In a surprising turn of events, recent statistics show that nearly half of the top 15 most-preordered games on the PlayStation Store are titles from Xbox. This change reflects a new era where Xbox has embraced broader distribution across platforms.
Several Xbox/Bethesda games are making their way to PS5, comprising essentially half of the top 15 most-preordered games. The list includes:
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- Forza Horizon 5 Premium
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Premium
- Forza Horizon 5 Standard
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Standard
- F1 25
- Death Stranding 2 Deluxe
- Elden Ring Nightreign Deluxe
- Mindseye
- Days Gone Remastered
- DOOM: The Dark Ages Premium
- Expedition 33 Deluxe
- Forza Horizon 5 Deluxe
- Elden Ring Nightreign
- DOOM: The Dark Ages Standard
- Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater Deluxe
This interesting trend showcases multiple versions of three prominent Xbox franchises. Notably, “Indiana Jones and the Great Circle” is will launch on April 14, “Forza Horizon 5” will arrive shortly after on April 25, while “DOOM: The Dark Ages” is expected on May 12. Each title exemplifies different stages of release agreements between Xbox and PlayStation, with Indiana Jones being a timed exclusive from last year, Forza Horizon having initially released back in 2021, and DOOM offering simultaneous availability across both consoles.
The strategy behind Microsoft’s decision to distribute its first-party titles more widely seems evident. However, the varying timelines—from day-one releases to those launching years later – can create confusion regarding when players can expect these titles.
A look ahead reveals reports suggesting Microsoft may prepare a PS5 version of Starfield by year-end. Such developments raise questions about other future titles like Avowed and Elder Scroll VI. There’s speculation that these could follow similar cross-release patterns or use time delays as an incentive for Game Pass subscriptions—an interesting maneuver if true.
The gaming community finds itself in unusual times as such collaborations redefine traditional console competition dynamics. It seems Xbox is betting heavily on what it sees as a collective gaming future.
