers a cinematic adventure like no other. Of course, it is coming to PlayStation eventually, but it’ll be an Xbox exclusive for some time, and the impression it makes at launch will ultimately affect its sales on PS5 as well. Additionally, Obsidian Entertainment’s less-talked-about fantasy RPG, Avowed, has had some extremely glowing previews that make it seem like it could be 2025’s game of the year.

While it can often feel like Starfield is the final straw for Bethesda and Xbox as a whole – it certainly has for me on multiple occasions – it is clear that Xbox has a lot in the pipeline that will eventually flesh out its exclusive offerings. Xbox has a real opportunity to utilize these upcoming titles as a way of showcasing just how far it has improved since the early days of the Series X/S. I really hope it does, as I want nothing more than for my dusty Game Pass machine to finally have a purpose.

Related

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I appreciate that the gaming industry has changed a lot since I was younger and that games are typically released in a less-than-optimal state. The fact that it has become the norm isn’t lost on me, nor are the valid reasons behind it. However, I feel like when a publisher gets it consistently wrong, it ought to address the fundamental flaws in the way it produces and rushes out games before they’re due. Xbox has a lot of exciting games coming up, and I hope they help restore its good name, rather than continue to drag it through the mud.

Source: ericarrache/Reddit, Xbox/YouTube

Systems

Platform(s)

PC , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S

Released

September 6, 2023

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs, Strong Language, Violence

X|S Optimized

Yes

File Size Xbox Series

101 GB (September 2023)

Metascore

86

Steam Deck Compatibility

yes

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Cross Save

no

Cross-Platform Play

no multiplayer

Expand