Has Xbox gone completely third party?

Cliff Notes – Has Xbox gone completely third party?

• Sales Performance: "Indiana Jones And The Great Circle" has significantly outsold its counterparts on PlayStation 5 and PC, indicating a shift in consumer preference towards these platforms over Xbox.

• Microsoft’s Strategy: With Xbox struggling to sell consoles, Microsoft is increasingly acting as a third-party publisher, focusing on releasing games for PlayStation 5, which may redefine their market approach.

• Industry Dynamics: The success of titles like "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33," developed by ex-Ubisoft staff, highlights a growing trend where former Xbox titles are now thriving on PlayStation, suggesting a potential shift in creative direction within the gaming industry.

Games Inbox: Has Xbox gone completely third party?

Indiana Jones And The Great Circle – bigger on PS5 (Bethesda)

The Tuesday letters page explores the connection between Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Ubisoft, as one reader wonders at PlayStation’s summer showcase plans.

Taking over
It is startling to think that Microsoft is now, for all intents and purposes, a third party publisher and almost nothing else. They make their own consoles but nobody’s buying them and I really can’t see that changing with any of their hinted at portable machines.

The really weird thing is that’s not a negative, as we learn that, predictably, Indiana Jones And The Great Circle has sold a lot more on PlayStation 5 and PC than any other format. I am interested to see how well sales for Forza Horizon 5 go though, given that was released a lot longer ago and has had plenty of time to rack up a lot of sales.

I don’t think you can make any direct comparisons though because it’s all mixed in with Game Pass and Microsoft don’t give straight sales figures. I can’t see PlayStation fans not liking though and that’s got to mean that the next one, and probably every other Microsoft game, is going to be on PlayStation 5 right from the start. With Doom to come soon as well, Microsoft are one of the PlayStation 5’s biggest providers of quality games this year – much more so than Sony.
Teebo

Call for help
I’ll be honest, I had no idea Sony had even announced a release date for Ghost Of Yōtei, which I guess goes to prove the point in the recent Reader’s Feature. There’s no point me repeating the phrase ‘I don’t understand’, like everyone else, but needless to say I don’t.

If Sony don’t have a proper summer showcase this year, I’m just going to take that as a call for help from the execs. Maybe they should just let PlayStation be sold to Xbox. Microsoft is desperate to be in charge and has tons of games coming up but Sony feels like the opposite.

At least put Microsoft in charge of their software department, since most of the best PlayStation 5 games lately are ex-Xbox games. Strange, isn’t it?
Cubby

Splinter group
Very glad to hear Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is doing well; I had no idea it was the highest rated game on Metacritic. I also did not know that the developer was made up of a bunch of ex-Ubisoft people. I hope Ubisoft is looking at the game’s success and wishing they hadn’t let these people go and let them make what they wanted instead.

Clair Obscur really seems the opposite of a Ubisoft game: it’s original, it’s innovative, and it looks and feels very French. Ubisoft spend all their time trying to appeal to American gun nuts and then we find out that the games their developers would rather be making are a lot more interesting.

Not particularly picking on Ubisoft, I bet it’s like that at most other publishers. Probably most other creatives anywhere.
Sanky

Console required
Regarding the Golf Story offer, I did create an account, so I was all ready to go on the day. When I tried to buy the game, it asked me to turn on my Switch console to purchase it, so alas it wasn’t possible to purchase it without having an actual Switch console to hand.

This was the message I received on the E-shop website: ‘In order to continue, please access Nintendo eShop on the console linked to this Nintendo Account.’

It’s a shame it didn’t give me the opportunity to purchase a digital code, because that was an option with the Mario platformers I was looking at. I will just wish list it now and wait for a better offer. Can’t see it being down to 2 quid though, until at least Black Friday, and I don’t want to wish the year away. Hopefully Everybody’s Golf isn’t far away.
Charlie H

Summer holidays
That ‘explanation’ for why the Switch 2 is coming out in June sounds like baloney to me. Maybe I’m being overly cautious but when I buy a brand new £400 console it’s not my first thought to take it on holiday with me to the beach.

My actual first thought is to sit at home and play it for endless hours, which is not really that convenient in the sweltering heat of summer, whether I’m on holiday or not. We all know big games aren’t usually released in the summer and neither are consoles, for good and obvious reasons.

I’d say this is at least 80% down to GTA 6. Yes, Nintendo were running out of new games and probably wanted to just get the console out there but there’s no way June makes sense unless you’re trying to stay out of the way of Rockstar.
Chuck Rock

Just ask
My secret to preordering the Switch 2? Walked into Currys a week after they started taking pre-orders and asked to pre-order one. Only thing is I had to pay in full upfront, but at least I don’t have to worry about paying for it in June now.

This morning, I randomly really wanted to play a game I haven’t played in years. Couldn’t remember its name for about an hour and suddenly remembered: Shadow Hearts. Between the first two games (and Vagrant Story), I spent many a happy hour. Both had such unique battle mechanisms; I would really love to see them remastered but it’s unlikely to ever happen (considering Shadow Hearts’ studio doesn’t make games anymore and I don’t think Vagrant Story was a success).

Finally, I’ve seen a lot of talk about golf games recently, but what’s the best mini/adventure golf game? I remember thoroughly enjoying Rugrats mini golf back on the N64 but haven’t played any in years. Any recommendations (with a decent single-player campaign ideally) are welcome.

Keep up the good work!
Solabound

GC: Is that from Rugrats In Paris: The Movie? Either way, you could try Cursed To Golf or What The Golf?

Strange timing
I would kill for more Advance Wars games on the Switch 2. I don’t particularly want to use mouse controls with them, but if showing the option off is the price for getting the game made then I’m all for it.

I agree that Kid Icarus: Uprising not getting a Switch 2 is pretty crazy too. I really have no idea who would ever be interested in Kirby: Air Riders or how Nintendo could have possibly thought it was a good idea to release it the same year as a new Mario Kart.

That’s the sort of thing you save until the middle of the generation, because there is no new Mario Kart. Very hard to understand.
Jimbo

Prequel preference
So, since I had the luck, and I say that as an understatement, of pre-ordering the Nintendo Switch Mario Kart World bundle three weeks ago, directly off Amazon in the UK, it has unfortunately sold out at essentially every retailer. I figured to myself, why not double the fun?

So, it’s no secret that Nintendo has their own version of Final Fantasy; Xenoblade Chronicles to be more concrete. It’s a renowned franchise, that’s spawned a trilogy and continues to flourish, as the centrepiece of Nintendo’s exclusives. So today I take a trip to town and pursue the Nintendo section, at everyone’s favourite second-hand retailer. Probably the only second-hand retailer left in the UK.

I’m pondering which exclusive to cash in my £32 store voucher and I was considering buying The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom. However, there’s an upcoming prequel for it releasing soon, in Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Imprisonment. So I finally settled on 2025’s mammoth release, Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition.

The second reason I passed on Tears Of The Kingdom is the fact that it is releasing, alongside the first instalment as an enhanced version, for £64.99. That is the version I plan to pick up, in the future, alongside Breath Of The Wild. I’ve always desired to try out and experience Xenoblade, as a first time gamer and a newcomer.

When my Nintendo Switch 2 is finally in my hands, my wish will transcend to an exciting and lengthy playthrough. On a side note. I’d also appreciate Eternal Darkness on the GameCube emulator. That is another title that I’ve been waiting to experience; a journey of twisted insanity.
Shahzaib Sadiq

GC: You could’ve bought Tears Of The Kingdom for Switch 1 and paid £7.99 to upgrade it on Switch 2. We assume the CeX price was considerably less than £64.99.

Inbox also-rans
GC, please tell me, how come online gaming on consoles is paid for but Steam is free?
Henry

GC: It has nothing to do with Steam per se, since online gaming is free on all PC and mobile games. Consoles are closed systems, where the console manufacturers themselves maintain most of the servers and services. Charging for that is an important part of their business model.

I’m surprise we’ve never had a Resident Evil kart racer. I’d rather have one than all those lame multiplayer games they keep making.
Madson

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