A turnaround is brewing in the gaming industry: PlayStation and Xbox will return to exclusives, analysts believe

In recent years, the number of console exclusives has significantly decreased. While Nintendo continued to adhere to the traditional model and release games only on its devices, Sony and Microsoft began actively porting key PlayStation and Xbox projects to PCs and other platforms. This created the impression that the era of exclusives was coming to an end.

However, fresh data shows that interest in exclusive games remains a key factor for the audience. According to analyst Chris Dring, citing a Circana survey for the first quarter of 2026, 41% of American gamers named exclusives as the main reason for choosing a console. Despite an 8% decrease compared to last year, this is still the most significant factor. The social aspect took second place – 38% of users buy a console based on friends and family.

Against this background, it becomes clearer why Sony and Microsoft, according to recent reports, are considering adjusting their multiplatform strategy. Exclusives continue to directly influence device sales, making them an important competitive tool.