Xbox Game Studios Boss Discusses PS5 Release Strategy
With Xbox continuing to redirect its focus away from console exclusives and instead making it a priority to release many of its first-party games across platforms, head of Xbox Game Studios Craig Duncan has made it clear that Xbox wants to be more consistent with the timing of how it releases games for PlayStation 5. Xbox launched a number of key titles for its competitor console in 2025, but many fans noticed the seemingly random choice of releasing some games day-one on both Xbox and PlayStation systems while other Xbox games saw major delays before arriving on PS5. Whether directly addressing audience outcry or simply wanting to build a more sustainable model, Duncan has spoken about the current plans at Xbox Game Studios to ensure better launch strategies moving forward.
Longtime gaming fans are no doubt familiar with the infamous “console wars” of the mid-2000s and 2010s, which saw Xbox and PlayStation competing to be at the top of the console market. The so-called battles of Xbox 360 versus PlayStation 3, Xbox One versus PlayStation 4, and even Xbox Series X|S versus PlayStation 5 fueled both innovation among developers and dedication among fans, though many see the future as being far less competitive. This is largely due to the fact that Xbox is focusing on multi-platform launches, which Craig Duncan has reiterated as a key focus for Xbox Game Studios.
Xbox President Says the Idea of Console Exclusives Is ‘Antiquated’
Xbox President Sarah Bond says making a game exclusive to one platform is an ‘antiquated’ idea as the company releases more games on other consoles.
What are Xbox’s Plans for Releasing Games on PS5?
Speaking with Games Radar, Craig Duncan was asked how Xbox Game Studios is determining when certain games will be brought to other platforms. Duncan replied that Xbox wants its games to “reach the most players” and seeing the large influx of active players once games were released on PlayStation 5 was a welcome sight and wants to continue to ensure PlayStation fans are able to have access to Xbox releases, though former timelines for multiplatform launches were on a case-by-case basis. When questioned about this inconsistency of how Xbox games are launching on PS5, Duncan admitted that “development realities” can contribute to how long it takes a team to prepare a game for multiple platforms, giving the upcoming Fable sequel and Forza 6 releases as examples of different development plans resulting in some Xbox games arriving day-one on PS5 (Fable) while others may see slight delays (Forza 6).
Duncan further stressed the importance of ensuring each game is the best it can be for each specific platform, which “may lead to a bit of optionality” influenced by limitations of resources and subsequent delays between launches on Xbox and PlayStation. He notably acknowledged that a desire for more Xbox games releasing day-one on PS systems is “totally fair feedback” and said Xbox Game Studios is “going to work on” trying to “be more consistent.” However, he ended by emphasizing the importance of quality releases over diversified releases, pointing out that the team will absolutely stick with picking and choosing which games to launch first on PC, first on Xbox, or simultaneously across platforms, all depending on how to ensure the studio can “do the best job, by each platform.”
While audiences and experts may remain divided on Xbox’s multiplatform strategy, many fans have been happy to see more titles becoming available across all console platforms, including Xbox, PlayStation, and even the Nintendo Switch 2. PC has also remained a key platform for Xbox, courtesy of the PC Game Pass and “everything is an Xbox” ideology, and despite some development hurdles that will no doubt impact certain multiplatform release plans, it would seem Craig Duncan and Xbox Game Studios are determined to keep players on Xbox and other platforms in mind while preparing for the future.