Microsoft on Tomb Raider's Xbox Exclusivity

Xbox boss Phil Spencer says "it really was nothing against any other platform."

In a new interview Xbox boss Phil Spencer said that Rise of the Tomb Raider exclusivity to Xbox platforms before other systems is a "win/win" situation overall.

"It really was nothing against any other platform," Spencer said. "It's just looking at our portfolio next holiday and saying, this is a great game for us, and we can go really big with it. If we look back on the franchise and this release, it can raise the elevation of what it means in gaming. I'll be happy to be part of that."

"This wasn't an attack against anybody else," he added. It was an opportunity that came up for us that fit really well."

Spencer also made it clear that for now Rise of the Tomb Raider is the only exclusive game, decisions about future exclusive installments have not been decided.

"I knew there would be some push back when we came out," he said. "Certain people won't believe this: it doesn't come from an evil space. It comes from a space where there's an opportunity that maps really well with what we need in terms of the genre, and a partner that's looking for a partnership. Other people can do the deal, but it was a deal that fit well with us. And I think it could help the franchise in the long run and help Crystal and Square and us."

"But for us and this opportunity, I think it was a good opportunity for us to partner on this game," Spencer added. "And I think it can be a win/win."

He also said that having Rise of the Tomb Raider as a timed-exclusive is a way to better compete against Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, which also launches in 2015.

"I'm a big fan of Uncharted and I wish we had an action adventure game of that ilk," Spencer said. "We've started some, and we've looked at them. But we don't have one today of that quality. This [deal with Square Enix for Rise of the Tomb Raider] is an opportunity."

PlayStation EU executive Jim Ryan spoke about Rise of the Tomb Raider being an Xbox exclusive saying, that Sony doesn't need to buy exclusives.