'Rise of the Tomb Raider' Xbox Gameplay: What is 2015 Lara Croft Exclusive to Microsoft?

Square Enix announced last year that the highly anticipated video game Rise of the Tomb Raider would be released as an Xbox exclusive through Microsoft. This doesn't mean PC and PlayStation won't get the game, because they will, but just not in 2015. Why was this decision made though? It has clearly distanced Sony gamers from the franchise, but a new interview with the studio's CEO of the Americas and Europe, Phil Rogers reveals that the company's intentions were moral! Before we get more gameplay, we'll have to understand why this happened. Read more below.

You can check out more buzzing video game news coverage from MStars News right here!

According to a new interview with The Examiner, Square Enix was aware of the dangers of teaming with Microsoft for an exclusive release.

"I hope fans know that it wasn't an easy decision," Rogers said, according to IGN. "I think any sort of partnership at this level is a decision that took a long time for us to get to. The decision at a studio level, we took very, very seriously. We knew it would, in the short-term, disappoint fans."

Apparently, Microsoft gained exclusivity with this game because the developers believed the gaming company was "passionate" about the project.

"Having been working with us on previous games in a lesser sense, they've been supportive. [However], for Rise of the Tomb Raider, they've just brought this passion and belief that has really enabled us to blow people away," Rogers continued. "People should feel that about Microsoft. Their commitment to Tomb Raider is just amazing for us."

Rise of the Tomb Raider hits shelved November 10, 2015 for Xbox One and Xbox 360, "early 2016" for PC and possible "holiday 2016" for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3.

Let us know what you think of this video game news in the comments section below!