Xbox's Phil Spencer Explains the PlayStation 5 Port of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

At Gamescom 2024, Bethesda surprised attendees by announcing that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, initially slated as an Xbox and PC exclusive, will also launch on PlayStation 5 in Spring 2025. Xbox head Phil Spencer subsequently clarified this strategic decision.

Spencer emphasized that Xbox operates as a business, accountable to Microsoft. The company's internal performance standards are high, reflecting the significant support they receive. He highlighted Xbox's commitment to learning and adapting, citing the multiplatform releases of four games last spring (two on Switch, four on PlayStation) as a learning experience that informed this latest move.

Despite the multiplatform release of a major title, Spencer asserted that the Xbox platform remains exceptionally strong, with player numbers at an all-time high and franchises continuing to thrive. He underscored the importance of adaptability in a rapidly evolving gaming landscape, noting the increasing pressure on industry growth and the need for innovative distribution strategies. Ultimately, Spencer stressed that the focus remains on delivering high-quality games accessible to a wider audience.

The decision to bring Indiana Jones and the Great Circle to PlayStation isn't entirely unexpected. Rumors of multiplatform releases for first-party Xbox titles had circulated, and the game's potential PlayStation release was speculated even before the official announcement. This follows the June announcement of Doom: The Dark Ages for multiple platforms. This marks a significant shift from Spencer's previous statements that major titles like Indiana Jones and Starfield would remain Xbox exclusives.

Further context emerges from Microsoft's 2020 acquisition of ZeniMax Media (Bethesda's parent company). Testimony during last year's FTC trial revealed an initial agreement between Disney and ZeniMax for a multiplatform Indiana Jones game. This agreement was renegotiated post-acquisition to secure Xbox and PC exclusivity. However, internal emails from 2021 reveal discussions within Xbox leadership regarding the potential limitations of exclusivity, suggesting that the current multiplatform strategy reflects a reevaluation of that earlier decision.