What does 'Xbox exclusive' mean?

With Microsoft being the parent company behind Windows PC and Xbox. Games labeled as "Xbox Exclusive" will be available on both Xbox and Windows.

With the new release of Windows 11, an Xbox application will be built into it allowing for Xbox's Game Pass model to be accessible on PCs demonstrating the increasing synergy between the two branches of the company.

In addition, Microsoft owning gaming studios such as Bethesda (makers of Starfield) means there will be more games that will be labeled "Xbox Exclusive". However, that is more stating that it won't be available on the competition's systems, Nintendo and Sony.

This general direction taken by Microsoft can be seen by the General Manager of Microsoft Studios Aaron Greenberg who was quoted stating "I'm not sorry" in response to the news that Starfield will not available to PS5 or Switch owners.

Console exclusive

"Xbox exclusive" essentially means "not available for Sony PlayStation" and "not available for Nintendo Switch".

Nintendo and Sony are direct competitors to Microsoft's gaming consoles and ecosystem.

There are probably other platforms that are incompatible, specifically macOS PCs (i.e., sold by Apple).

Microsoft's strategy

• Some "Xbox exclusive" games are for Xbox consoles only.

• Others are for Xbox consoles as well as compatible with Windows PCs. At least 175 games are currently "Xbox Play Anywhere digital titles".

You'll start to see that more and more games will begin to fall under the second category, because Microsoft's tactics in the gaming space involve full integration to unite Windows PC gaming with that of Xbox:

• Cross-platform play enables gamers to interchangeably play the games they've purchased on both their Xbox and their Windows PC

• This encourages gamers who want to play Microsoft-exclusive games to perhaps own a portable Windows PC (as opposed to a Mac), but provides flexibility to people who only own one Microsoft-gaming-compatible device

• It simplifies transactions to one purchase per IP (game) at one digital point of sale. The IP then can be installed, streamed, or played on any compatible device that the player owns (including Android phones in the case of "Cloud gaming with Xbox Game Pass") with no additional game purchasing cost.

• Gaming is moving to the cloud under Xbox Cloud Gaming, which enables gamers to enjoy digital content on their tablets and Android phones, as long as there's a strong internet connection, in addition to being able to stream to conventional platforms such as Xbox and Windows PC. There are no additional requirements to receive Xbox Cloud Gaming other than possessing a Game Pass Ultimate subscription.

• The purchase of Bethesda entitles Microsoft to distribute series like Fallout, Dishonored, and The Elder Scrolls onto their entire ecosystem, which provides Microsoft the depth of games necessary to compete with Sony's otherwise wider moat and more expansive repertoire

• Consolidation of everything that Microsoft now owns (including ZeniMax Media titles) into this cloud-based ecosystem of digital content transforms the company into more of a services-oriented business based on monthly/yearly subscriptions rather than purely a device-specific console retailer: those with an advanced Xbox console (such as Xbox Series X/S) can benefit from the crisp high performance of the console, but gamers who own Windows PCs and tablets can also purchase games in the ecosystem and play them on the devices that they own. This increases Microsoft's market penetration and total addressable market by making their digital content accessible to a growing consumer base.