Rumour: Microsoft Will Bring Critically Acclaimed Exclusive To "Competitor System" This Year

I said it in January of last year. This game would do incredibly well on switch. It was my favorite Xbox game last year, and overall, a top 5 game for me last year.

Many people seem to think Hi-Fi Rush would sell well on Switch and I'm inclined to agree.

We already know call of duty is going to PlayStation.

Switch 2 launch game

@rushiosan critically acclaimed, 3+ millions players (august 2023), and bumped Game Pass subscriptions. What do you mean by 'huge disaster'?

Whatever it is, hopefully we can also see more SNES/N64 Rare titles this year too.

It could be KI as well, since Nintendo has a history with the series.

But hey, I'd buy both HiFi and KI again for the Switch.

Fingers crossed Hi-Fi Rush comes to Switch and/or Switch 2. Perfect fit for Nintendo and its audience and we may actually get a physical version for it in the process. Been wanting to play it ever since it was revealed/released last year.

Always wish for Rare Replay, but probably isn't it

Please be Hi-Fi Rush!

Hi-Fi Rush may not be all that feasible, at least on Switch? I imagine the art style could help it translate over better than most other third-party games, but we're talking about a game that didn't even hit Xbox One. And I saw claims that its director was talking about how 60fps is really integral to the experience...so odds are the game is coming to PlayStation or the Switch's successor instead. If it's the game in question, seeing as Psychonauts 2 and Pentiment also fit the bill as really lauded Xbox Game Studios releases (the former being in the conversation for GOTY), and the directors of both games have expressed interest in Switch versions. Pentiment might even be the most likely simply because it'd port over to the current Switch best.

I really wanna see HI-FI Rush on Switch.

@PikaPhantom Microsoft technically already announced back in 2022 that Pentiment is coming to a non-Xbox console.

https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2022/06/12/xbox-and-bethesda-games-showcase-recap/

Starfield, Redfall, Forza Motorsport said "Console Exclusive", meanwhile Pentiment and As Dusk Falls said "Console Launch Exclusive". Regarding As Dusk Falls, it was announced for PS4/PS5 at the Game Awards last month for release in March 2024 so it seems very likely that Pentiment will be announced for Switch and/or PS this year.

Hi-Fi Rush is the best first party Xbox game this generation. I'd love to see it on Switch.

Hey I’m down for hi-fi rush coming to the switch.

Microsoft must be losing a ton of money on game sales of first party titles because with 25 million odd Gamepass subscribers that is also 25 million odd lost sales. Add to that the money they fork out for third party titles on the service too and it just looks like a money sinkhole. And Game Pass subscriber numbers don't appear to be increasing as Microsoft refuse to reveal numbers (if they were increasing they would be bragging about it).

I just don't see how it is sustainable in the longterm. Won't surprise me at all if they do just become a third party publisher down the line which would be a shame as competition is good for the consumer.

I would laugh if it was starfield

Just imagine if the "acclaimed game" turns out to be Starfield instead 🙃😂😂😂😂

Oh my goodness yes please! I would love it if this game was on the switch.

@PikaPhantom oof. God I hope it's HFR and not Pentiment.

I'd buy HFR twice if they put it on a cart.

I have issues.
Also, you people saying "Rare Replay?" Stop playing with my heart.

unless this is microsoft pulling a microsoft and they deny everything they said tomorrow morning, i really think and hope its gonna be hi-fi! I mean it would make sense as a "coming out NOW" announcement during the February direct

Halo 1 on the switch!

@LikelySatan I'd also be happy to see Psychonauts 2, but I'd give the nod to Hi-Fi Rush just because I won't feel compelled to dig an earlier game in the series out of my backlog to play it

@PikaPhantom Yeah. I'm sure a lot of people would be happy about Pentiment, and that it's a great game. I just have zero interest and would rather bop baddies to musics.

@babel116 You kid but I'd buy it in a second.

I won't be supporting a game that's to drum up more users for Xbox when the sequel is exclusive to them.

If it's Hi Fi Rush coming to the Switch I do have to wonder what Microsoft are asking for in return or are they just that desperate to make the game profitable.

@SBandy1 Yeah I'd wager Microsoft are bleeding money from their first party titles. The only ones benefiting from gamepass are the third party Indie/AA devs and some AAA devs getting some revenue from dead games. I wouldn't be surprised to see more and more xbox exclusives come to Nintnedo/PlayStation a couple years after release (if this rumour is true).

Rare replay for switch please.

Granted if it’s starfield going to switch somehow, take my money!

Lost Odyssey Confirmed!

As much as I want the game in question to be Hi Fi Rush, I don’t think it’ll happen because it wasn’t even powerful enough to run on an Xbox One

One guess is probably Psychonauts.

I don't parse rumours closely as a matter of policy, so let me ask:

Do we absolutely know for certain this is going to be a recent game, that actually appeared on Xbox? Or, for all we know, might they finally buy SEGAtlus and bloody localize Shin Megami Tensei 1 and 2 already?

Any chance it's Fable?

There’s a decent amount that want Hi Fi Rush, but I’m not sure it’s that one. I heard rumors that it could be either Sea of Thieves or Microsoft Flight Simulator. Not as exciting but again this is all speculation and rumors till announced.

Well I guess that means it's coming to PlayStation because as Microsoft has said many many times in court filings the Nintendo is not a competitor. 😸

would the current switch be capable of playing hifi rush or would it have issues...

Rumors and speculation like this reminds me of the last days of the Dreamcast.

If it's Hi-Fi Rush.... I hope it's not the cloud streaming version that's on Xbox One

@CANOEberry Your avatar is really familiar. Where is it from, if I may ask? EDIT: Wait, I think I’ve asked you this before. My apologies. 😅

On the topic, I would be nonplussed if it was HFR.

Halo ports would be cool, including online multiplayer for that with cross play

I think the Switch could pull this off, depending on how much love the devs put into the port.
I have this on SDeck, and can get 60FPS with relatively high graphical settings. Assuming that graphical concessions and/or fidelity downgrading can be feasible, the Switch could maybe attain 60 also?
I don’t necessarily think 30 would be disastrous, but it’s definitely one of those games that would benefit from best FPS possible considering that the rhythm/beat nature of the mechanics

Microsoft presents Starfield Cloud Version for Nintendo Switch.

@nimnio

Maybe I am missing the bigger picture, good chance I am, just saying how I currently see it. Microsoft are seriously struggling to sell their consoles with sales down year on year which is pretty bad for a console only 3 years into its life. And Game Pass just does not appear to be making the headway required to be properly sustainable.

I can see them going third party down the line. Keep Game Pass on PC and mobile and release their titles on Nintendo and Sony platforms in the normal fashion (because neither would have Game Pass on their platforms).

If the highers up at Microsoft don't see a serious uptake in console sales or Game Pass subscribers especially after the Activision Blizzard acquisition it may be byebye to Phil.

But of course this is all just speculation.

@SBandy1 25 million Gamepass subscribers doesn't equal 25 million lost sales per title. Gamepass allows gamers to play titles without first purchasing, which they then subsequently may buy. It also means that players are more likely to play in genres that are outside of their normal range. Starfield launched into Gamepass but was also the best selling title in September. Are you suggesting they would have sold an additional 25 million copies?
Going third party? Microsoft is a multi trillion dollar company.
Try to ease up on the fanboy rhetoric just a little.

Would Hi-fi rush really meet this rumour criteria if it has also been released on PC already? I suppose it doesn’t count as a competitor system. I’ve just finished it on my Steam Deck and wow, would have been my GOTY for 2023 if not for TOTK. I imagine Switch would struggle to nail down the consistent frame rate needed for a rhythm game.

Rare Replay isn’t on PC so I’d love to see that.

This is why Xbox is trailing behind the other systems. I sold mine for a PS5 due to the lack of exclusive games and very happy with my decision.

Sounds like it’s Hi-Fi rush. It’s an incredible game which I still feel is underrated. However one thing Xbox needs to understand is you need a library of exclusives to bring people to your ecosystem. One game isn’t usually enough; even if it’s something great - but for every additional game more people will “buy in”. Starfield might not be enough; but Starfield and Hi-Fi Rush? Ok that gets you more sales. But what about Starfield, Hi-Fi Rush, Avowed, Hellblade, and the snowballing of more and more exclusives? Thats what would get more people buying an Xbox (or subbing to Gamepass) but taking one of those games and making it multi-plat isn’t helping. Even if it allows more people to play it and gives you a short term boost in sales.

Not really sure I understand why they do this but 🤷‍♂️.

Rare Replay? That or Hi Fi Rush would be sweet.

A Switch 2 launch game could be a good showcase of what the new hardware can do, depending on what it is.

Aka this game hasn't sold well enough on our platform let's get some more money! Microsoft probably.

Seems Microsoft aren't strictly opposed to the idea of being a limited third party. I mean, they are wanting Gamepass on Nintendo and Sony systems (granted that is a nightmare achieving!) they may as well release them for sale too (much easier.) Profit comes from successful software (so much of the internet forgets this.) Nintendo know this. Microsoft have explicitly stated it. And I see no reason why this would disrupt them pushing Gamepass as an alternative way to pay for games. It's more about Gamepass than XBox consoles.

Hopefully it's HiFi Rush, that game was quite good. Probably best Xbox game of last year, and I think it's very fitting to most Switch audience (actually a fun game/play and style over groundbreaking graphics).
But it's probably gonna end up being a re-release of an emulated classic from early '00 or something like that

@rushiosan source: Jeff Grub. OK.

Maybe Oblivion or the remake of Oblivion?

I would certainly hope it's Hi-Fi Rush. Ever since I saw clips of it on YouTube last year, I was interested in trying it out. I do have an Xbox Series X, but I just never got around to buying the game, much less playing it. Most of my game time has been spent playing either Genshin Impact or Tears of the Kingdom (with the occasional jaunt into Splatoon 3 for their Splatfests, which I try to take more seriously this time around, compared to the first two games).

But if it came out for the Switch, I'd have more incentive to play it, since I could take it with me on the go. Plus, the game's quirkiness would be right at home on a Nintendo platform, especially since Nintendo LOVES quirkiness.

And as a side note, I'd love to see it get adapted into a cartoon series for TV. In fact, it does kind of feel like a Disney cartoon from a decade or two ago, along the lines of Kim Possible, American Dragon: Jake Long, or even Tron: Uprising. I know Disney gets a lot of flak lately, but this could potentially be a great TV show for them if they worked out a deal with Microsoft to make one.

The only reason to buy an xbox goes to Switchi

What a timeline

@PikaPhantom It’s a fantastic looking game but I don’t think it’s anything more than the Switch should be able to handle with enough care put into it. There’s nothing crazy going on texture/lighting wise and the environments aren’t often expansive- I’m no developer but based on what we know the Switch can do it doesn’t look like this should be impossible.

Why it didn’t hit Xbox One I’m not sure but I’d be surprised if it not being powerful enough was the reason, maybe they just didn’t have enough time and manpower within Tango to scale it down to Xbox One so they just focused on S/X, whereas they have the time to port it to Switch now (or can have another dev house do it).

@GrailUK I think it’s a case of what makes sense and when. Games like Ori just make sense on Switch since there’s such an overlap in audiences, and Hi Fi Rush fits that bill too. Plus they help to advertise Xbox as a brand, like if you play those and enjoy them you might want to look into GamePass/Xbox to see if they have similar games you might enjoy.

@larryisaman Sure, that and an element of fulfilling contractual obligations existing before the big M$ bought them out. But I do agree, I can't think of a beter way of boosting an ip than putting it on the number one hardware (or the successor to it.)

@WhiteUmbrella

25 million potential lost sales. There is no fanboy rhetoric here just observations.

And Microsoft didn't become a trillian dollar company by continually throwing good money after bad. There will be a breaking point if Game Pass numbers continue to stagnate.

@Samalik

If they do Killer instinct, Pfff i will buy it double, lol.

First I'm hearing of this apparently great game that I will now have to google

Hoping this means we might see a Fallout 4 (With mod support) port and mod support added to Skyrim. If not for the Switch then for it's successor. Bethesda was the publisher of this after all.

Fable or we riot!

@electrolite77

Well let's wait and see. Their consoles sales are down year on year and there is no real evidence their Game Pass subs are growing. And after shelling out 70 billion on Activision they will need to see a serious uptick on Game Pass subscribers otherwise they will just be relying mostly on their newly acquired IP selling well on the other plaforms. To the point where they may as well just be a third party publisher.

Of course Microsoft can afford to take the hit as they are Microsoft but surely there will be a point where they view the console business as nothing but an unneccessary expense (sell them at a loss remember) especially if they make more money from selling their games on other platforms.

Don't think it is outside the realms of possibility at all that they become a third party publisher.

Edit: Also Nintendo's business is the console gaming business. For Microsoft it is only a fraction of their business so if one company is more likely to shed itself of the console business it is Microsoft as they don't rely on it.

Pentiment and Hi-Fi Rush would be very welcome additions! I certainly hope they bring them over to the Switch.

PS: Also Psychonauts 2, Fable 2 and Rare Replay, please!

@SBandy1 25 million Gamepass subscriptions doesn't equal 25 million lost sales. Comment sections are full of people saying they are going to "double dip" when a physical release has been announced, when they have already purchased the digital version. It's illogical to suggest, in light of this, that having an active subscription that allows access to a game (but costs less per title) is likely to discourage players from buying the game.
To be clear, I'm not interested in buying a Series console and mainly play on PS5 and my retro collection, so I'm not invested in the Xbox platform, but the narrative you are pushing just makes you seem like a fanboy.
Microsoft makes the biggest investment gaming has ever seen (69 billion dollars), and you think the logical conclusion is that Microsoft is about to give up? I have a bridge I'd like to sell you.

Hi-Fi Rush or Psychonauts 2 are the games that fit the description.

My guess is it'll be Hi-Fi Rush as a Switch 2 launch title.

@rushiosan @fbnaulin

It's also important to note that, while impossible to have exact numbers, based on the development budget being extremely tight (a lot of work was done in slack time before they shopped the project around for a publisher) and the literally zero marketing budget (it was announced the same day it released), this is likely one of the more profitable games of 2023.

Even better, it's a rare example of it being a great deal for both the publisher and the developer. Tango has said they got WAY MORE then they expected as part of the Game Pass deal, while Bethesda paid much less then they would have for a internally developed game and saw sales way above projections.

Everyone who worked on it seems to have had a blast as well, with no crunch (helps when your game has no release date) and no publisher oversite/overreach. It's one of the best success stories of the year ... heck, maybe the decade.

I didn’t gel with Hi-Fi Rush on Xbox. I just found the main character really annoying, which is odd as I enjoyed games like Sunset Overdrive and No More Heroes that have a similar punk/rock vibe.

It was really nice to see such a bright and colourful art style though, and fighting to the beat was a cool mechanic. Definitely worth taking a look at if you’ve not already. I might have to give it another go soon.

@WhiteUmbrella @SBandy1

For circumstantial evidence with have Starfield being one of the top selling games of 2023 on Steam while also being the most played Game Pass game of all time, and for empirical evidence we have 3 different developers who testified under oath at the FTC trials that their games published on Game Pass saw no meaningful cannibalization and MS's (legally binding) investor report showing the same thing for the games they publish.

Game Pass simple doesn't have a huge impact on unit sales ... and honestly, why would it? It's actually a pretty silly assumption when you think about it for a second. Game Pass isn't being marketing to people who buy games, it's marketed to people who DON'T buy games.

It should be obvious to anyone who has ever read a video game forum or comment section that people who want to buy a copy of the game they "own" and people willing to sign up for a monthly service for access to a pool of games are both strongly represented and have very little overlap. Very few people sit in the middle of that argument, willing to go either way based on value or circumstance.

The "MUST OWN" crowd isn't going to give up that stance and sign up to Game Pass, so Game Pass has no impact on them buying games. At the same time, most of the people who sign up for Game Pass stopped buying games years ago. For them, Game Pass is just replacing (or augmenting) services like Humble Bundle ... so there is no lost sale there either.

hi fi rush on switch would make sense, it’s already kinda got that nintendo energy

Some Rare title for NSO Expansion Pass, I guess...

@Ogbert Travis Touchdown is not annoying.

@WhiteUmbrella

I am not pushing a narrative I am simply offering my views.

Let's just wait and see what happens.

Oh and I do own a Series console and am currently subscribed to Game Pass but I will likely not renew when the sub ends.

@HeadPirate I'd love to see a poll of how many people on Xbox played Hi-Fi Rush on Gamepass and how many of that number actually ended up buying it.

Something tells me it would be a very low percentage of people that actually bought it.

@HeadPirate MS itself stated that game sales decrease when included on Gamepass. Some devs also said that. That's some actual info about people that owns the business and have the numbers.
You're bringing up people in forums that would double dip a game for a physical edition as some kind of salvation for total sales numbers? There is absolutely no statistic about that, and on my point of view, hardcore gamers that double dip are minority market wise (maybe majority in forums about games).
You're accusing the other guy of being a fan boy, but you kinda sound like one now cause this is all a little unreasonable

Oh God, please be the Halo Trilogy. That's all I've ever wanted on the Switch.

All I want from Xbox is psychonauts on switch, they can keep everything else.

@Bizzyb

That's not a lost sales.

A lost sale is when someone has the intention of buying a game, and then chooses not to because it's available on Game Pass. It's not when someone plays the game because it's free, even though they had no intention to buy it.

You are making the exact same argument EA makes when they say every pirated copy of a game means they lost a sale, or even arguing that every time someone plays a song on Spotify that's a lost album sales.

It doesn't work like that. The overwhelming majority of people who use game subscription services use because they think it's a better deal then buying games, the same way people use Spotify because it's a better deal then buying induvial songs. They are not people who would otherwise spend a ton of money collecting a large number of individual items.

In the same way the pirate was never going to buy the game in the first place, the Game Pass subscriber was never going to pay for the individual game.

In fact most people would argue that one of the largest benefits of a curated game service like Game Pass or Humble Bundle is that it exposes them to games they would not normally buy. A report from the NDP group actually points out that this leads to greater exposer for Game Pass titles that often results in higher then expected visibility and (if the game is well received) higher sales.

@Samalik Killer Instinct on the Switch will be the series coming back home. I can imagine the N64 and SNES titles coming to the Online service as well to coincide with the release.

@Gaymer90

I accused who of what now?

Mat Piscatella's independent report from the NPD Group is public. You should read it. It found that in most cases the amplified customer visibility from Game Pass more then makes up for any direct lost sales. The report basically says that if a game is received well, Game Pass boosts sales in almost all case. For poorly received games, the effect is negative, and generally more profound. So there are cases were a game sells worse (sometimes MUCH worse) because it was on Game Pass, but they are edge cases where the game is received poorly and the increase exposer ends up being a big negative.

I mean, I'm just repeating what a report with millions in funding by an independent group said. If you don't like it because it doesn't agree with your world view, maybe e-mail Mat Piscatella and let him know what he got wrong? When he releases a redaction based on your new info, I will happily read it.

Rockfish and No More Robots have also both make public statements that EverSpace 2 and Slayer X sold well better then expected not in spite of being on Game Pass, but BECAUSE of it. They both give detailed breakdowns of how they were able to increase the scope of the project and pay for more marketing because of Game Pass, increasing sales. You should read them too. It's another thing to consider; if MS gives you 5 million to put your game on Game Pass and you spend that on marketing obviously you are going to see a sales boost, while if the CEO instead pockets it or passes it on as "profit" to investors, the positive impact might not be as profound. It's not as simple as "Game Pass Bad/Good"

As for MS, they told the FTC that Game Pass has little to no impact on sales, while what they told the CMA was more inline with the NDP Group's report; same games see increased sales, some see reduced sales. MS's 2020, 2021, and 2023 investor reports (which highlight games that had higher then projected sales after releasing on Game Pass) paint a pretty clear picture that while it's impossible to know what would have happened in a game wasn't on Game Pass, there is no indication that it having a notable negative impact on sales is the expected outcome.

You should read them too.

We all know this will be Starfield on PS5.

@Ogbert

That's actually pretty much my take on it as well.

I loved Sunset Overdrive, and while it's clear that Hi-Fi Rush is a masterfully crafted game with tons of appeal and style, and I get the hype ... it just didn't do it for me. No idea why. Sometimes that just happens.

Do it Bethesda, if that means that finally a Disc version arrives on Series X, do what you must.

Nice, Master Chief collection next?

No one here wants the Perfect Dark remaster? That would be my #2 behind Rare Replay with Pentiment #3.

This rumour is so obscure it’s hard to take seriously

I can’t really think of any Xbox games I’d like on the switch tbh apart from old rare games. But that isn’t even going well with switch online stupid controls. Fable would be good if done right. Halo and gears of war would be ruined 🤷🏻‍♂️.

@dimi no chance

I’d really consider buying Pentiment if it got a Switch port

It'd be nice, but I just can't trust anyone from ResetEra.

If Hi-Fi Rush comes to PS or Switch (will most likely be Switch because Microsoft has put games there before and doesn't see it as competition the same) I'll buy it again. Best chance at a physical release too because Xbox just doesn't do that with their smaller games

I think it’s Halo: The Master Chief Collection

If true, consider it in my collection! haha

@fbnaulin 50% of people didn't pass the first level

@huupawel so what. Have you seen achievements/ trophies ratios for every popular game? 50% is actually decent. No news.

I'm down with Hi Fi Rush coming to Switch or even PS4/XBONE. I just hope it runs well natively.

Then why did they say competitor? LOL 😂😆

the more we hear the better it sounds for the hi fi rush port we love to see it

Wait, I think I’ve asked you this before. My apologies. 😅

On the topic, I would be nonplussed if it was HFR.

@TotalHenshin No harm done! Was it the EMMIs that you perhaps recognized, or these handsome devils? I'm assuming the Henshin you're referencing is that notorious manga, but feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

HFR would fit with the "Nintendo-like vibe" Cuphead and Ori embody, but I think an open mind/elastic expectations are a good idea here, definitely. I'm going to be non-plussed regardless, because I thought MS making these games more broadly available was a time-limited thing...

@CANOEberry Yes, it was the blue guy specifically that felt familiar. Haven’t played Dread yet.

Lol I don’t know what manga, but henshin just means transformation (in this case) and comes from Viewtiful Joe’s catchphrase.

Is the M rating an Australian thing, or would the rating change for Switch? Just from looking at the game, it doesn’t look like it would warrant an M rating.

@JakedaArbok Australian thing.

Didn't knew Mikami was involved in that game (never heard of the game before TBH)

Hi Fi Rush has been rated for Switch, PS4 and XB1 in Australia, looks like this is true. 👀

Here we go boys. We getting Nuts and Bolts on Switch finally.

@Vyacheslav333 I didn't say he was.

@Ogbert Oh... Okay...

@fbnaulin They mean “I’m a console war clown who doesn’t actually know anything about video games.”

Time has not been kind to Captain N's right arm...

I'm doubtful hi fi rush never got a Xbox one release and is solely a Xbox series release. So it makes very little sense that it would come to switch given the capabilities of the switch are realistically under the Xbox one (hard pill to swallow for some for some reason but think logically).

However the listing is rival systems this year I'm about 99% certain we will get a switch successor this year so it could be a game for that.

Alternatively I could see sea of Thieves coming to switch and PS4/5 as it's a live service game with micro transactions so ms would generate money from sales and content also it's highly scalable with extremely weak PC's running it just fine.