Xbox has been on a journey over the last couple of years, gradually giving up exclusivity on many of its first-party titles.
In all honesty, I’m not surprised. The Xbox Series X/S has been outsold by the PlayStation 5 at a ratio of about 2.5 or 3 to 1. And this isn’t a new trend — the PS4 did nearly the exact same thing to the Xbox One.
So it makes sense for Microsoft to bring its exclusive games to other platforms like the PlayStation. It’s a smart business move that’s already paying off. The titles released so far have been hugely successful.
Forza Horizon 5 was the most recent big Xbox release on PS5, and Gears of War is reportedly next. I doubt the floodgates will close anytime soon — Halo is heavily rumored, and beyond that, we’re left with just a few major titles like Fable and Starfield still holding exclusivity.
Speaking of Starfield, that game stirred up a lot of mixed reactions. It wasn’t nearly as praised as previous Bethesda heavyweights like Skyrim or Fallout.
As someone who’s been a huge Bethesda fan since Fallout 3, I was really excited for Starfield. I love space exploration, and I love their style of RPG, so this was a dream combo for me. I even bought an Xbox specifically for it.
Was it worth it? Maybe not just for Starfield alone, but I did find value in Game Pass and some other Xbox experiences. As for the game itself? I enjoyed it. I know that’s an unpopular opinion, but while it doesn’t hit the highs of Skyrim or Fallout: New Vegas, I still had a good time with it.
Now, as a predominantly PS5 player, I’d gladly buy Starfield again if it dropped on PlayStation. I did the same thing with Horizon 5 — played it on Xbox, but bought it again on PS5. Why? Simple: I prefer the experience on that platform.
The PS5 is my daily console. I’ve built up a huge game library there and — full nerd confession — I love trophy hunting. Since Xbox isn’t my main device, I’m just not invested in chasing achievements there. It’s a weird little preference, but it’s mine.
At the end of the day, I think gamers should win. Should Sony release its exclusives on Xbox as well? As one of the biggest Sony fans out there, I say — yes. I’m fine with time-limited exclusives, but I’d eventually love to see cross-platform sharing in both directions.
Sony already ports to PC. Why not extend that to Xbox? Let them play Spider-Man, just like we’re starting to get Starfield and Gears. Because the bottom line for publishers and devs is money, and the bottom line for gamers? Great games, wherever we play.
