The current generation of true console exclusives has been limited so far. Even two years in, games like Halo Infinite and God of War: Ragnarök remain tied to the previous generation of consoles, despite offering better visuals, load times, and enhancements on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S. This lack of exclusives has made it challenging for the new console generation to establish its own identity.
2023 will be a crucial year for Microsoft and Sony to address this issue. With a larger number of PS5 and Xbox Series X/S exclusives, especially from first-party studios, games like Forspoken, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Forza Motorsport, and Starfield will showcase the capabilities of the ninth-generation console games. These releases will need to prove that the games industry is continuing to evolve and hasn’t reached a plateau.
A slow start for exclusives
It’s surprising that over two years into the new console generation, high-profile games are still launching on older platforms. However, this is expected to change in 2023 as more games will be released exclusively for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, giving these consoles a distinct identity. This delayed exclusivity is in contrast to the previous generation, where games like Dead Rising 3, Forza Motorsport 5, and Ryse: Son of Rome were available early on to showcase the capabilities of the new consoles.
The importance of 2023 console exclusives
As we enter the third year of the PS5, upcoming exclusives will be crucial for the system. Games like Forspoken and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will be instrumental in demonstrating the visual and gameplay advancements of the ninth-generation consoles. These exclusives will need to push the boundaries of what is possible on the PS5, making use of its hardware and features to deliver truly next-generation experiences.
