Microsoft's executives have been under quite a lot of pressure following Xbox One's firm second place in hardware sales behind PlayStation 4, but that hasn't stopped them from coming up with some absolutely killer moves (like new Killer Instinct!).
Calling Rise of the Tomb Raider an exclusive to Xbox One doesn't seem like a bad idea compared against Sony's relatively strong third-party offerings too, even if Head of Xbox Phil Spencer told Eurogamer the move "didn't come from an evil space."
I knew there would be some push back when we came out. Certain people won't believe this: it doesn't come from an evil space. It comes from a space where there's an opportunity that maps really well with what we need in terms of the genre, and a partner that's looking for a partnership. Other people can do the deal, but it was a deal that fit well with us. And I think it could help the franchise in the long run and help [developer Crystal] Dynamics] and Square and us.
Spencer has pushed both independent games and the Xbox platform to become more open to gamers and developers alike, though he says that the portfolio needs to continue adding franchises.
Totally, I'm a big fan of Uncharted and I wish we had an action adventure game of that ilk. We've started some, and we've looked at them. But we don't have one today of that quality. This is an opportunity.
Spencer said that the partnership with publisher Square Enix represents an opportunity to make both Tomb Raider and Xbox bigger names in gaming and in popular culture. "This was one of those opportunities for Crystal and Square, and I think it can help take Tomb Raider and make it even bigger. We want it to be big, given what we have coming to the Xbox in the way it is.
