Katarzyna Petru
Do you remember the online storms and heated discussions when Microsoft announced its departure from hard exclusivity? At that time, many fans foresaw the end of the Xbox brand, a dilution of identity, and capitulation to the competition. Today in Redmond, they are rather opening champagne. The numbers are ruthless and say one thing – Phil Spencer's decision was a pure business masterstroke.
The end of squabbles, the beginning of money
The Alinea Analytics report ruthlessly exposes the real effects of Microsoft's new strategy. Rhys Elliot, head of market analysis, published specific data that cools the emotions of even the most ardent defenders of "closed ecosystems." The conclusions are simple – multi-platform compatibility simply pays off.
Forza Horizon 5, the hit from Playground Games, has sold over 5 million copies on PlayStation 5. Let's remember – the game debuted in 2021 on Xbox and PC, and only reached Sony's console in spring 2025. Theoretically a "reheated cutlet." In practice – an absolute bestseller.
300 million dollars that lay on the table
Five million copies means revenue of around 300 million dollars. Cash that went directly into Microsoft's coffers. The company would never have seen this money if it had stubbornly clung to its old philosophy of exclusivity. The PlayStation market proved to be simply too large to ignore. Players were not interested in the fact that the title was already a few years old. What mattered was the quality, the scale, and the fact that on the PS5, there was finally a full-fledged, high-budget racing game with an open world.
PlayStation needed Forza
The success of Forza Horizon 5 has revealed a serious gap in the PlayStation library. Sony has lacked an equivalent of open-world arcade racing at such a scale for years. It's no wonder that players jumped on Microsoft's production almost immediately.
Data from the USA, Canada, and the United Kingdom shows record-breaking pre-order figures. In just a month since its debut on PS5, the game has found 2 million buyers. For most productions, this is a figure unattainable even over an entire life cycle. Importantly – Forza Horizon 5 was available exclusively in digital format. No boxes, no collector's editions. This further enhances the significance of this achievement.
Five-year-old game better than new releases
The sales rankings from July are even more interesting. The five-year-old Forza Horizon 5 managed to outperform fresh releases and performed better than new entries in franchises like Assassin’s Creed and Monster Hunter Wilds. This is no longer a curiosity – it’s a market phenomenon.
More and more Xbox on PlayStation
This 300 million dollars silences critics of Microsoft’s new strategy. The company is not only making a profit, but also reinforcing its belief that it is following the right path. We already know that Avowed from Obsidian will hit the PS5 next month. This is almost certainly just the beginning of a larger offensive.
In the corridors, there is increasing talk about Fable, which according to rumours may debut simultaneously on Xbox and PlayStation. More details will be revealed during the Xbox Developer Direct scheduled for 22nd January. The current course now seems irreversible.
Japan will wait, but not forever
Forza Horizon 6 is set to take players to the Japan dreamed of by fans. Everything indicates that the launch will not happen simultaneously on PS5, but few doubt a later port. Microsoft is unlikely to kill the golden goose – especially when the current edition is still generating absurd profits on the competitor's platform. Players from the Sony camp will once again have to arm themselves with patience.
Did you know that…
Forza Horizon 5 needed just 8 days from its release on PlayStation to sell 1.4 million copies. This made it the fastest-selling Xbox game on the Sony platform, outselling all previous ports.
