"This is your Dreamcast moment": Former PlayStation boss thinks Xbox needs to "pick a lane" with exclusive games to fix itself

Former PlayStation boss Shawn Layden has some advice for Microsoft's Xbox division, suggesting the company needs to pick a lane when it comes to exclusive games. Xbox has fluctuated between releasing its first-party titles exclusively on PC and Xbox consoles, and becoming a third-party publisher, with games like Starfield and Halo: Campaign Evolved eventually appearing on PlayStation consoles.

In a recent podcast interview, Layden stated that most of Xbox's current issues stem from the company's inability to commit to exclusives. He noted that if Xbox wants to be a platform, it needs exclusives, but if it wants to be the biggest publisher, it must be on all platforms. Layden also acknowledged that current Xbox CEO Asha Sharma seems to be trying to "right the ship," having restructured the company and signed exclusive titles like Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution.

However, Layden concluded with a reference to Sega's Dreamcast, stating that the time has come for Microsoft to "pick a lane."