Xbox CEO Reignites Console Wars, PlayStation Watch Out

The new Xbox CEO, Asha Sharma, has reignited the console wars; PlayStation and Nintendo, you better watch out because Asha means business.

Back in the 80s, 90s and 2000s, the console wars were at their peak. On the playground, gamers would argue and perhaps even fight over which console is the best. To an extent, that kind of heated tribalism still exists, but most of that hot debate takes place on social media.

That being said, while I’ve always understood the tribalism of the console wars, I’ve often seen it as quite pointless. Sure, the likes of PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo must stay competitive to deliver the best consoles and games, but as a gamer, I just want to enjoy the best games, and I don’t really care where they’re played, to an extent.

CEO Announces Gears of War: E-Day Is an Xbox Exclusive

During the recent Xbox Showcase, it was announced that the prequel Gears of War: E-Day will be an Xbox console exclusive, and by the looks of things, this is the first step of a new strategy for Microsoft.

Gears of War: E-Day was first announced during the Xbox Showcase in June 2024, and it was set to come to PlayStation 5; it was believed that this would remain the case. Especially because a plethora of other Xbox first-party titles have been released on Sony’s console, including Gears of War: Reloaded, Forza Horizon 6, and the upcoming Halo: Campaign Evolved.

However, Asha Sharma confirmed that alongside PC, the only platform that will be getting Gears of War: E-Day will be Xbox Series X/S, and we’re led to believe that will be the standard going forward for Microsoft.

Why Console Exclusivity Is a Good Thing

I said I don’t care where I play my games, and that is 100% true, especially for third-party titles. To this day, I find it so strange to see the likes of Gears of War, Forza and soon Halo on PlayStation. It was the same when Sonic games were first released on Nintendo in 2001, on the Game Boy Advance.

When it comes to major first-party properties, they can form a console's identity. Halo and the Master Chief make you think of Xbox, Kratos and God of War bring PlayStation to mind, while Super Mario is a poster child for Nintendo. The thought of playing a God of War on Xbox or Super Mario on PlayStation is unthinkable, and that’s the way I like it.

Multi-format is all well and good to an extent, but if there are no first-party properties that are console sellers, then what’s the point of buying one specific console when you have the option of potentially playing it on a different console with a better version? If we want to play a new Super Mario or The Legend of Zelda, we know we have to buy a Nintendo Switch 2.

Gears of War: E-Day Could Be A Step In The Right Direction

When Asha Sharma announced that Gears of War: E-Day is an Xbox console exclusive, it just felt right. It felt nostalgic to how things used to be. Will it be an Xbox system seller and the saviour of the brand? Probably not, but it feels like it's a step in the right direction for consoles regaining their identity across the board. Now, I look forward to playing Halo 6 on the next-gen Xbox.

Gears of War: E-Day will be released on 6 October 2026 on PC and Xbox Series X/S. It will also launch day one on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.

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