Microsoft CEO unsurprisingly doesn't "love" PlayStation exclusive war

With Sony seemingly at an advantage with PS5 exclusives, it looks like Microsoft's CEO is more than happy to see it come to an end.

The FTC's inquest into Microsoft buying Activision Blizzard has once again run into talk of Xbox and PlayStation exclusives. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella would rather put the God of War and Halo's of the world in the bin, with the PS5 exclusives failing to impress the boss.

God of War Ragnarök PS5 exclusive

PS5 and Nintendo Switch exclusives be damned

On the case, as ever, with the FTC vs Microsoft trial was The Verge, reporting that when asked about Xbox exclusives, Nadella said: "If it was up to me I would love to get rid of the entire exclusives on consoles, but that’s not for me to define especially as a low-share player in the console market. The dominant player there [Sony] has defined market competition using exclusives, so that’s the world we live in. I have no love for that world."

As Microsoft's CEO acknowledged here, it's not really for Xbox to dictate terms on the market given they have the lowest player share of the three major gaming console manufacturers: Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft. Microsoft naturally would have no love for exclusives given it has struggled to produce a reliable slate of exclusives and new IP since the Xbox 360 era. However, it's worth noting that first-party exclusives give a brand an identifiable character and the Xbox would almost certainly be less successful without Halo's Master Chief and Gears of War's Marcus Fenix.

Nadella's statement was contrasted to PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan's comments from the day before as he refused to answer a hypothetical question on if he thought Microsoft should keep Activision games on Xbox. That being said, Ryan does believe that it isn't in Microsoft's best interest to offer Activision Blizzard games as multiplatform offerings.

In recent memory, the PS5 has given God of War Ragnarok trophies to collect alongside games like Horizon Forbidden West and Gran Turismo 7. From third parties, Sony has exclusivity deals for third-party games like Stray, Tchia, and Humanity, and you can read our Final Fantasy 16 review right now. We assume Ryan knows the value of exclusivity more than anyone given the PlayStation brand is built on them, so there is no doubt he would consider making Activision Blizzard games exclusives if the roles were reversed.

What do you think of what has been said here? Looking for a way into the latest PS5 exclusive? Well, check out our Final Fantasy XVI beginners guide! Head to the comments to chat about everything being said, and I'm sure we will see you down there!

Written by Kes Eylers-Stephenson

Editor Kes is our resident expert in PlayStation and other gaming news. He writes about PS5 exclusives like The Last of Us and Horizon, PS Plus news, and his favorite games — The Witcher, Assassin’s Creed, and God of War — before an evening swim.