Microsoft and Nintendo have been getting very chummy in recent years.
It was Microsoft and Nintendo that partnered up first for the Minecraft “Better Together” cross-play update. We’ve also seen both Minecraft and Banjo Kazooie characters make their way over to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on the Nintendo platform.
While fans have celebrated this newfound kinship between rival gaming companies, Xbox head honcho Phil Spencer has made it known that this does not mean Microsoft exclusive titles are going to be making their way onto the Switch.
About a year ago, Spencer said that Microsoft was slowing down when it came to releasing games on Switch. This year, he reiterated the point, noting that he has a very good working relationship with the folks over at Nintendo.
“We have a very good relationship,” Spender said, “And I think we see our work very synergistically, in terms of trying to grow the market. And it just makes it easy. Every conversation we have with them has really been easy.”
He went on to talk about how he admires Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa and Nintendo of America boss, Doug Bowser.
However, despite this, Spencer noted that continuing to release Xbox games for the Switch. “doesn’t feel sustainable.” He said that he would need a “full Xbox ecosystem somewhere,” in order to support such an initiative. He went on to mention features such as Game Pass and Xbox Live integration.
Spencer’s stance on continued Nintendo collaboration might be deflating for some fans, but it makes sense from a business standpoint. Nintendo is having a ton of success right now with the Switch. With the Xbox Series X about to drop, Microsoft is going to have to lean into first party exclusive titles like Halo and Fable in order to remain competitive going into 2021.
The Switch has been the highest selling game console in he United States for a record setting 22 months. Despite the release of the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PlayStation 5 in just a few weeks, industry experts are still anticipating that the Nintendo Switch will be he highest selling game console of the 2020 holiday season.
This makes sense, given that the Switch is far less expensive than its rivals at Sony and Microsoft, not to mention the hard to get nature of these new consoles. Preorders for both of Microsoft’s new consoles and the PS5 have been selling out everywhere.