Nintendo Switch 2 will have more exclusives than PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

The idea of exclusive games has never gone away, but the current console generation has been playing fast and loose with this idea more than ever before. Nintendo Switch 2's upcoming lineup of exclusives compared to the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. The logic of the Monopoly game is simple. If I really want to play X game and that game is only released on Y console, I'm more likely to invest in Y console. The problem here is the advent of digital libraries with the PS4 and Xbox One generations. This has left many players locked into a specific ecosystem, but these days there are many reasons to own multiple platforms (PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, etc.).

The PS5 and Xbox Series X/S generations treated exclusive games completely differently than previous generations. Several popular PlayStation games have been released on PC in recent years. Marvel's Spider-Man and god of war ragnarokBasically, every Xbox game will be released on PC day one as well (and Xbox has gone full multi-platform by releasing previous exclusive games on PlayStation). What this means is that these games have become console exclusives (in the case of PS5 games on PC) or full-fledged multi-platform titles (in the case of some Xbox published games), there are fewer true exclusives for PS5 compared to Nintendo Switch 2, and essentially no games for Xbox Series X/S.

Changing exclusive strategies for PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo

playstation strat

Now that companies appear to be gearing up for the next generation of consoles, their future exclusive strategies also seem to be evolving. According to reports, Sony will stop releasing PlayStation games for PC for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to:

PS5 games aren't selling as well as expected on PC.
Sony earns more from PlayStation sales.
Brand identity + acceptance of PC users being asked to create a PSN account
Rumor has it that Microsoft's next Xbox will be able to play PC games (and some PlayStation games)

Rearranges covers into correct US release order.

Easy (5)Medium (7)Difficult (10)

Microsoft Gaming Solutions

Meanwhile, several fans have called on new Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma to bring back exclusive games to Xbox consoles. In some cases, this means Xbox games will no longer be released, especially on PlayStation. But with the confirmation that the next-generation Xbox console will be able to play both PC and Xbox games, it looks like Microsoft is breaking down all walls between PC and Xbox. While PlayStation is retreating from the PC world, Xbox is doubling down.

Nintendo Gonna Ninten DO

And then there's Nintendo, which has always done its own thing. The Nintendo Switch 2 is much younger than the PS5 and Xbox Series X, but it offers a more consistent stream of exclusive games than either console. Whether it's a PC or multi-platform launch, Nintendo Switch 2 already has more truly exclusive games than PS5 or Xbox Series X. There seems to be no foreseeable world in which Nintendo properties release on those platforms, Xbox and/or PlayStation and/or PC.

Perhaps most of all, the return of the idea of full-fledged, true exclusives has established Nintendo as the most consistent and strongest of the Big Three. True exclusivity has never left the Big N, and it will be interesting to see how the Nintendo Switch 2 competes with the PS5 and Xbox Series X, as well as the Project Helix consoles on PS6 and Xbox, in the long term. If we look at upcoming exclusives in the context of true exclusives rather than console exclusives (meaning there's a PC version), Nintendo Switch 2 has the strongest lineup for the future.

Nintendo Switch 2 has five confirmed exclusives.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book
splatoon raiders
Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave
Duskblood
Pokemon Wind and Waves (technically two games, but counts as one)

The Nintendo Switch 2 has already released more truly exclusive games than either the PS5 or Xbox Series Pokemon Pokopia. Nintendo's strategy seems to be to release exclusive games every two months. mario tennis craze Released in February, Pocopia in March and Yoshi and the Mysterious Book It has been confirmed for May.

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is scheduled for release in April (Switch 1 exclusive), with the theory being that there will be a Nintendo Direct in June.

All of this means that Nintendo already has a strong 2026 ahead of it, with more exclusives on the horizon. Duskblood and Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave Splatoon Raiders, scheduled for release this year, is still in development. pokemon Gen 10 is confirmed for 2027. If there's a rumor about a new 3D mario If the big holiday game thing is true, Switch 2's first year or so could be a purely generational release.

And at least Nintendo Switch 2 hardware owners know that the Big N has already built a solid library and has no intention of slowing down. 5 true exclusives It has already been confirmed for Nintendo Switch 2 after 2026.

PS5 has 4 true exclusives confirmed

The PlayStation 5 has received a strong slate of exclusives since launch, some of which eventually made their way to PC, but the release cadence has been inconsistent. There are a number of factors at play here, but one worth highlighting is Sony's gamble on live service games. At one point, Sony planned to release at least 10 live-service PlayStation games by 2026, but most of those games have reportedly been canceled or canceled outright, including the live-service Bend Studio's military shooter. god of war A game from Bluepoint Games, a now-defunct live service. twisted metal Games, live services spiderman games, and The Last of Us Online. And then there is the Ghost of Concord. This was a solid game, but it was criticized by players and was shut down shortly after release.

That said, due to the resources spent on live service games, among numerous other major issues in the industry (budget increases, sales delays, affordability crisis, etc.), true exclusives for the PS5 will have fewer adopters than expected generational adopters. Some are still scheduled for PC release. Fairgame$, Phantom Blade Zero, Marvel Token: Fighting Souls, Kenna: Cosmora's Scar, Horizon Hunter Gatheringand Silent Hill: Townfall It's a PS5 console exclusive and is also available on PC. When it comes to true exclusivity, there are only four confirmed titles for PS5 (with caveats*).

Marvel's Wolverine
Intergalactic: Heretic Prophet
saros
God of War Trilogy Remake

wolverene It's really fantastic, saros Looks fantastic, galaxy It looks fantastic and gives fans a sneak peek at upcoming exclusives for the PS5. Something to note about this list: god of war Trilogy remake. It's unclear whether it will bookend the PS5 generation or be an early title for PS6, as it was said to be in early development at the time of announcement. by Hideo Kojima Pisint is a PlayStation-exclusive title, but it's in the early stages of development, so it's unclear whether it will release on PS5 or PC (on or after launch date).

There are no true exclusives on Xbox Series X/S.

As mentioned earlier, Xbox's exclusive strategy appears to be breaking down the wall between PC and Xbox. Project Helix playing both is ample evidence of this, so it will be interesting to see how this plays out. That's not to say that Xbox Game Studios and everything it owns doesn't have a strong lineup of games in the pipeline. It's just that exclusivity is not the goal. Gears of War: E-Day, Clockwork Revolution, State of Decay 3, The Elder Scrolls 6And more information shows that Xbox is working on a number of potentially great games coming soon. This is especially true as a multi-platform company and no longer a company developing an exclusive lineup.

Exclusivity may be a bigger factor than ever

True exclusivity hasn't remained a topic so far, but it looks set to become a bigger factor than ever ahead of the PS6 and Project Helix generations. The latter is doubling down on its multi-platform approach and incorporating PCs into it more than ever before, and Sony appears to be returning to true exclusives. Nintendo, meanwhile, has focused on hardware, and it shows with the exclusives already available or announced for the Nintendo Switch 2.

The rivalry between the big three has always been a bit one-sided, with PlayStation and Xbox being the main competitors while Nintendo does its own thing in its own space. If anything, Nintendo's strategy appears to be to stay ahead of the current and next console generations.

brand: nintendo
original release date: June 5, 2025
Original MSRP (USD): $449.99
operating system: ownership
solve: 1080p (portable) / 4K (docked)
HDR support: yes