By Tom Warrenand Ash Parrish
12.12.2023 - 11:57 / wccftech.com / Sean Shoptaw
The upcoming Indiana Jones by MachineGames is being developed as an Xbox console exclusive title, and Disney feels like Xbox exclusivity made sense for it, as it won't limit it reach in any significant way.
Speaking with Axios, Disney's longtime head of gaming Sean Shoptaw commented on the yet-to-be-fully-unveiled game, saying that exclusivity made sense at the time Microsoft requested exclusivity as Xbox is still one of the bigger marketplaces for games and the reach of the game wouldn't be limited. The deal made sense both financially and strategically, according to Shoptaw.
Together with commenting on Indiana Jones Xbox exclusivity, Sean Shoptaw commented on the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake, which is going through some extremely troubled development, saying that Disney is incredibly proud of the original game and is aware of the demand for it.
Securing exclusives has become an important part of the business for both Microsoft and Sony, and both companies seem bent on keeping certain franchises away from the other's system. The Indiana Jones Xbox exclusivity, alongside those of other high-profile games like Bethesda's Starfield, is balanced by Sony having a privileged relationship with Square Enix, which may end up keeping games like Final Fantasy XVI and Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth from the hands of Xbox players.
By Tom Warrenand Ash Parrish
Marvel's Thunderbolts movie will soon be going into production, according to star Wyatt Russell.
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It was, by all accounts, a strange 2023 for Xbox. Its games were all over the board, and the company itself spent most of the year embroiled in the process of getting Activision Blizzard into the figurative catcher’s mitt.
We learned during Microsoft’s attempts to acquire Activision Blizzard that a PS5 version of Bethesda and MachineGames’ Indiana Jones adaptation was originally planned – until the Redmond firm renegotiated the terms with intellectual property holder, Disney. Discussing this matter directly, the firm’s head of gaming, Sean Shoptaw, said he doesn’t believe the decision is “overly exclusionary”.
In the gaming space, the evolution of a franchise over the course of years is vital for it to stay relevant. If you can’t maintain a certain quality level, things will go badly for you. But, if you take the time to reinvent yourself, the results can speak for themselves. A great example from 2023 is Mario, who had a “wonder-ful” new title showcase how Nintendo isn’t afraid to change things up on a large scale. Last year had an equally big shift via God of War Ragnarok and how it depicted Kratos and those around him.
Disney says it doesn't feel making the upcoming Indiana Jones game an Xbox exclusive is "over exclusionary" as it'll still reach a lot of players.
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Disney has spoken about Knights of the Old Republic Remake as the fate of the game remains unclear.
Microsoft’s high-profile legal battle with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over the fate of its $69 billion buyout of Activision Blizzard unearthed a number of explosive revelations, among them the fact Microsoft renegotiated ZeniMax's deal with Disney to make Bethesda's upcoming Indiana Jones game exclusive to Xbox and PC, thus ditching the PlayStation 5 version.
I’m sure you recall the MachineGames announcement a few years back. It was unveiled that the development studio was working on an Indiana Jones video game. Little was unveiled about the title, and since its reveal, it’s been mainly kept under wraps. We’re not sure just what to expect with this game. However, we’re finding out that after Microsoft acquired ZeniMax Media, the Xbox team quickly hit Disney up. A new report has surfaced today that unveiled renegotiations over the Indiana Jones license to ensure that Microsoft could keep this game an exclusive title.
Whether or not MachineGames and Bethesda’s Indiana Jones title would be a multiplatform release was a frequently asked question (to say the very least) for months following its launch. Ordinarily, you would take that for granted for a game carrying a major IP’s license, but this is, of course, being developed by a first party Xbox studio. Earlier this year, however, it was confirmed that Indiana Jones will indeed be skipping PlayStation and releasing only for Xbox and PC, and according to Disney – parent company of Lucasfilm and owner of the Indiana Jones IP – that makes “financial and strategic sense” for the game.