Newly-appointed Xbox CEO Asha Sharma is returning the console giant to traditional exclusives as part of a wider initiative to "reset for a stronger Xbox and build the #1 gaming and entertainment company", but not every game will follow that model. Halo: Campaign Evolved, for example, will still launch on PS5 later this year, but its sudden pull from last week's State of Play may have strained the company's relationship with PlayStation.
That's according to a new report from Bloomberg, which corroborated rumors that a Halo trailer was intended to be shown at the PlayStation showcase before being pulled by Sharma and her team. Jason Schreier claims that this move was "potentially damaging" to the relationship between both companies, according to his sources.
The Game Business' Christopher Dring likewise claimed that Xbox pulling the Halo trailer upset PlayStation.
These changes appear to have been made rather suddenly, as Gears of War: E-Day's exclusivity reportedly came as a surprise to Xbox employees, as evidenced by the PS5 logo that was accidentally kept in the official Xbox Podcast. Bloomberg reports that retailers were even preparing to open pre-orders prior to the announcement.
It's unclear what criteria Sharma...
