Xbox’s multiplatform strategy is already paying off

By Carli Velocci Published June 14, 2024

Two men look at an election poster for Guybrush in Sea of Thieves. — Rare

If recent numbers are anything to go by, Xbox’s recent strategy change, which involves porting some first-party Xbox games to other competing consoles, has already been successful after just a few months.

PlayStation revealed its top downloaded games for May in a blog posted on Thursday for both the PlayStation 5 and 4. While it doesn’t list exact numbers, the top game for the U.S., Canada, and the EU is Sea of Thieves, which made its way over from Xbox console exclusivity on April 30.

Recommended Videos

Sea of Thieves beat out Madden NFL 24, Grand Theft Auto 5, Helldivers 2, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, and other AAA releases. Some smaller games on the charts include Killer Klowns from Outer Space: The Game and Another Crab’s Treasure.

Xbox caused quite a stir back in February when it announced that a handful of its first-party titles would be making their way to other platforms. The first games announced as a part of this new strategy were Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment, Grounded, and Sea of Thieves. While the first three games were the first to get ported to the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation consoles, Sea of Thieves only sailed over to the PlayStation 5.

Sea of Thieves already had a dedicated player base on Xbox and PC — 35 million, according to Xbox as of February — and when it hit PlayStation, it supported crossplay, so even more players could hop on a ship with friends. “We make every decision with the long-term health of Xbox in mind, and long-term health of Xbox means a growing platform, our games performing, building the best platform for creators, reaching as many players as we can,” Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said in response to rumors that Xbox was ending exclusivity.

Not every first-party Xbox game is going to be available day one on other consoles, and we’ve seen that with Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 and in a number of announcements during the Xbox Games Showcase this month. According to Statista, no Xbox games have cracked the top 10 yet on the Switch, but it’s tough to compete against Nintendo mainstays like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which became the company’s bestselling game of all time in May, and franchises like The Legend of Zelda and Pokémon.

Former Contributor, Games

Carli is a technology, culture, and games editor and journalist. They were the Gaming Lead and Copy Chief at Windows Central…

Topics

Gaming

Yet another prestigious Xbox exclusive is coming to PS5

Senua approaching a lore totem in Hellblade 2.

The award-winning Xbox exclusive Senua's Saga: Hellblade II is branching out and coming to PlayStation 5 this summer. Developed by Ninja Theory, Hellblade II picks up after the first game, following the titular character into a richly detailed world of Viking myth and lore.

Dom Matthews, studio head at Ninja Theory, announced the news today via a YouTube video. "Today, on the one-year anniversary of the release of Senua's Sage: Hellblade II, we're excited to share some news with you on the game," he says. "We're so happy to tell you, our fans, that Hellblade II will be coming to PlayStation 5 this summer. This version of the game will include some new features that will also come to Xbox and PC at the same time as an update."

Gaming

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s style is its substance

A distorted Eiffel Tower looms over a city that looks similar to Paris

From its establishing shot of the Eiffel Tower bent in on itself, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 wants you to know it is very French, if a little twisted. The turn-based RPG revels in the aesthetic of developer Sandfall Interactive’s home country, which often helps to distinguish the game from its many high-profile influences. As a tale of death and grief it’s hard not to make comparisons to genre titans such as Final Fantasy X and Lost Odyssey. And sure, the themes are similar, but did Tidus ever wear a beret? I don’t think so.

Much of the overt French aesthetic of Clair Obscur can seem like a surface level coat of paint. Yet there is much more to Sandfall Interactive’s adoption of the Belle Époque style in this dark fantasy facsimile of France. With just a little understanding of French history, it becomes clear that this isn’t a case of style over substance -- the style is the substance.

Gaming

Gears of War: Reloaded brings another Xbox classic to PlayStation 5

Gears of War: Reloaded key art

The Gears of War you remember is coming back, remastered and optimized for modern consoles, including the PlayStation 5. Titled Gears of War: Reloaded, it launches on August 26, 2025, for just $40 on Xbox Series, PlayStation 5, and Steam, and will be a day one release for Xbox Game Pass.

Gears of War: Reloaded will support crossplay and cross-progression across all platforms, and any fans who already owned a digital copy of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition will receive a free upgrade to Gears of War: Reloaded. The remastered version of the classic third-person shooter will support 4K resolution, 120 FPS, and cross-platform multiplayer. It also supports HDR and variable refresh rates and promises zero loading screens during the campaign. The graphics have been upscaled to take full advantage of modern hardware and make the games look better than ever.