Microsoft's multiplatform strategy is clearly paying dividends, as evidenced by its successful launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC. Sony's PlayStation blog post for April 2025 highlighted the top-selling games on the PlayStation Store, with Microsoft titles dominating the charts in both the U.S./Canada and Europe.
In the U.S. and Canada, Microsoft games secured the top three spots on the PS5's non-free-to-play download chart: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, Minecraft, and Forza Horizon 5. Europe saw a similar trend, with Forza Horizon 5 leading, followed by The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered and Minecraft.
Microsoft-backed Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which launched day one on Game Pass and featured in Xbox showcases, also performed well on both charts. Additionally, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 from Microsoft-owned Activision and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle from Microsoft-owned Bethesda made strong showings.
These results underscore a simple truth: quality games, regardless of their publisher, will top sales charts. It's no surprise to see these titles thriving on PlayStation, as the PS5 has been eagerly awaiting a game like Forza Horizon 5. The remastered The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion satisfies the demand for Bethesda's signature gameplay across platforms, while Minecraft's popularity has been further boosted by its record-breaking movie.
This trend reflects Microsoft's new normal, exemplified by the recent announcement of Gears of War: Reloaded for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, set to release in August. It seems increasingly likely that even Halo, once an Xbox exclusive, will follow suit.
Microsoft's gaming chief, Phil Spencer, has stated that there are no "red lines" in their first-party lineup when considering multiplatform releases, including Halo. In an interview with Bloomberg, Spencer emphasized that every Xbox game is a candidate for multiplatform distribution. This strategy is driven in part by the need to generate more revenue for Microsoft's gaming division, especially after the $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
"We run a business," Spencer remarked in August. "It's definitely true inside of Microsoft the bar is high for us in terms of the delivery we have to give back to the company. Because we get a level of support from the company that's just amazing and what we're able to go do. So I look at this, how can we make our games as strong as possible? Our platform continues to grow, on console, on PC, and on cloud. It's just going to be a strategy that works for us."
Former Xbox executive Peter Moore told IGN that discussions about bringing Halo to PlayStation have likely been ongoing at Microsoft. He highlighted the potential financial benefits, suggesting that if Halo could generate significantly more revenue on other platforms, Microsoft would seriously consider it. Moore acknowledged the iconic status of Halo within the Xbox ecosystem but emphasized the need to leverage such intellectual property for broader business gains.
However, Microsoft's multiplatform approach risks alienating hardcore Xbox fans, who are already frustrated by what they perceive as a devaluation of the Xbox brand, a lack of exclusives, and Microsoft's marketing strategies. While a move like bringing Halo to PlayStation might provoke backlash, Moore believes Microsoft will prioritize what's best for its business and the future of gaming.
"The question would be, ultimately, is that reaction enough not to make a fundamental business decision for the future of not only Microsoft's business, but gaming in itself?" Moore said. "Those hardcore are getting smaller in size and older in age. You've got to cater to the generations that are coming through, because they're going to drive the business over the next 10, 20 years."
