Is Xbox winning the console war with developers?
For as long as Xbox and PlayStation continue to compete as rivals, so too will the console wars rage on. Fans on either side will celebrate their favorite hardwares successes and highlight even the slightest misstep by the competition. Gaming is more than its often tribalistic fans, though, and while players might still have a lot to debate, it sounds like Xbox is steaming ahead in the eyes of some developers. The latest creatives to join the Xbox camp are Avalanche Studios, the developer behind the beloved Just Cause series. At this years Xbox and Bethesda showcase, which took place at E3 2021 in June, one of the most surprising reveals was that of the exclusive title Contraband  and like most games at the showcase, it will also launch on Xbox Game Pass on day one. Speaking with GamesIndustry.biz , Avalanches CEO Pim Holfve explained the draw of working with Xbox isnt just about cash, but entertainment. We're entertaining vast numbers of people, Holfve said, and Avalanche, it seems, already knows how powerful Xbox Game Pass can be. Four years ago, the company released theHunter: Call of the Wild, and to this day it still has around one million active users, a big chunk of which comes from Game Pass. Xbox Game Pass was fantastic because we were able to reach so many more players. It's a good way for people to try [the game].  Cash still will play a part, though  not just in revenue from the Games Pass service, but DLC payments too. PS5 vs Xbox Series X  One developer isnt enough to win a war  No matter how much Avalanche wants to celebrate its new partner, one studio isnt enough to put Xboxs army ahead of PlayStation. Avalanche isnt alone in preferring how Microsoft leads its charge with Xbox Game Pass at the front, and if some reports are to be believed, smaller developers may find it easier to join Xboxs ranks too. As reported by PushSquare , multiple independent creators have been dissatisfied by Sonys approach to running its PlayStation Store. In general, Sonys marketplace seems to favor AAA mega hits, an approach that can apparently lead to delays in getting sales figures and can make discounting your games near impossible if you arent a household name. But thats all once youre actually listed on the PlayStation Store, a task that itself can require you to jump through multiple hoops with complicated approval processes. As one anonymous developer explains, In time, you begin to understand where everything is, but thats probably just from repetition  or in our case, internal documentation that we notate for ourselves to act as a reference for other members of our team. The difficult thing that comes up is just having to jump between all the different portals to achieve the common goal of what you might be working on.  The developer went on to explain that this same convoluted approach persists when you just want to patch your game. You go to one portal to submit the patch, you open up a program on your computer to upload the patched build for Sony to check, you then need to go to a separate portal for the next steps to continue the process, you then jump back to that original portal for additional steps, back to the previous portal to then set your approved patch live.  Indies like Chicory: A Colorful Tale are a great boost for a platform (Image credit: Greg Lobanov / Finji)  If it really is this complicated, its surprising that developers would continue to support the PlayStation platform. Especially when, for comparison, on Xbox the same is all done in just one portal. Indie games almost certainly dont sell as well as AAA games, but they shouldnt be ignored. ), and they also do well to fill in the gaps between larger releases. If Microsoft builds up a stronger working relationship with these developers thanks to simpler processes, Sonys infantry of smaller games could soon defect. Well, if youre a fan of independent games and play on a Sony machine, then its possible that you might have to pay more and wait longer for patches than on rival hardware because of the difficulties some developers have with the platform (such as not being able to upload patches simply or finding it difficult to be included in sales). Players of larger, blockbuster games on PlayStation could also end up feeling short-changed compared to those on Xbox, who can pay a fraction of a games cost each month to enjoy a massive library of new and old titles through Game Pass. If more developers see the benefits Avalanche has and join the Xbox service, that could mean fewer games on your PS5 too. Xbox fans have reasons to fear Microsofts dominance with developers, too. If their camp takes too great a lead, theres a chance it could lead to a monopoly that will stifle creativity and increase costs to gamers. The only thing standing in the way of that is Sony putting up a fight and driving competition. These reports of developers preferring the Xbox system, combined with recent player outrage at PlayStations approach to PS5 exclusives and the Ghost of Tsushima next-gen upgrade might not tip the balance of power immediately. But if they continue, Sony might lose ground. Hopefully the tech giant can shed any complacency that may have developed from the PS4s dominance, as its impacting the whole gaming ecosystem. If Sony keeps losing the battles, it could eventually lose the war.