Why does Xbox want to start putting its games on PlayStation?

Despite owning several prolific game publishing companies and operating the most robust game subscription service on the market, Microsoft and Xbox are reportedly moving away from keeping their titles exclusive to their ecosystem.

In early February 2024, reports surfaced detailing that two major Xbox exclusives in Starfield and yet-to-be-released Indiana Jones and the Great Circle could be making their way to PlayStation in the future. Titles like Sea of Thieves and Hi-Fi Rush have also reportedly received cross-platform consideration. This would represent a major pivot away from the Xbox strategy of releasing major titles on just Xbox and PC, and providing them as day-one releases on Game Pass, though there is currently no plan for that subscription service to come to PlayStation.

So why the sudden change? Here are some reasons why Microsoft would be very interested in putting some of its titles on PlayStation and other consoles.

To put Xbox games on the machines that won the “console wars”

Xbox has all but officially admitted defeat to Sony and PlayStation when it comes to the game of selling hardware. Back in May 2023 in an interview with Kinda Funny, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said “we’re not in the business of out-consoleing Sony or out-consoleing Nintendo,” admitting that Xbox was in “third place in the console marketplace.”

With the Xbox trailing behind both its competitors, making some of its games cross-platform could in theory introduce those games to two separate player bases that are each individually bigger than the one it currently has, at least on console.

To help grow Game Pass

At first glance, this might not make sense. Why would selling games on other platforms help Game Pass? Because money and revenue are all that matter, and the sales of Xbox games on PlayStation and other platforms all contribute to Xbox revenue, making it easier for Game Pass studios to keep making games.

People at Microsoft have consistently said Game Pass is profitable, but that doesn’t mean it’s not expensive, and the users have already been subjected to at least one price hike. With PS5 and Switch sales offsetting some costs, Xbox might be able to delay or even deviate away from another price hike or even another set of devastating layoffs.