When we talk about console exclusives, we no longer mean just the games that end up on retail shelves. Downloadable games are now very prominent in a console's game lineup, sp exclusivity terms now apply to them as well.

Not all of them become multiplatform, but some big downloadable titles like Castle Crashers eventually made it to PS3 after being available only on Xbox 360 for so long. If you think about it, the reverse seems like it should hold true, too: downloadable titles previously exclusive to PSN will, with time, find their way to XBLA.

Microsoft apparently doesn't want any hand-me-downs. Speaking to Eurogamer, Microsoft Europe's vice president of Interactive Entertainment Business, Chris Lewis, revealed that they're not too eager to give eventual Xbox Live releases to downloadable games that launched first on Sony's PlayStation Network.

"We're not keen to do it," he explained. "I wouldn't say never. We wouldn't be specific about that. But I'd be surprised if we saw that as something we'd encourage. But, honestly, and this is going to sound a bit contrived, we just want what our consumers want from us."

I get that some gamers will want something that's available only on their platform of choice, but doesn't the majority also want a wider variety of games to choose from? Furthermore, Microsoft will still make money off of a game even if it didn't launch on Xbox Live first, right? Deciding not to make a game available just because it came out on the competitor's online service first just doesn't sound like wanting what your customers want.

Of course, exclusives (or the lack thereof) can make or break a console so it's no wonder that all three platform holders are very keen on getting as many as they can. There's nothing wrong about trying to convince developers to make their games available only on your online service, but being reluctant to release them if you don't get first dibs sounds a bit counter-productive. It probably works brilliantly as a scare tactic to use on developers, though.

What do you think? Sound off in the comments section or on our community forums.

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