Ten years ago, no one would have used a whip. Five years ago, few would have done that. But it's 2026, and for some time now we've been inundated with messages from both Xbox and, to a lesser extent, Sony: “The era of console exclusivity is over; embrace the new world.” This usually means that the games are coming to PC as well. Nintendo is doing its own thing, of course – but the messages from its competitors have been loud and clear.
Things are changing behind the scenes. Sony seems much less keen on continuing to release all of its games for PC. Xbox offers a return to its classic style. One thing that has endured this era of potential openness? Reason for buying a console. In fact, exclusivity remains the main reason people grab specific consoles. If I can't get Mario on the PlayStation then I'm sure I'll buy a Switch 2. But it goes beyond the Big N and into Sony and Xbox territory as well.
Circana's Words Ring True
First, let me preface by pointing out that this is purely US data. But I highly doubt that there will be a significant shift, at least in other major markets, when it comes to things like why one buys a particular console over others, or over playing games primarily on PC.
According to industry analyst Christopher Dring, whose work for Circan (formerly NPD) involves massive monthly deep dives into raw statistical data, 41 percent of Q1 2026 survey respondents cited exclusivity as the primary reason they bought a particular piece of hardware. Interestingly, this is an 8-point drop from Q1 2025, indicating a possible trend shift, albeit smaller. Or it could be statistical noise.
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Either way, the second biggest reason is that “friends and family use the same console,” says Dring. As someone who focuses almost exclusively on single-player RPGs and adventure games, this doesn't really have any effect on me, except in the case of Nintendo (since I'm pretty into Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros., and the like, but usually with friends coming over to my house on a hectic Saturday night). It's probably exclusive to me, isn't it? Not just for Nintendo, but for knowing that my PlayStation 5 Pro is positioned to handle the upcoming finale of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy with relative confidence.
One can easily be forgiven for treating the news with such a forceful “duh”. The water is wet, I know. But consider this in the larger context of the industry; Microsoft has spent years pushing Xbox away from an exclusivity mindset. Sony has poured millions into launching successful titles on Steam. There are a lot of mixed results, and the bottom line is that people are still very likely considering the PlayStation 6 and Project Helix primarily for what can't play elsewhere. (Although yes, the Helix is ready to play PC games too.)
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