Katarzyna Petru
Do you remember the internet storms and heated discussions when Microsoft announced a departure from hard exclusivity? At that time, many fans predicted the end of the Xbox brand, dilution of identity, and capitulation to the competition. Today in Redmond, they are more likely popping champagne. The numbers are ruthless and say one thing – Phil Spencer's decision was a pure business masterpiece.
The end of wars, 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 cool the emotions of even the most ardent defenders of "closed ecosystems." The conclusions are simple – multiplatforming 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 it only reached Sony's console in the spring of 2025. Theoretically, "a reheated cutlet." In practice – an absolute bestseller.
300 million dollars that lay on the table
Five million copies mean revenue of around 300 million dollars. Cash that went directly into Microsoft's coffers. The company would never have seen this money if it stubbornly clung to its old philosophy of exclusivity. The PlayStation market turned out to be simply too large to ignore. Players didn't care that the title was already a few years old. What mattered was the quality, the scale, and the fact that there was finally a fully-fledged, high-budget racing game with an open world on the PS5.
PlayStation Needed Forza
The success of Forza Horizon 5 has exposed a serious gap in the PlayStation library. Sony has lacked an equivalent of open-world arcade racing at such scale for years. It’s no wonder that players flocked to Microsoft's production almost immediately.
Data from the USA, Canada, and the UK shows record-breaking pre-order numbers. Within just a month of its debut on PS5, the game found 2 million buyers. For most productions, this is an unattainable result even over the entire life cycle. Importantly, Forza Horizon 5 was available exclusively in digital format. No boxes, no collector's editions. This further emphasizes the significance of this achievement.
Five-Year-Old Game Better than New Releases
The sales rankings from July look even more interesting. The five-year-old Forza Horizon 5 has been outperforming fresh releases and has been doing better than new installments of brands like Assassin’s Creed or Monster Hunter Wilds. This is no longer a curiosity – it’s a market phenomenon.
More and more Xbox on PlayStation
These 300 million dollars silence the critics of Microsoft's new strategy. The company is not only earning money but is also confident that it has chosen the right direction. We already know that Avowed from Obsidian will be coming to 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 rumors, may debut simultaneously on Xbox and PlayStation. More details will be revealed during the Xbox Developer Direct scheduled for January 22. The current course seems irreversible.
Japan will wait, but not forever
Forza Horizon 6 is set to take players to the fan-desired Japan. Everything indicates that the release will not happen simultaneously on PS5, but few doubt a later port. Microsoft is unlikely to kill the golden goose – especially since the current installment continues to generate 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 only 8 days after its release on PlayStation to sell 1.4 million copies. Thus, it became the fastest-selling Xbox game on the Sony platform, outpacing all previous ports.
