Multiple sources have indicated that Xbox is looking to foray into third party development, with ports of several first party titles rumored to arrive on PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2.
An insider who goes by the name of SneakersSO on gaming enthusiast forum NeoGAF has claimed that Xbox is looking to go third party, while Windows Central’s Jez Corden has hinted that there’s no smoke without fire.
According to the insider, Hi-fi Rush is one of the Xbox first party titles being ported to competing platforms, but it’s not the only one. They mentioned that Starfield another major Xbox title that will be ported by Microsoft, possibly to both the PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2. They added that, in due time, the norm will be to have these games release day 1 on all platforms.
Regarding the possibility of Halo Infinite being released on PS5, the insider stated that the possibility of it happening isn’t as far fetched as some would assume. They said that they personally don’t see it happening in the case of Halo Infinite, but they do see the next Halo entry being multiplatform. According to them, switching to an engine which is routinely used to ship games on PlayStation i.e. Unreal Engine, will facilitate that strategy shift.
SneakersSO also said that this new direction from Microsoft encompasses titles in development at Xbox Game Studios, Activision Blizzard King, as well as Bethesda Game Studios. They added that they know of several high-profile Bethesda titles for which port work started a few months ago. They also claimed to have some knowledge on Activision Blizzard King, based on which none of the publisher’s projects that are in development have had any discussion regarding exclusivity. They also know of several unannounced titles, which fall squarely under the Xbox Game Studios banner, that are being development for PlayStation and Switch 2 in addition to Xbox. The “console wars” are essentially over, they claimed.
Meanwhile, Jez Corden mentioned that it has been suggested to him from very trusted, proven sources that Microsoft has been exploring bringing some of its back catalog to other platforms, although some of the details remain vague and unconfirmed. Make of that what you will, but it does appear that the winds of change are looming over Xbox and Microsoft’s gaming strategy.
Perhaps this is why Marvel’s Blade has officially not been promoted as an Xbox console exclusive thus far. Previously, Aaron Greenberg, Vice President of Xbox Games Marketing at Microsoft, had updated his Twitter/X profile picture with promotional artwork for Marvel’s Blade, hinting at potential Xbox exclusivity for the title. The image featured the protagonist, Blade, wearing sunglasses with the Xbox logo drawn on them. Greenberg later reverted to his original photo without providing any reasons behind the change. Arkane Lyon, the game’s developer, is part of Microsoft’s gaming division.
