Microsoft's multiplatform strategy is clearly paying dividends, as evidenced by their successful launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC. Sony's PlayStation blog post detailing the top-selling PlayStation Store games for April 2025 confirms this trend.
In the U.S. and Canada, Microsoft's games 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 saw a similar trend, with Forza Horizon 5 leading the chart, followed by The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered and Minecraft.
Microsoft's influence extends further with titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, backed by Microsoft for a day-one Game Pass launch and featured in Xbox showcase broadcasts, performing 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 also made strong showings.
This success underscores a simple truth: quality games from any developer, including Microsoft, can top sales charts. It's no surprise to see these titles thriving on PlayStation, particularly Forza Horizon 5, which filled a niche on PS5 with its eagerly anticipated launch. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered caters to the Bethesda fanbase across platforms, while Minecraft's popularity has been boosted by the viral success of the Minecraft movie.
Microsoft's strategy is becoming the new norm, as evidenced by their recent announcement of Gears of War: Reloaded for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, set for release in August. The prospect of Halo, once an Xbox exclusive, making the leap to other platforms seems increasingly likely.
Microsoft's gaming chief, Phil Spencer, has emphasized that there are no "red lines" in their first-party lineup when considering multiplatform releases, including Halo. In an interview with Bloomberg, Spencer stated that every Xbox game is a potential candidate for multiplatform distribution, driven by the need to generate more revenue following the $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
Spencer's comments to Bloomberg in August highlighted the business perspective: "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. 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, in an interview with IGN, suggested that discussions about bringing Halo to PlayStation have been ongoing at Microsoft. Moore pointed out the potential financial benefits, 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 significance of Halo to Xbox's identity but emphasized the need to leverage intellectual property for broader business goals. He noted, "It's had its ups and downs, but look, Xbox wouldn't be what Xbox is without Halo. But yeah, I'm sure those conversations are happening. Whether they come to fruition, who knows? But they're definitely happening, I'm sure."
Despite potential backlash from hardcore Xbox fans who feel the console's value is being diluted by fewer exclusives and Microsoft's marketing strategies, Moore believes Microsoft will prioritize business decisions that benefit the future of gaming. He stated, "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? 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."
