Microsoft's multiplatform approach is evidently successful, as demonstrated by their strong performance on PlayStation 5, in addition to Xbox Series X and S, and PC. This insight comes directly from Sony, through a PlayStation blog post that outlined the top-selling games on the PlayStation Store for April 2025.
In the U.S. and Canada, Microsoft's games dominated the PS5 non-free-to-play download chart, with The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, Minecraft, and Forza Horizon 5 taking the top three spots. Europe echoed this trend, with Forza Horizon 5 leading, followed by The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered and then Minecraft.
Moreover, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, backed by Microsoft for a day-one Game Pass release and featured in Xbox showcases, ranked high 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 also made notable appearances in the charts.
These results affirm that quality games, regardless of their origin, dominate sales charts. It's no surprise to see Microsoft's titles excelling on PlayStation, particularly with the PS5 eagerly awaiting games like Forza Horizon 5 from Playground Games. The remastered The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion satisfies the demand for Bethesda's RPGs across platforms, while Minecraft continues its reign, boosted by the viral success of the Minecraft movie.
This multiplatform strategy is becoming the standard for Microsoft, as evidenced by their recent announcement of Gears of War: Reloaded for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation set for an August release. It seems increasingly likely that Halo, once a cornerstone Xbox exclusive, will follow suit.
Last year, Microsoft's gaming chief Phil Spencer indicated no "red lines" exist within their first-party lineup when considering multiplatform releases, including Halo. In a discussion with Bloomberg, Spencer emphasized that every Xbox game could potentially go multiplatform, stating, "I do not see sort of red lines in our portfolio that say 'thou must not.'" This move is partly driven by the need to increase revenue for Microsoft's gaming division, especially after the $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
Spencer highlighted the business aspect, noting, "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." He further explained that this strategy aims to strengthen their games and grow their platform across consoles, PCs, and cloud services.
Former Xbox executive Peter Moore told IGN that discussions about bringing Halo to PlayStation have been ongoing at Microsoft. He pointed out the potential for significant revenue growth, saying, "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?"
Moore acknowledged the iconic status of Halo to Xbox, yet stressed the importance of leveraging intellectual property effectively. He suggested that despite potential backlash from hardcore Xbox fans, Microsoft would prioritize business decisions that benefit the future of gaming and their company. He concluded, "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."
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