Exclusive games are still the top reason for playing on console, survey suggests

Exclusive video games remain the top reason players opt to play on consoles.

That’s according to Circana’s Q1 Future of Video Games consumer survey, which notes that, while exclusive games remain the top factor, motivation has dropped year-on-year (-8pts).

The No.2 reason people choose to play on a console is that friends and family also play on it (38%), according to the survey, followed by consoles being perceived as easier to play with friends on (37%), and those surveyed preferring to play in a more casual setting (36%).

The Circana survey was highlighted by The Game Business this week, which explored the changing role of console exclusives at a time when both PlayStation and Xbox appear to be reviewing their strategies.

Sony is allegedly scaling back its PC release strategy for its single-player games, while Xbox’s new leadership team has said it is reevaluating its release strategy, which has recently included putting first-party games on PS5.

Both Sony and Microsoft’s game sales on other platforms have provided mixed results, though it should be noted that both have reportedly been negatively impacted by choosing to release some games much later elsewhere.

TGB editor Christopher Dring commented that it makes sense for both companies to review their strategies, six years into the current console generation.

“Releasing single-player PS5 games on PC appears relatively low-risk right now,” he said. “But with the rise of PC-based handhelds and consoles (including the next Xbox and the upcoming Steam Machine), the availability of PlayStation games on these devices might weaken the appeal of Sony’s hardware.

“So, the question becomes, is it worth it? And the data suggests, for a lot of its games, it isn’t. PS5 games on Steam, outside of live-service shooters, simply aren’t selling in high numbers. There may be games in the future where it is worth it.”

The situation for Xbox, Dring said, is different due to its console sales collapsing.

“What’s more, the profit margins on Xbox’s first-party games are impacted by their inclusion in the Game Pass subscription service. Putting its games on PlayStation not only widens the audience considerably, it’s also an audience that will buy the games at a premium price point.”

He added: “Xbox says its ‘North Star’ is daily active players, and releasing games on PlayStation will help it grow that number. But it will come at the expense of its platform and services.

“In its memo to staff, Xbox says it ‘will build a global platform that connects players and creators everywhere.’ And the best way to get players to use that global platform is by putting games on it that they can’t get anywhere else.”