A surprise turn of events, however, is that some Xbox-owned games are now leading the PlayStation Store pre-orders, representing a significant change in Microsoft’s strategy towards game distribution. As Microsoft focuses on software and services more than hardware, PlayStation gamers have become the most important audience for the company’s success.
Xbox’s Increased Presence on PlayStation
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is the #1 pre-ordered game on the PlayStation Store.
- Forza Horizon 5 and Doom: The Dark Ages also occupy several positions in the top 10 pre-orders.
- December 2024 saw 64% of Microsoft’s revenue from game sales on PlayStation user bases, supporting Xbox in its position as the world’s leading publisher for the time.
Xbox Games Dominating PlayStation Sales
Microsoft’s move away from exclusivity seems to be proving fruitful, with several Xbox games in high positions on PlayStation Store pre-orders:
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle – #1 & #2 positions (Standard and Premium versions).
- Forza Horizon 5 – Three individual editions topping the charts.
- Doom: The Dark Ages – Two entries in the top 10.
- Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 – Also showing up in the top rankings.
How Sony Exclusives Stack Up
Though Sony exclusives continue to hold strong, they are presently being out-sold by Xbox-owned properties:
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (Deluxe Edition) takes the #3 pre-order position behind Indiana Jones.
Days Gone Remastered sits in the top 10 but is behind Xbox titles in the UK charts.
Is This a Sign of Things to Come?
These sales figures suggest that Microsoft’s multiplatform approach is paying dividends, with PlayStation gamers now a significant source of revenue for Xbox-published titles. Although Xbox-owned titles are not as strong in Japan, they’re still performing well.
With increasingly first-party Xbox titles being released on PlayStation, it will be interesting to see how this approach evolves the gaming world in the years to come.
