James Ratcliff joined Game Rant in 2022 as a Gaming News Writer. In 2023, James was offered a chance to become an occasional feature writer for different games and then a Senior Author in 2025. He is a third-generation Texan who has written professionally for over a decade at local newspapers, addressing various topics for his readers. Since 2024, James has shifted his complete focus to covering gaming news.
Xbox chief content officer Matt Booty has stated that first-party releases from Microsoft will be console exclusives on an individual basis. Booty’s statement came following confirmation that two major Xbox releases arriving later in 2026 and 2027 would not be ported to other consoles, such as the PS5.
Major New Xbox Game Pass Game Confirmed for August 27
The Xbox Games Showcase for 2026 revealed the release date of a major sequel to an award-winning franchise, which will hit Game Pass on August 27.
Xbox Console Exclusives Will be Clearly Stated From the Start
Although Gears of War: E-Day will be an Xbox console-exclusive title once it arrives on October 6, that will not necessarily apply to some of Microsoft’s upcoming releases. Matt Booty stated in an interview with GamerTag Radio that Xbox console exclusivity for its first-party titles will be decided on a ‘case-by-case’ basis. Booty confirmed that this strategy will be in place for both Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution. However, Booty stated that Xbox’s exclusivity strategy will not affect games with multiplayer and live-service functionality, as those will continue to be released and supported on various platforms. Additionally, once release date information on a game is given, Booty said that they will continue to list all the platforms that the Xbox game in question will be on right from the start.
