As Xbox continues to redirect its focus away from console exclusives and instead prioritize releasing more first-party games across platforms, Xbox Game Studios head Craig Duncan has made it clear that Xbox wants to be more consistent with the times in how it releases games for the PlayStation 5. Fans noticed the seemingly random choice to release some games on both the Xbox and PlayStation systems on the same day while other Xbox games saw major delays before arriving on the PS5. Whether directly addressing audience outrage or wanting to build a more sustainable model, Duncan spoke about current plans at Xbox Game Studios to ensure better launch strategies moving forward.
Longtime gaming fans are surely familiar with the infamous “console wars” of the mid-2000s and 2010s, which saw the Xbox and PlayStation compete to be at the top of the console market. The so-called battles of Xbox 360 vs. PlayStation 3, Xbox One vs. PlayStation 4, and Xbox Series X|S vs. PlayStation 5 spurred both innovation among developers and dedication among fans, though many see the future as far less competitive. This is largely due to the fact that Xbox is focusing on multi-platform launches, which Craig Duncan has reiterated as a key focus for Xbox Game Studios.
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What are Xbox's plans to release games on PS5?
Speaking to Game Radar, Craig Duncan was asked how Xbox Game Studios is determining when certain games will be ported to other platforms. Duncan responded that Xbox wanted its games to “reach as many players as possible” and that seeing the large influx of active players after the games were released on PlayStation 5 was a welcome sight and wanted to continue to ensure that PlayStation fans were able to access Xbox releases, although previously the timeline for multiplatform launches was on a case-by-case basis. When questioned about the inconsistency of how Xbox games are launching on PS5, Duncan admitted that “development realities” could contribute to how long it takes the team to prepare a game for multiple platforms, given the upcoming days. fable Sequel and Forza 6 Releases as an example of different development plans resulting in some Xbox games arriving on PS5 on day one (fable) while others may see a slight delay (Forza 6).
Duncan emphasized the importance of making sure each game is as good as it can be for each specific platform, which “can lead to a bit of variability” due to resource limitations and delays between launches on Xbox and PlayStation. He specifically acknowledged that the desire to release more Xbox games on PS systems every day is a “totally fair response” and said that Xbox game studios are “going to work” trying to “be more consistent”. However, he ended by stressing the importance of quality releases across multiple releases, pointing out that the team picks and chooses which games to launch first on PC, on Xbox, or on simultaneous platforms, all depending on how the studio makes sure to “do a great job with each platform”.
While audiences and experts may remain divided over Xbox's multiplatform strategy, many fans have been pleased to see more titles available on all console platforms, including Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch 2. PC has also become a major platform for Xbox, courtesy of PC Game Pass and “everything is, Xbox is and there is no doubt that any development will have an impact. Plans, it seems that Craig Duncan and Xbox Game Studios are determined to keep players Xbox and other platforms in mind when preparing for the future.
