Oh, I don't doubt that exclusive content is important, just that in my personal experience I know people who bought a PS just because it has a better presence? than its competitors, at least where I'm from (Slovenia). I had a chat with a store employee about why their PS game section is 3 times bigger than the Xbox section (Nintendo is half of Xbox, even) and he told me that it's a directive from above, despite them selling about the same total number of copies for PS and Xbox.

As for brand loyalty, I agree that the present exclusives play a major part in forming that perception, although it's not the only thing that does. I stood with Xbox for their achievement system and controller, personally.

IkePoR just recently made the claim in this news article:

http://www.vgchartz.com/article/270951/playstation-4-sales-surpass-the-3ds/?expand_comment=548860&#comment_548860

"Anyone thinking exclusives (besides maybe Bloodborne) sell the PS4 is delusional."

That 2017 has been PS4's best year so far has nothing to do with all the exclusives it got, and is all attributed to the casuals who haven't already bought a PS4 for COD/FIFA/GTA/AC years ago, but just suddenly decided to do it now more than ever before.

That's different. Obviously exclusives matter for sales of the system. But similarly obviously it would be better for gamers if all games were available for all platforms. So exclusives are important, but at the same time evil.

It must be.........

A conspiracy!

Obvious Sony fanboys those store owners. What else could explain it...

You normally hear that 'the games would sell more' and 'more money would be made'.....but flaws exist in it. 

For example, Japanese games sell badly on the Xbox. Would even putting something like, say, Fire Emblem Switch, Xenoblade 2, and Mario even be worth it on said system. 

Not sure what the main argument is these days, but I generally hear it more from non-first party titles. Even if a title is probably funded by the console holder (Bayonetta 2), people will complain.

Nintendo tends to be ignored even when it does well. Honestly a system that sells on the weight on exclusives more than anything else is interesting to bring in, because the question of why it does so is always a fun spit fire show. 

And yet, we have a thread with "look how PS4 is selling well, it's a great example for showing how important exclusives are".

I wonder how many PS4 exclusives won't be forgotten over years.

Nintendo games are forgotten easily?

That's different. Obviously exclusives matter for sales of the system. But similarly obviously it would be better for gamers if all games were available for all platforms. So exclusives are important, but at the same time evil.