Xbox One Parity Clause is no more.

Phil Spencer does it again and abolishes this restrictive clause, this guy is on fire, best gaming executive on planet Earth, and the flood of games comes in 3...2...1...

You've really got to hand it to good old Phil, he's got gamers in mind as the #1 priority, this is fantastic news.

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-ones-launch-parity-clause-is-pretty-much-over/1100-6429261/

He was defending this parity clause when they first introduced it. I'm glad he now sees the error of their own doing.

He was? Or other Microsoft executives were? There's a big difference there and I don't remember him personally ever defending this.

All I read is that there's no change in policy, since the parity clause policy never officially existed. So he didn't really do anything lol.

Excellent. Trully awe inspiring actually.

I think it was more a "If this game doesn't come out at the same time for us we're not going to allow it" instead of an actual clause, something internal, that's what he got rid of.

seemed like a dumb idea to begin with

It was likely a threatening stance under Mattrick that backfired, he probably thought that people would go along with it due to the loss of revenue by not being on Xbox instead of saying screw you like most did.

Well now that we have what we should have where is all the good stuff?

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-ones-parity-clause-meant-to-make-owners-feel-/1100-6422886/

LOL I couldn't help myself

Oh okay that, I think that was more PR because it was in place before him, people were complaining about it and he had to spin it some way. He can't just come out and say "this is bullshit", he has bosses like everyone else.

Good stuff? Xbox, and Microsoft never really enforced this clause. There are many indie games which made it into other platforms first, and months later made it into Xbox. Shovel Knight is an example. Microsoft aren't dumb enough to turn down good games, regardless of whether they were on other platforms or not.

Oh okay that, I think that was more PR because it was in place before him, people were complaining about it and he had to spin it some way. He can't just come out and say "this is bullshit", he has bosses like everyone else.

Makes sense, since he never really enforced the rule.

As in the parity clause does nothing and it shouldn't have existed in any form to begin with.

It's the reason Killing Floor 2 is not on Xbox One, Tripwire actually came out and flat out said it, it had to of done something.

I was wrong about change then. Although I see this just back to where things should be not some nice bonus.

Indi games count again, hurray!

Well, that's good news. Likely, they were going to find themselves less and less able to actually leverage it.

I'll give credit when credit's due, even though Yoshida is the greatest face in gaming (remember, he brought TLG to fruition because he listens to demand, and it will be the greatest exclusive this gen), but what can make Phil better at what he does is if he actually secures exclusives for the Xbox One and halt this PC/PS4 bound release routine. Still, for such a relatively short time in taking the driver's seat, he's done a good job.

Cool I guess but it was a lose policy to begin with, and the article mentions examples such as Outlast that came to XOne after the PS4. I honestly don't see anything wrong with this policy in theory, and I'm pretty sure I read that they always review games on a case by case basis anyways. It's just a form of quality control, and it seems they were always open for solid games like Outlast.

Hey I love indie games and just this weekend I spent several hours with the Binding of Isaac....fantastic game. But I never felt there was a lack of indie games last year, and I still have several games that I got on sales that I have not even had the opportunity to try even once. So now that the floodgates are open so to speak, does that mean we will see more Instances of garbage indie games being released? We'll see how it changes things, but all in all if it means more games then that is a good thing.....maybe this means the XOne will get Gauntlet soon :)

How many more 180's are left?

They took care of the controller, the Kinect, their policies and clauses, put in backward compatibility, their SDK is making games perform much better and at higher resolutions, Windows 10 comes out very soon so the UI is getting overhauled plus there is DirectX 12 and there is a bevy of new games coming out over the next 5 months.

I can't really think of anything else they need to actually do, they've pretty much nailed everything.

This...

When asked directly if the rule is dead, Spencer said, "I think so. There's this idea that's been named 'parity clause,' but there is no clause... If there's a developer who's building a game and they just can't get the game done for both platforms--cool. We'll take a staggered release. We've done it before, and we'll work with them on that."

I mean, am I reading this wrong?

Back in March, Spencer told GameSpot that Microsoft was loosening its restrictions and would work with developers who had made timed-exclusivity deals with other platforms. He said then that Microsoft would help tweak the games to make them special for their launch on Xbox. In this new interview, Spencer reiterated this option and emphasized that Microsoft does not hold these deals against developers.

"If another platform does a deal with you as a developer to build an exclusive version of your game for them, and you can't ship on my platform for a year, when the game comes out in a year let's just work together to make it special in some way," he explained.

So yeah, he's saying the policy never existed, and reiterates that. He didn't do anything!

Something existed that inhibited developers from releasing games, I don't know what it was officially called or the capacity in which it existed, but it did exist. Things like this and something being called a "parity clause" don't just spring into existence for no reason, also Microsoft acknowledged its existence, there was something there and whatever that was has now been phased out.

Parity has always been bullshit.

Ok, but that's not what's being said in this article. Phil has denied the existence of said clause twice. How do you phase out a policy that doesn't exist? And then how do you praise a guy for doing nothing?

It's never been denied, he actually acknowledges it here, it's well known as something which existed for a fact, I think they just have their own internal name for whatever it is and they don't like referring to it as the "parity clause" because that has a negative connotation associated with it.

Did they really have a choice?

"But I don't want somebody to come in and just think 'I'm going to go do a special game on one platform and then I'll get to Xbox whenever I get to it,' because I don't think that's right," he said. "And I think, as Xbox One customers, we want good games when they come out on both platforms. But I also get that, hey, for some guys, they just can't afford the time to get both done, so we've just entered into conversations with people as they're launching, and I feel pretty good about the plan."

"I think so. There's this idea that's been named 'parity clause,' but there is no clause... If there's a developer who's building a game and they just can't get the game done for both platforms--cool. We'll take a staggered release. We've done it before, and we'll work with them on that."

Seriously. Nothing changed.

Edit: On top of that, if you say he acknowledged that it existed, then you just proved him a liar, since he just said there is no clause. Obviously, he's not a liar, since he clarifies that it's not a set in stone policy that applies to all devs. They have a mission but are certainly flexible about it.

I know devs have said they can't make games on Xbox One before due to parity clause but that wasn't actually the case, they just assumed that was the case even though MS has backed off of their parity clause rules since 2013. For instance, Free Lives has said that they couldn't make Broforce on Xbox One over it, even though MS clearly stated nobody at Free Lives contacted MS to ask about staggering it there and that they'd be very happy to have it anyways. Free Lives apparently hasn't respond to the invitation.

I don't know the news regarding Killing Floor 2, but I suspect they're full of shit since MS has allowed for staggered releases on the Xbox One since 2013, it's 2015, I mean just look at Outlast and Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty and Shovel Knight to see that they're allowing for staggered releases. Even devs can act like ignorant fanboys.

Still, I think the biggest problem for MS is the "nobody contacted us" bit. I've seen other devs specifically say that Sony reached out to get the support of indie devs. If MS wants to shake the image of the restrictive parity clause, they're going to have to reach out to studios and ask for they're support, and not just sit around waiting for the phone to ring.

Before Spencer was made head of Xbox. Which furthers my point that he didn't do anything. He just states the same thing in a different way.

Lol well when you're getting your shit kicked in you don't have the power to make demands.

I'm confused, are they just restating the position of the parity clause that existed in 2013, or they saying it's officially dead? Because it did still exist to an extent. Publishers could still stagger releases, just on a case-by-case conditional, like say they had to maybe offer it at a reduced price (like Oddworld releasing for $20 instead of $30), or offer exclusive content (like BattleToads in Shovel Knight). Are they just restating the case because some devs still seem confused by this? Or is it offically no-conditions dead? Because I'd agree, from the link it sounds like the same thing I've heard before, just repeating it again to get the message out there I assume. And if that's the case, I stand by what I said before. Don't sit around waiting for the phone to ring, MS. Go hunt down support.

This is what Spencer says in the article put up by TC:

"When asked directly if the rule is dead, Spencer said, "I think so. There's this idea that's been named 'parity clause,' but there is no clause... If there's a developer who's building a game and they just can't get the game done for both platforms--cool. We'll take a staggered release. We've done it before, and we'll work with them on that."

Basically saying there is no "Parity Clause," just that they prefer a game to come out on both systems at once and are willing to do staggered releases. It seems to be the same thing that was being done in 2013.

@ultimateimp: probably because it being around for as long as it was had to be coming from people much higher on the food chain.

It doesn't really look like the "Parity Clause" has gone anywhere, since all the same policies are still in place. It's just Phil talking out of the side of his mouth, again.

Reading comprehension for the win, OP.

so xbox one doesnt suck as much ass as it did at launch? lol go have a party.

Great news.

The Parity Clause was a Mattrick-Era, stupid policy keeping games off of Xbone. It took way too long to remove, and Spencer himself did defend the parity clause himself a few times, but thankfully killing off this stupid rule should improve the situation with developers and M$ going forward.

Although, Spencer's wording is a bit worrisome:

When asked directly if the rule is dead, Spencer said, "I think so..." That's not a resounding yes from the Head of Xbox like I would hope, but it's something.

No, Spencer definitely did defend the parity clause:

Xbox One's Parity Clause Meant to Make Owners Feel "First Class"

Phil Spencer discusses Microsoft's policy of requiring that indie games launch on Xbox One at the same time as on other platforms.

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-ones-parity-clause-meant-to-make-owners-feel-/1100-6422886/

That said, I'm glad Spencer finally sees the error of that broken mentality he once backed and is now doing another 180 for Xbone's improvement.

Go Phil!

This is nothing but excellent news. All it ever did was keep games from Xbox owners, who can hopefully now enjoy them sooner, or at all.

There may not be a clause, but the unnecessary hoops devs have to jump through are still there. There was a long topic about his comments on GAF recently.

To be fair they had no choice but change many things related to X1 !!

However its good to see they fixed most of the issues, this should attract more gamers to buy their console !!