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We didn’t know that there would be so many emotions on a Sunday, but that’s how it happened yesterday. And so, on a seemingly quiet day – but one of recording many podcasts – we had a supposed megaton: Microsoft could make many of its current exclusive games multiplatform and release them on PS5 and other platforms.

Among those AAA games would be Starfield, and supposedly Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

To recap a bit, you already know that there are a lot of rumors (and some evidence) that games like Hi-Fi Rush or Sea of Thieves are being announced -and released- soon on PS5 or Switch. It seemed like a market opening by Microsoft for its Xbox ecosystem… gradual and cautiously taken. Little by little. Until now.

The multiplatform announcement of Hi-Fi Rush is expected “in the next few weeks”, as its release, presumably on Switch and PS5, is scheduled for Q1 2024.

But yesterday the megaton began to sound: Jez Corden, Tom Warren/The Verge, Nate the Hate, XboxEra. They all said the same thing: there has been a lot of debate and tension within Microsoft about Xbox.
It seems Microsoft is not getting optimal results even with aggressive hardware discounts, so they finally decided to turn the situation and the business model towards multiplatform releases of even their most important games.

The megaton started with the information that Starfield will be released on PS5. According to rumors, Microsoft plans to release Starfield for PlayStation 5 “after the release of the already announced expansion “Shattered Space” for Xbox and PC”. It could go to 2025, but yes, according to XBoxEra’s sources, Starfield would indeed be released on PS5. The same source comments that Microsoft has already invested in PS5 devkits to power this new path.

And with this, a domino effect was triggered, as shortly after it was commented that Bethesda would be thinking about making the recently announced Indiana Jones and the Great Circle a multiplatform game as well. It would release on PS5 and elsewhere, only a few months after its release on Xbox Series and PC by December 2024.

https://twitter.com/tomwarren/status/1754269395927318641

It seems that within Microsoft, and as far as the Xbox ecosystem is concerned, there have been internal dialogues about which way to go. If this is confirmed, it seems that the intention would be to strengthen the GamePass line and be one of the largest publishers in the world, but now also taking advantage of the installed base of rival consoles to generate (more) profit.

Many authoritative voices seem to confirm these rumors started from XboxEra.

Stay tuned, but always with caution, please. There could be a ton of shades of grey here.

Via | XboxEra, Jez Corden, The Verge, Windows Central, and many more…