Microsoft rumor bombshell: It will bring Xbox games to PlayStation for the first time in history

Rumors speak of moves by Xbox that, if realized, would dramatically change the gaming space as we know it today.

If the rumors are true, Microsoft will break the exclusivity of some Xbox titles to bring them to other consoles, such as the PS5, which is its main competitor.

Will we see Halo on PlayStation for the first time?

It is a rumor that was published on several websites, and spread widely through social networking sites. For example, Sources for Edge Report that Indiana Jones and the Grand CircleWhich we expected to see exclusively on Xbox, will finally be released on PlayStation 5.

In addition, according to Xbox era reportStarfield, one of Xbox's flagships, will be released on PS5.

However, there is a rumor going around regarding a smaller displacement game, which has been a long time coming Great reviews And won the award: Hi-Fi Rush, which, According to the information-I will Coming to PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. Other game names are heard: Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Grounded, Sea of ​​Thieves.

There have been cases where exclusivity has been broken for games originally released on Xbox (and PC) only – such as when Ori and the Blind Forest was released on Switch – but it has never reached this point.

Phil Spencer's first reaction to the rumours

Later, shortly after 10:00 PM on Monday evening (5/02), Xbox head Phil Spencer published a post on X, writing:

We heard you. We're planning events for next week where we can't wait to share more details about our vision for the future of Xbox with you. Stay tuned.

What does it mean for Xbox to release its games on PS5?

But what does this change in strategy on Microsoft's part mean?

Xbox fans are rubbing their eyes in wonder as they read all this in the news, while journalists in the field are also trying to process this information and come to conclusions.

However, Xbox has long since begun to change its strategy step by step. After losing the “battle” with PlayStation over two generations, Microsoft is shifting its weight to its Game Pass subscription service and not relying so much on consoles for its future, it says.

Currently, Xbox releases its own exclusive games, as do competitors PlayStation and Nintendo. Xbox games are also released on PC, but in the “battle” between consoles they act as exclusive games.

These games are, in fact, available as soon as they are released on the Game Pass subscription service.

Now, if the rumors are confirmed, this strategy will have to change, at least partially. First, consumers still have reasons to buy an Xbox console, because it doesn't seem likely that Microsoft will abandon its hardware just yet – there are also leaks about the future, but they have not been confirmed.

If someone buys an Xbox to play expected games of the future, many of which have already been announced, or to see what acquisitions of other companies like Activision Blizzard will bring, they might think: “Why not get a PS5, since I'll be able to play games like this?” Xbox is there, but also PlayStation games?

Of course, Microsoft may not bring all Xbox games to other platforms, while the simultaneous release may remain on Game Pass – which, however, is not in itself a way to attract people to the console, since the service is also present on PC, While it can also be used via the cloud.

It seems very likely that there will be disappointment among loyal Xbox fans if they are not given a satisfactory justification for such decisions. There are already many comments on social media, heading in this direction, while… Abuse was also observedwith offensive comments and threats against Xbox executives, awaiting official announcements.

From Sega to Microsoft

If the rumors are true, the Xbox will be like Sega is today, which used to release its own consoles with exclusive games, but now publishes titles for all consoles and doesn't have its own hardware.

It remains to be seen what will happen to Xbox if Microsoft decides to go down this path.

However, there is no specific indication that these games will be released through Game Pass on other consoles, while Xbox head Phil Spencer said, He refused like this Reports to open the service.

However, we can't help but wonder what Xbox games could be released on other consoles – and why.

For example, a game like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle can significantly increase its sales if it is released on other platforms, but it can also increase sales of Xbox consoles or Game Pass subscriptions.

A less popular game like the upcoming Avowed doesn't have that kind of momentum, so it could benefit — and benefit the brand — in other ways by opening up to other consoles. We don't know exactly what the company is planning, and we can't easily speculate on Microsoft's potential approach to this piece.

Yes, Xbox hasn't been able to build a strong identity like Nintendo, for example, but it still has its iconic mascots, like Halo's Master Chief, and it would be strange to see that character on a PlayStation console. Of course… Sonic's existence outside of Sega was (for some) strange, while we remember Crash Bandicoot exclusively on PlayStation, which is no longer the case.

It's easier to imagine a game like Sea of ​​Thieves being released on other consoles, since it's a game that was released years ago and is played online with multiplayer, so it will see a benefit and increase in player numbers after this opening.

The end of Xbox as we knew it?

Microsoft places the most importance on Game Pass, but to use this service we do not need an Xbox console. These movements also appear to be openings in different directions that have not been tested.

Perhaps with the huge production costs of big games like Indiana Jones, the model Xbox is following today doesn't seem sustainable and the company feels it needs to open up more to support its future plans, which seems to be getting closer. The “more games, more platforms” genre.

It is undoubtedly an unexpected development: in order to face competition, Xbox has bought several large companies, with the prospect of developing attractive and exclusive games for its consoles.

However, if he changes the strategy before the “fruits” of the acquisitions are unleashed, several questions will follow. Of course, we don't know whether these so-called decisions will affect the entire Xbox “library”, or games developed by specific companies.

Rumor has it that Microsoft plans to explain its decisions soon, so we'll wait and see how the company moves on. However, if what is said is confirmed, we will be talking about the end of the Xbox as we knew it and major changes in the field of video games.

However, since nothing has been confirmed, rumors could point to internal discussions at Xbox executive meetings where opening up to more consoles could have been mentioned as a possibility, weighing the pros and cons of such a move.