By Anni Simpson on August 13, 2014 at 11:47am
Holiday exclusive is a funny way of saying multi-platform, but that’s exactly what Microsoft and Square Enix pulled on their customers yesterday.
“Rise of the Tomb Raider” was reported yesterday as an Xbox exclusive, angering many fans of the “Tomb Raider” franchise. However, the Xbox exclusivity isn’t permanent and expected to only last through the holiday season in 2015.
Phil Spencer, head of Microsoft’s Xbox division, confirmed with Eurogamer that the exclusivity deal is limited but did not elaborate on how long or what platforms can expect to see the title after the initial release:
I have Tomb Raider shipping next holiday exclusively on Xbox. It is Xbox 360 and Xbox One. I’m not trying to fake anybody out in terms of where this thing is. What they do with the franchise in the long run is not mine. I don’t control it. Phil Spencer
The news should be a relief for PC gamers angry at Square Enix’s gamble, particularly considering the “Tomb Raider” franchise got its start on the PC, not console. Fans can expect to see “Rise of the Tomb Raider” during Holiday 2015, although no date has been given for other platforms.
EuroGamer
