Spencer: Indiana Jones PS5 Port a Win for Xbox

Xbox chief Phil Spencer has offered further clarification on the company's decision to bring Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, a key title previously exclusive to Xbox platforms, to Sony's PlayStation console.

Xbox Explains Decision to Release Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on PS5Multiplatform Release Fits with Xbox's Objectives

During yesterday’s Gamescom 2024 showcase, Bethesda made a surprising announcement: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, previously announced as an Xbox and PC exclusive, will also be coming to PlayStation 5 sometime in spring 2025. During a press conference at the event, Xbox head Phil Spencer addressed their decision of bringing the game outside of the company's own platforms, explaining that making it multiplatform is a strategic move for the brand and aligns with Xbox’s broader business objectives.

In an interview, Spencer commented on the move, saying Xbox is a business, and the "bar is high in terms of the performance" they are expected to deliver to parent company Microsoft. "It's definitely true inside of Microsoft, the bar is high for us in terms of the performance we have to deliver to the company, 'cause we get a level of support from the company that's just amazing, what we're able to accomplish." He additionally noted that Xbox has been focused on "learning" and adapting based on past experiences.

"Regarding the PlayStation announcement, obviously, last spring we launched four games – two of them on the Switch, four of them on PlayStation – and we said we were going to learn," Spencer said. "We said we’d observe. I think at Showcase, I might have said, from our learning, we’re gonna do more." Spencer additionally explained that despite its major title going multiplatform, the Xbox platform remains robust, with player numbers noted to reach new highs and franchises continually expanding.

"What I see when I look is: our franchises are gaining strength. Our Xbox console players are at an all-time high this year. I look at it, and I say, okay: our player numbers are increasing for the console platform. Our franchises are as robust as they've ever been. And we operate a business," he stated.

Spencer also emphasized the significance of Xbox's adaptability within the gaming industry. "There’s considerable pressure on the industry. It’s been expanding for a long time, and now people are seeking avenues for growth. I believe we, as fans and players of games, must expect further change, and how some of the conventional methods by which games are developed and disseminated - that's going to change." He also clarified that the ultimate objective "must be superior games that a larger audience can enjoy," further stating that if that is not Xbox's focus, then they are "focused on the wrong priorities." "So for us at Xbox - the well-being of Xbox, the health of our platform, and our expanding games are the paramount priorities," Spencer said.

FTC Findings Indicate Indy Originally Planned for Multiplatform Release

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has been widely rumored to launch on an Xbox competitor's platform since before the official announcement. Moreover, rumors of first-party Xbox games going multiplatform emerged earlier this year, but this marks the first official confirmation for a significant title like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Before all this, however, Spencer had stated that neither major titles such as Indiana Jones nor Starfield would be among the Xbox exclusives coming to PlayStation. Now, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is expected to be the latest in a likely lineup of major Xbox titles heading to PS5, following announcements for other games like Doom: The Dark Ages earlier in June.

Early discussions of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle transitioning from an Xbox exclusive to a multiplatform release can also be traced to Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda’s parent company, ZeniMax Media, in 2020. During last year’s FTC hearing concerning Xbox’s acquisition of Activision, Bethesda’s Pete Hines disclosed that Disney initially had a contract with ZeniMax to develop the game for multiple gaming systems based on the film series. Following the acquisition, the agreement was revised to make the game exclusive to Xbox and PC. Nevertheless, the recent choice to release the game on PS5 shows a change in Xbox's approach.

In internal emails from 2021, Spencer and other Xbox leaders debated the consequences of making Indiana Jones an exclusive title. Spencer supposedly recognized that while exclusivity could advantage Xbox in certain aspects, it could also restrict the overall effect of Bethesda’s production.