Xbox Boss Praises PlayStation, Hints at Halo on PS5
▼ Summary
– Microsoft successfully ported several Xbox games to PlayStation in 2025, with six of them ranking among the top 10 on PS5 during a summer period.
– Major Xbox franchises like Halo and Forza Horizon are confirmed for future release on PlayStation, starting with Halo: Campaign Evolved in 2026.
– Microsoft views this cross-platform success as validation for its development teams and an opportunity to reach a wider player base.
– Microsoft has reversed its plan to charge $80 for new games and is considering more dynamic future monetization strategies.
– Activision is changing its Call of Duty release strategy to avoid back-to-back entries in the same sub-series and focus on meaningful innovation.
The gaming landscape witnessed a significant shift in 2025 as Microsoft expanded its strategy to release major titles on the PlayStation 5 platform, a move that has proven both critically and commercially successful. This cross-platform approach has opened new avenues for player engagement and revenue, with several Xbox-originated games dominating sales charts on Sony’s console. Looking ahead, the planned arrivals of iconic franchises like Halo and Forza Horizon on PS5 signal a continued commitment to this broader accessibility, fundamentally altering traditional console exclusivity.
In a recent discussion, Microsoft’s president of game content and studios, Matt Booty, reflected on the impressive performance. He noted a remarkable period where Xbox titles claimed six spots within the PlayStation network’s top ten best-selling games. Booty views this achievement as a strong validation for the development teams and, more importantly, as a crucial opportunity to welcome a vast new audience into their creative worlds. This strategy directly connects more players with beloved franchises, expanding their reach and cultural impact.
The announcement that Halo: Campaign Evolved will launch simultaneously on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5 in 2026 marks a historic moment. Long celebrated as the definitive Xbox exclusive, the Halo franchise’s move to a rival console underscores a major philosophical change within Microsoft’s gaming division. Booty expressed satisfaction with the positive reaction to this news, emphasizing the company’s goal of making its content available to as many players as possible. This campaign-focused remake of the original game represents a key test for this new multi-platform era.
Beyond platform strategy, Booty addressed other industry trends. He discussed Microsoft’s reconsideration of a potential $70 price point for new standard edition games, hinting at a more flexible and dynamic future for game monetization that may move beyond a single fixed price. The conversation also covered the mixed reception for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, acknowledging the inherent difficulties in delivering a groundbreaking annual installment for such a massive franchise.
In response to these challenges, Activision has outlined a new direction for the Call of Duty series. The publisher has committed to avoiding consecutive releases within the same sub-series, such as Modern Warfare or Black Ops. This planned hiatus aims to provide developers with more time to innovate, with a focus on delivering substantial, meaningful evolution in gameplay and narrative rather than smaller, incremental updates. This approach seeks to reinvigorate the franchise and meet rising player expectations for freshness and depth with each new release.
(Source: GameSpot)
