"Xbox Games Outsell PS5 Titles: Oblivion, Minecraft, Forza Lead"

Microsoft's multiplatform strategy is clearly proving successful, as evidenced by their strong performance on PlayStation 5, in addition to Xbox Series X and S, and PC. Sony's own PlayStation blog post for April 2025 confirms this trend, highlighting the top-selling PlayStation Store games in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

In the U.S. and Canada, Microsoft titles dominated the PS5's non-free-to-play download chart, with The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, Minecraft, and Forza Horizon 5 securing the top three spots. Europe mirrored this success, with Forza Horizon 5 leading, followed by The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered and Minecraft.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a game backed by Microsoft for a day-one Game Pass release and featured in Xbox showcase broadcasts, also ranked highly 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 significant appearances.

This data suggests that quality games, regardless of their origin, are topping the sales charts, which is no surprise. PlayStation 5 users eagerly awaited titles like Forza Horizon 5 from Playground Games, which filled a void for a high-quality racing experience on the console. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered caters to fans of Bethesda's RPGs across platforms, while Minecraft continues to soar in popularity, boosted by the recent viral success of its movie.

Microsoft's shift towards multiplatform releases is becoming the new norm, as seen with the announcement of Gears of War: Reloaded for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation in August. It seems increasingly likely that even Halo, once an Xbox exclusive, might follow suit.

Last year, Microsoft's gaming chief Phil Spencer confirmed that there were no "red lines" in their first-party lineup regarding multiplatform releases, including Halo. In a conversation with Bloomberg, Spencer emphasized that every Xbox game is considered for multiplatform distribution. He stated, "I do not see sort of red lines in our portfolio that say 'thou must not,'" highlighting a strategic shift to maximize reach and revenue.

Spencer has also noted that the multiplatform strategy is partly driven by the need to boost Microsoft's gaming business, especially after the massive $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. In an August statement, Spencer remarked, "We run a business. 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... 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."

Xbox Games Series Tier List

Xbox Games Series Tier List

Former Xbox executive Peter Moore, speaking to IGN last year, suggested that bringing Halo to PlayStation had likely been discussed at Microsoft for some time. Moore explained, "Look, if Microsoft says, wait, we're doing $250 million on our own platforms, but if we then took Halo as, let's call it a third-party, we could do a billion... You got to think long and hard about that, right?" He emphasized the broader significance of Halo as intellectual property beyond just a game, and how Microsoft would consider leveraging it across various platforms.

Moore acknowledged potential backlash from hardcore Xbox fans, who might feel that the brand's value is diminishing due to fewer exclusives and Microsoft's marketing strategies. However, he questioned whether this reaction would be enough to sway Microsoft from making a fundamental business decision beneficial for its future and the gaming industry. "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 pondered, noting the importance of catering to new generations driving the business forward over the next decade and beyond.