Xbox Rise of the Tomb Raider exclusive won't last forever, may hit PS4 after all

Xbox Tomb Raider exclusive has 'a duration' and may hit PS4 after all
Longing for Lara: PS4 owners will have to wait for Croft's new adventure

When Microsoft announced its Xbox One and Xbox 360 consoles had won exclusive rights to the next Tomb Raider game, it was heralded as a lift that may help the firm reel in the PS4's next-gen lead.

However, it appears Microsoft's dibs on Rise of the Tomb Raider, expected during the 2015 holiday season, won't be permanent.

Speaking to Eurogamer, Xbox chief Phil Spencer confirmed Microsoft's exclusive was for 'a duration' rather than for entire life-cycle of Square Enix's next Lara Croft adventure.

The admission, which was expected to a certain degree, opens the door for Rise of the Tomb Raider to come to the Sony PS3, PS4 and Windows once the as-yet-undetermined period of exclusivity has ended.

No fake outs

Spencer said: "Yes, the deal has a duration. I didn't buy it. I don't own the franchise.

He had earlier laid it out thus: "I have Tomb Raider shipping next holiday exclusively on Xbox. It is Xbox 360 and Xbox One. I'm not trying to fake anybody out in terms of where this thing is. What they do with the franchise in the long run is not mine. I don't control it. So all I can talk about is the deal I have. I don't know where else Tomb Raider goes."

Spencer refused to confirm how long the exclusivity will last, but for those fans accusing Tomb Raider publisher Square Enix and developer Crystal Dynamics of selling out to Microsoft, you can now rest easy.

It seems the next installment of Tomb Raider will reach your gaming system ... eventually.

Via Forbes

Chris Smith

A technology journalist, writer and videographer of many magazines and websites including T3, Gadget Magazine and TechRadar.com. He specializes in applications for smartphones, tablets and handheld devices, with bylines also at The Guardian, WIRED, Trusted Reviews and Wareable. Chris is also the podcast host for The Liverpool Way. As well as tech and football, Chris is a pop-punk fan and enjoys the art of wrasslin'.

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