"Xbox Hits: Oblivion Remastered, Minecraft, Forza Horizon 5 Outsell PS5 Games"

Microsoft's multiplatform strategy is evidently bearing fruit, as evidenced by its successful launches on PlayStation 5, in addition to Xbox Series X and S and PC. Sony's own PlayStation blog post, highlighting the top-selling games on the PlayStation Store for April 2025, confirms this trend.

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 positions. Europe saw a similar pattern, with Forza Horizon 5 leading, followed by The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered and Minecraft.

Notably, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which Microsoft supported with a day-one Game Pass release and showcased in Xbox broadcasts, also ranked highly on both charts. Furthermore, Microsoft-owned titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 from Activision and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle from Bethesda made significant appearances on the charts.

These results underscore a clear message: quality games, regardless of their origin, dominate sales charts. It's no surprise that these titles have performed well on PlayStation, particularly with the PS5 eagerly awaiting a game like Playground's Forza Horizon 5, which was highly anticipated upon its April launch. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered has satisfied the Bethesda craving across both PC and console, while Minecraft's popularity has surged, boosted by the viral success of the Minecraft movie.

This trend reflects Microsoft's new normal, further solidified by the announcement of Gears of War: Reloaded for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation set for an August release. It seems increasingly likely that Halo, once an Xbox exclusive, will follow suit.

Last year, Microsoft's gaming chief, Phil Spencer, emphasized that there are no "red lines" in Microsoft's first-party lineup when considering multiplatform releases, including Halo. In an interview with Bloomberg, Spencer stated that every Xbox game is a candidate for multiplatform distribution. He noted, "I do not see sort of red lines in our portfolio that say 'thou must not,'" highlighting Microsoft's flexible approach to maximizing game reach and revenue.

Spencer also mentioned that the multiplatform strategy is partly driven by the need to generate more income for Microsoft's gaming division, especially after the $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. He emphasized the business aspect, saying, "We run a business," and acknowledged the high expectations set by Microsoft's substantial support for the gaming division. Spencer's goal is to strengthen the gaming portfolio across consoles, PCs, and cloud platforms, ensuring a strategy that benefits Microsoft.

Former Xbox executive Peter Moore, speaking to IGN last year, suggested that discussions about bringing Halo to PlayStation have been ongoing at Microsoft. He 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 emphasized that Halo is more than just a game; it's a valuable piece of intellectual property that needs to be leveraged effectively.

Despite the potential for backlash from dedicated Xbox fans who are already upset about the perceived devaluation of the Xbox brand, the lack of exclusives, and Microsoft's marketing strategies, Moore believes that Microsoft will prioritize business decisions over fan reactions. He noted, "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."