Media: Microsoft is changing its strategy. She is going to release Indiana Jones, Starfield and other exclusives on PlayStation 5
Rumors that Microsoft's gaming division may change its strategy and begin actively releasing console exclusives on competitors' platforms have been circulating since early January. A few days ago, several publications shared a new batch of rumors at once.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
The Verge, citing sources, wrote that Microsoft is now carefully considering a multiplatform approach to publishing games. She is weighing which games should be left exclusive and which should be released on PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Switch.
According to The Verge, one of the games that Microsoft can port to PlayStation 5 will be Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. It is assumed that in December 2024, the corporation will publish it on Xbox and PC, and a few months later on Sony consoles. However, The Verge admits, dates and platforms may change, as Microsoft has not fully worked out a new strategy.
Xbox Era sources, in turn, claim that Microsoft is going to port Starfield to the PlayStation 5 as well. According to the publication, the game will be released on PlayStation 5 after the release of the Shattered Space expansion, scheduled for 2024.
According to analysts, Microsoft's decision to release games on competitors' consoles will benefit the corporation.
"Offering an ecosystem that allows you to play the largest number of games on the largest number of devices is a strategy with a lot of potential advantages," says Matt Piscatella from Circana. "It's not a fact that it will work, but it's not the middle of the 2000s anymore. It's not just the consoles that are important."
Offering an ecosystem that allows the most games to be played across the most devices is a strategy that has a ton of potential upside.
Doesn't mean it'll necessarily work, but it isn't the mid-2000s anymore. It isn't just about the box.
— Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) February 4, 2024
Benji-Sales analyst agrees with him.
"If you look purely from a business point of view, then a lot of this makes sense, given Microsoft's current position in the hardware segment + Microsoft's goals as a large company. By changing the strategy, Microsoft is turning into a mega publisher, for which the console becomes just a platform with games / access point to the Game Pass. [...] It is important to remember that Satya Nadella sees Microsoft as a service-oriented company. In his understanding, the concept of linking games to platforms is probably short-sighted. Therefore, the release of games on as many platforms as possible corresponds to his vision," writes Benji-Sales.
Pretty wild how extensive it appears Microsoft multiplatform plans are for gaming
I'm fascinated to see how they announce this. Strictly looking through a purely business lense though a lot of it makes sense given their current Hardware position + Microsoft larger company goals
— Benji-Sales (@BenjiSales) February 4, 2024
James McWhirter from Omdia, in a conversation with IGN that took place after the first rumors appeared, noted that Microsoft was forced to reconsider its approach to distributing games. Like Benji-Sales, he points to not very successful sales of the Xbox Series. Omdia estimates that sales of these consoles fell by 12.7% in 2023 compared to 2022, although they were supposed to be in a "growth phase." In addition, their sales were supposed to be boosted by the release of Starfield.
Earlier, the media reported on the possible release of games such as Sea of Thieves and Hi-Fi Rush on PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. Microsoft representatives did not comment on the rumors.
