"Xbox Games Outsell PS5 Titles: Oblivion, Minecraft, Forza Lead"

Microsoft’s multiplatform strategy is clearly gaining momentum, especially evident in its successful launches on PlayStation 5 alongside Xbox Series X|S and PC.

This success is further supported by data from Sony itself, shared via a PlayStation blog post that highlighted the top-selling PlayStation Store games for April 2025.

In both the U.S. and Canada, Microsoft titles dominated the non-free-to-play download chart on PS5, claiming the top three spots: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, Minecraft, and Forza Horizon 5.

Europe saw a similar trend, with Forza Horizon 5 leading the charge, followed by The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered and then Minecraft.

*Clair Obscur: Expedition 33*, which received strong backing from Microsoft through a day-one Game Pass release and inclusion in Xbox showcases, also ranked highly in both regions.

Additionally, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, developed by Microsoft-owned Activision, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, from Microsoft-owned Bethesda, both made appearances in the charts.

What does this indicate? Simply put, quality games rise to the top—regardless of their publisher. It's no shock to see these titles perform well, even on PlayStation. The PS5 was clearly in need of a high-quality racing title like Playground Games’ acclaimed Forza Horizon 5, making its April console launch a major event. Meanwhile, Oblivion Remastered satisfies the long-standing demand for classic Bethesda RPGs across platforms, and Minecraft remains ever-popular, especially following the viral success of its recent movie adaptation.

This cross-platform dominance is now becoming standard for Microsoft. The company recently announced *Gears of War: Reloaded*, set to launch on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation in August. And it seems only a matter of time before *Halo*, once Xbox’s flagship exclusive, follows suit.

Last year, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer confirmed there are no “red lines” when it comes to releasing first-party games on multiple platforms—including Halo. Speaking with Bloomberg, he emphasized that every Xbox title is under consideration for multiplatform releases. “I do not see sort of red lines in our portfolio that say ‘thou must not,’” Spencer stated.

This shift in strategy is partly driven by financial goals, especially after Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard raised expectations for revenue growth within its gaming division.

“We run a business,” Spencer noted in August. “It’s definitely true inside of Microsoft the bar is high for us in terms of the delivery we have to give back to the company. Because we get a level of support from the company that’s just amazing and what we’re able to go do.

“So I look at this, how can we make our games as strong as possible? Our platform continues to grow, on console, on PC, and on cloud. It’s just going to be a strategy that works for us.”

### Xbox Games Series Tier List

As former Xbox executive Peter Moore told IGN last year, discussions around bringing Halo to PlayStation have likely been ongoing at Microsoft for some time.

“Look, if Microsoft says, wait, we're doing $250 million on our own platforms, but if we then took Halo as, let's call it a third-party, we could do a billion… You got to think long and hard about that, right?” Moore said.

“I mean, you just got to go, yeah, should it be kept? It's a piece of intellectual property. It's bigger than just a game. And how do you leverage that? Those are the conversations that always happen with, how do you leverage it in everything that we would do?

“It's had its ups and downs, but look, Xbox wouldn't be what Xbox is without Halo. But yeah, I'm sure those conversations are happening. Whether they come to fruition, who knows? But they're definitely happening, I'm sure.”

Of course, Microsoft may face resistance from loyal Xbox fans who feel the brand is being diluted due to fewer exclusives and a shifting marketing approach. Losing Halo to PlayStation could provoke yet another wave of backlash. However, according to Moore, such reactions won’t stop Microsoft from pursuing what it believes is best for its long-term business strategy.

“The question would be, ultimately, is that reaction enough not to make a fundamental business decision for the future of not only Microsoft’s business, but gaming in itself?” Moore explained. “Those hardcore [fans] are getting smaller in size and older in age. You've got to cater to the generations that are coming through, because they're going to drive the business over the next 10, 20 years.”