Good morning. Thanks for being part of a growing group of Early Access readers. For those that are new here: Early Access is a newsletter about video games. We cover the biggest news and the biggest games once per week, first to our Substack subscribers on Wednesdays, and then republished here on Fridays. Let’s get started.

🌋 Microsoft Goes Multiplatform

What to Know. Next week, Microsoft will share details about its “vision for the future of Xbox,” following reports that the company has explored releasing its first party games on rival platforms like the PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. Over the weekend, rumors began circulating about a “list” of games that were currently being considered – a list that included Bethesda’s Starfield, previously rumored Hi-Fi Rush and Sea of Thieves, and the upcoming Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

Collective Freakout. The backlash from the Xbox community was swift, with several notably influencers publicly withdrawing their support for Xbox and expressing frustration that some of Microsoft’s exclusive IPs could be made available to other platforms. “This time, listening will not be enough. This time, execution, credibility in connection to previously made statements, and moving towards fans is all that will matter. For me. For your brand. And for your community,” Klobrille wrote.

A Lot of Hyperbole. The absolute meltdown of the Xbox community has been incredibly frustrating to see, mainly because all of this “news” is based on rumors and speculation from anonymous sources. There are plenty of reasons why Microsoft might want to bring its titles to other platforms, but the company has neither announced anything or commented on the speculation.

What’s Really Going On. Returning to the Xbox Era article that started a lot of the discourse, the article cites anonymous sources who disclosed the existence of a “list of games” that Microsoft “senior leadership” had “reportedly debated” publishing on rival consoles. The existence of this list is probably the kernel of truth in all of this, and it probably includes nearly every single first party Xbox game published in recent years, and upcoming titles as well. Other outlets then reached out to their sources who had knowledge of this “list,” and those sources confirmed that [x] game was on it too. And that led to a domino effect, culminating in where we are now.

Wait and See. That Microsoft is even “debating” bringing their games to PlayStation is, in fact, a big deal. But until the news is confirmed by Microsoft or Xbox itself, there is simply no reason to believe that ANY of these rumors or claims are true. No matter how much you’d like (or not like) them to be.

Staking the Flag. Exclusivity of any kind (console or otherwise) is bad for gamers, full stop. There is no universe where Starfield being exclusive to Xbox, or The Last of Us being exclusive to PlayStation, or Tears of the Kingdom being exclusive to Nintendo, is good for gamers or the gaming community writ large. Exclusives only benefit the multinational corporations publishing them (Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo). It shouldn’t matter which plastic box you like to play games on. You should be able to play whatever you like, whenever you like, wherever you like.

More on this next week.

🏰 Overhaul at Square Enix

What to Know. Gaming giant Square Enix is undergoing a major overhaul of its game development process, a move fueled by both a recent period of sluggish sales and a changing gaming landscape.

Why Is This Happening. While Square’s iconic franchises like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest hold a special place in gamers’ hearts, the company has seen its sales growth stall, prompting a strategic rethink. Recent releases like Final Fantasy XVI, for example, sold 3 million copies but failed maintain momentum post-launch. Overall for the company, net sales for the nine months ending December 31, 2023, were up 1% year-on-year, reaching ¥257.6 billion ($1.7 billion). However, Mobile/PC Browser games saw a 9% decrease, MMOs experienced a 14% revenue decline, and overall profits dropped 42% to ¥26.8 billion ($180 million).

A Younger Future. Square Enix aims to announce a new, streamlined organizational structure by spring 2024. This initiative seeks to empower younger talent and foster a more agile development process. Embracing younger talent and fostering a more nimble development process is seen as a positive step to address this challenge.

🔥 Quick Hits

• Game Pass. The games coming to Xbox Game Pass in February have been confirmed: Anuchard (Cloud, Console, PC) is available now; Train World Sim 4 (Cloud, Console, and PC) is available now; Madden NFL 24 (Console and PC) is coming Feb 8; Resident Evil 3 (Cloud, Console, PC) is coming Feb 13; A Little To The Left (Cloud, Console, PC) is coming Feb 14; Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (Cloud, Console, PC) is coming Feb 14; PlateUp! (Cloud, Console, PC) is coming Feb 15; and Return to Grace (Cloud, Console, PC) is coming Feb 20.
• PlayStation Plus. This month’s PlayStation Plus Essential titles are Foamstars (PS5, PS4), Rollerdrome (PS5, PS4), and Steelrising (PS5). PlayStation Plus subscribers can claim these titles by March 4, 2024.
• Valiant Hearts. Valiant Hearts is set to be released for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The side-scrolling adventure/puzzle game was previously only available on mobile devices from Netflix.
• Nightingale to Release Early. Nightingale, the first project from ex-BioWare boss Aaryn Flynn’s new studio Inflexion Games, will now enter early access on February 20 via Steam and the Epic Games Store, two days earlier than originally scheduled. Nightingale is a PVE survival crafting game “set within a rich Victorian gaslamp fantasy setting.”
• The Last of Us Part 2. The game, known for its gut-wrenching narrative and intimate encounters, nearly took a drastic turn towards open-world exploration and brutal melee combat, heavily influenced by FromSoftware’s gothic masterpiece, Bloodborne. Naughty Dog co-director Anthony Newman revealed in the documentary “Grounded II: Making The Last of Us Part II” that the initial concept differed dramatically from the final product. “For the first four or five months,” Newman said, “the game was kind of an open world inspired by Bloodborne. And it was purely melee-focused, all hand-to-hand combat.”
• The Day Before. New details surrounding the disastrous launch and swift demise of Fntastic’s The Day Before paint a shocking picture of mismanagement, unrealistic expectations, and a toxic work environment. Fntastic founders Eduard and Aisen Gotovtsev are portrayed as demanding and volatile leaders, pressuring staff with unrealistic deadlines and overpromises. Sources allege frequent firings were used as “motivation,” including one tester dismissed a week before launch for a minor bug. Mistakes were met with financial penalties, with two developers reportedly fined $1,930 for “low quality” voice recordings.

👀 Game Dev Moves

I hope that every employee impacted by recent layoffs falls upward, and I’ll be highlighting some opportunities in game development here every week.

• Gearbox Entertainment is hiring a Senior SDK Programmer, Unreal Engine in Fristo, TX (Hybrid)
• Meta is hiring a Game Designer on Horizon Worlds in Seattle, WA (Not Specified)
• Mojang Studios is hiring a Senior Software Engineer – Minecraft in Redmond, WA (Hybrid)

🕹 Upcoming Games

New game releases for the week ahead – January 29 to February 4.

• Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden [PS5, XSX, PC] – February 13
• Dragon Quest Builders [PC] – February 13
• Islands of Insight [PC] – February 13
• Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior [PC] – February 13
• Ultros [PS5, PS4, PC] – February 13
• Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore [PS5, XSX, PS4, XBO, Switch, PC] – February 14
• Tomb Raider I-III Remastered [PS5, XSX, PS4, XBO, Switch, PC] – February 14
• A Little to the Left [PS5, XSX, PS4, XBO] – February 15
• PlateUp! [PS5, XSX, PS4, XBO, Switch] – February 15
• Mario Vs. Donkey Kong [Switch] – February 16
• Skull and Bones [PS5, XSX, PC] – February 16

View all of the upcoming video game release dates (including DLC) for PS5, Xbox Series X, PC, Nintendo Switch, and more, over on VSG’s release calendar.

That’s all for today. Early Access is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts via email and support VSG, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber via Substack.

Thanks for reading,

Josh