Halo on PlayStation may be what Xbox needs to survive

aura Coming to PlayStation It’s one of those events that five years ago would have been a signal that “something’s not right here” in a show about time travel or alternate universes. Considering the state of Xbox with layoffs, game cancellations, price hikes, studio closures, and a soft release schedule that sheds light on titles that are attracting attention, it certainly seems like all is not well. But the company’s focus on tearing down its garden walls with cross-platform access to the biggest exclusives combined with a push to make Xbox games playable on almost anything, suggests a strategy that may be what keeps green players in the game longer.

Xbox has been offering exclusives to its competitors’ platforms since last year. The company tested the waters with smaller titles such as Grounded and Payment On the switch and Hi Fi Rush and Sea of ​​Thieves On the PS5 before graduating to bigger and more exciting successes such as Indiana Jones and the Grand Circle, Senua Saga: Hellblade IIand Gears of war. aurathe Xbox exclusive crown jewel, is just the glorification of this cross-platform strategy.

In May, Sony mentioned this Indiana Johns, The Elder Scrolls V: Oblivion Remasteredand Forza Horizon 5 It was among the most downloaded games on PS5. Although not exclusive, other published Xbox games include Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Minecraft They were also on the list. “The biggest games in the world are available everywhere,” said Sarah Bond, head of Xbox. In an interview with Mashable. “The idea of ​​locking (games) into one store or one device is outdated for most people.” Xbox games enjoyed more success once they were available to more people. This supports openness “This is Xbox” marketing campaign, Which aims to bring Xbox content beyond the console itself.

Xbox console sales have always lagged behind PlayStation and Nintendo Xbox Game Pass subscriptions are slowing down. It was forced by the Trump administration’s tariff policy everyone three Console makers To raise their prices, contrary to the tradition of console prices falling with age. Consumers are increasingly faced with choosing necessity over luxury.

Xbox Play Anywhere and cloud streaming Trying to get around this choice by taking advantage of the devices consumers already own. “We’re all about meeting people where they are,” said Matt Botti, head of Xbox Game Studios and Content. In an interview with New York timeQ. And for die-hard fans who are still interested in getting custom hardware, Xbox is planning to have something for them as well. “This next-generation console will be a very distinct, very cutting-edge experience,” Bond said in it. Mashable interview. Xbox has already launched its new expensive consoles, the ROG Ally and Ally

But the new Xbox strategy isn’t enough to save it all if you can’t overcome the issues that are currently dragging it down. It has closed a number of studios in the past two years including… Austin’s pillars Hi Fi Rush Developer: Tango GameWorks. The company has canceled its presence Perfect darkness and everwild Projects. myth, It was originally scheduled for release in 2025, It has been postponed to 2026 while Multiple rounds of layoffs at Microsoft Continue to gut her studios.

It was Six years since Bethesda’s announcement Manuscripts of the Sixth Sheikh With no information on when more information will arrive. the He falls Franchise is It is experiencing a soft renaissance Thanks Amazon offer But it’s missing something new for non-gamers Updates for existing games and Nod from Todd Howard that Fallout 5 It still came in the end. And while people are excited about the original aura is getting an enhanced version for the PS5, the latest entry, Infinite aura, It was a huge failure. Being where people are regardless of whether it’s on PlayStation or mobile seems like a winning strategy, but none of that matters if they don’t have anything good to play.

It doesn’t help that Xbox is also having an image issue at the moment. report in Bloomberg I revealed it An unusually high target profit margin of 30 percent It has led to Unpopular price increases for Xbox Game Pass And the studio closed. The new ASUS ROG Ally/ROG Ally Device in operation. At a town hall meeting last year, Matt Botti said Xbox needed “smaller games that give us prestige and awards.” The day after the responsible studio closed For the popular and award-winning short story Hi Fi Rush. Parent company Microsoft was the target of the BDS movement, and has been expelled Number of employees to Speaking out against the company’s commercial contracts with the Israeli government Accusing it of “using artificial intelligence in genocide.” Earlier this week, when… Department of Homeland Security used aura In a racist recruitment ad for ICE On social media, Microsoft declined to comment.

aura Coming to PlayStation doesn’t mean the death of Xbox, but instead is the clearest sign yet of the company’s shift in priorities. The console wars are long over, and console makers have to contend with a new reality where their biggest competitors are not only against each other, but also on other time-consuming platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and TikTok. fortniteAnd Roblox. Xbox can’t do that if its best offerings are isolated to the smallest install base of the big three consoles. And while it’s strange to see junior officer John-117 somewhere other than a Microsoft console, these moves are necessary to ensure Xbox’s future, whatever that ultimately looks like.