An Open Letter to Microsoft and Square Enix

To: Microsoft
Cc: Square Enix/Crystal Dynamics

Dear Microsoft, Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics,

Considering that this is in fact an open letter, and will be ready by many others, allow me to take a moment to preface this and state for the record that I hold no single platform or console at a higher regard than any other on the market today. I am indeed a neutral party and this is a neutral party's insight.

Since I am addressing two parties here, I will be separating this writing into two pieces.

I can date back my experience with the Xbox thirteen years ago, to when the first Xbox console was released. Prior to that, I grew up on the Nintendo 64, PlayStation and PlayStation 2 and was a genuine lover of them all. Back then, video games to me were simply an escape to another realm and a mere hobby. I didn't give much thought into the gaming industry or the community or what was going on in the gaming world. I would simply shop for a video game, find whatever seemed appealing and give it a whirl. It mostly came down to James Bond, Tomb Raider and the occasional racing game. As I got older, my gaming roots grew more complex and my interest went deeper than originally.

I remember playing Splinter Cell's spies versus mercenaries mode with gamers around the world and racing my friends in Midnight Club 3 on Xbox Live. I remember how excited I was playing some of my favourite video games on Xbox and leaving my PlayStation 2 to collect dust while I indulged in a new console. I remember finding great video games and being torn between picking it up on Xbox or PlayStation 2, ultimately choosing PlayStation unless it was only available on Xbox or if it was a game with a multiplayer feature on Xbox Live.

In 2005, you released the Xbox 360 and it was then that I chose the Xbox as my primary gaming platform and to this day, I still can't figure out why, when I grew up with more experience and more playtime on the PlayStation 2. Somewhere along the line, I prioritised the Xbox 360 and picked up a PlayStation 3 mainly for exclusive games, with my Xbox 360 game collection overshadowing my PS3 collection by a ratio of 13:3. While my original reason for switching from the PlayStation to the Xbox is unknown, my reasons for remaining are the same: 90% of my family, friends and personal acquaintances play primarily on the Xbox while 5% play on both equally and the other 5% are strictly PlayStation gamers.

I absolutely love the Xbox consoles to the moon and back. I've only had one issue with a console - the infamous Red Ring of Death on the Xbox 360 - and I received the most wonderful customer service, offering to repair or replace my console at no cost even after my warranty had expired. Whenever I had a question or concern within the console, whether it be Xbox Live, the marketplace, purchasing, configuring settings, the customer service has always been fantastic for me and I have never had a single complaint. However, I'm not blinded by the fact that I've been simply lucky, as I've heard quite a few horror stories. But I thank you for everything good you've done for me.

I must say, though, please don't mistake my positivity for complacency. Over the years, I've defended the Xbox and you because of my critically wonderful experiences. I've stood up for you and praised you whenever someone said something awful. It was like nails on a chalkboard, hearing negative words about something I loved so much. But then I realised: I should have been standing up for the Xbox, not for you.

Yes, I am happy with everything I've received and everything you've done. I'm grateful to have a console that I love, that I can do virtually everything on. I'm grateful I'm able to play with my friends and meet great people from around the world as we share experiences within our favourite video games. I'm grateful for the customer service I've received. I'm grateful for the free games every month.

I'm especially grateful that you're willing to spend countless dollars to secure exclusive games and content for your customers, making us feel special that we get to experience some things before others, like Rise of the Tomb Raider.

But please, stop doing it.

Since the beginning of time, the console war was a migraine for everyone and the fires are only getting bigger and bigger. The gaming community should be a united one, not a segregated one and your actions and decisions are making it worse. Video games and the gaming industry and gaming discussion used to be a thing of enjoyment and now it simply feels like an uncivil war that was never asked for.

Microsoft, Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics, I am disappointed and ashamed at the three of you. Microsoft, while I appreciate and love you for all the good that you've done, your actions in the past few years are undermining the positive aspects about you and your driving your reputation and tenacity deeper and deeper into the ground, to the point where it will take some magic to crawl back up to the surface.

We all know that your desire to secure exclusives for the Xbox is a powerful one, but exclusives are what's driving a wedge into the gaming community and how dare you touch a franchise as innocent and internationally loved that is Tomb Raider. Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics, how dare you let it happen.

Since the beginning of time, Tomb Raider has always been a multi-platform, neutral and unbiased experience with one of the largest, most dedicated and universal fan bases within the gaming community. Your actions have now plucked a cord within that community and it's nearly irreversible.

I understand, though. With Microsoft's partnership, you're now able to make Rise of the Tomb Raider bigger and better...or so you imply. Microsoft, out of the deal, gets to keep Rise of the Tomb Raider exclusive for a period of time, but for what? Microsoft, do you really think people are going to shell out $500 just so they can play the game on your console? You're delusional. Everyone who either doesn't want or doesn't have an Xbox is going to wait until its released on the other platforms. They aren't going to break their necks and banks to play the game.

Square Enix and Crystal, I understand wanting to make Tomb Raider bigger and better and put it back on the proverbial map, but at what cost? Was it really worth upsetting, disappointing, angering and hurting your loyal, dedicated and loving fans? I'm sure we would have loved Rise of the Tomb Raider without Microsoft's partnership if you simply listened to the community about what worked and didn't work in the Tomb Raider reboot and make the game on your own.

Instead, you chose money over your community's loyalty. I know you probably didn't think your decision would have received the backlash that it did. Maybe you thought us to be more understanding. Well, you know we're an active and responsive community. You should have asked us.

The Tomb Raider franchise isn't ruined, despite what a lot of people think. You've got the time and the means to redeem yourselves to a larger part of the community in whatever way you think necessary, if at all. I'll still follow you into the fire, for my love of all things Tomb Raider will never die.

I just hope you learned a valuable lesson from all of this. If, of course, you even care at all.