Xbox goes Multiplat – What’s the Gameplan?

Xbox are making their games multiplatform, this is a known fact. 4 games became no red lines and given recent high profile cancellations and titles MIA, they need all the extra revenue they can get. Rather annoyingly though, I can’t put my finger on what the gameplan is.

It probably goes without saying that older titles won’t be making the move – Sunset Overdrive, Quantum Break and Rare Replay to name a few (the few that I really want ported). When we’re looking at games, it’ll almost definitely be more recent ones or the big franchise titles. Of course you also have to look at where in the timeline of development games were when the strategy shift was decided. Doom: The Dark Ages, The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion remake and The Outer Worlds 2 were most likely always going to hit other platforms since their predecessor games were there.

Avowed is one of Xbox’s big 2025 titles, a new IP (Kind of) from Obsidian. I have no doubt this one makes it to other platforms, probably around the 1 year anniversary. I don’t imagine this was by design but rather given The Outer Worlds 2 is also by Obsidian and that launches October, having space between the two of them would be good.

I'm surprised that both South of Midnight and the upcoming Keeper weren't on Playstation from the get go - I assume Microsoft has to balance the exclusivity of a brand new IP and also giving a brand new IP the best chance they can get. These two are a shoe in for 2026 ports and honestly these are two I'm most excited for

Hellblade 2 is a 2024 title that recently saw a release on PS5. I’m surprised it wasn’t on there from the get go and even more surprised they ported it all given the somewhat poor reception the game got.

Gears of War: Reloaded, a remaster of the first game, just launched on all Platforms. I assume this is to prepare for E-Day, the prequel title set to release next year – presumably releasing on all platforms. I’ve not kept up with Gears post 3 but 4 and 5 seem to be continuing a story – I don’t know if 5 didn’t do very well and that’s why they’re doubling back for a prequel but if the Gears following E-Day is 6 then there’s 2-5 and Judgement they’ll have to get on Playstation somehow. I don’t think the Fenix collection is happening (Unless the sales of Reloaded are the decider). As for Gears Tactics, that’s probably never happening either.

The Halo series has been treading water for a good while now since the release of Infinite in 2021. That title was met with mixed reception - not a good look since the title before, Halo 5: Guardians released a full six years prior also to mixed reception. The Masterchief Collection seems to be the series’ best hope – comprised of Bungie’s original Quintology (1/2/3/ODST/Reach) and Halo 4, the game is easily the most active and still gets updates. This would be the obvious choice for a port, even if 5 and Infinite would be harder sells on their own. We have confirmation that one of the new Halo projects is being announced in October and rumours have it as a remake of the original, Combat Evolved. Personally I’m hoping this isn’t true because then you have a Gears situation. As with the aforementioned Gears Tactics, Halo Wars/2 and the Spartan assault games are unlikely to come across.

So what is the gameplan? There isn't one from the looks of it, I don't think we see true launch parity until the next lot of games are in development but E-Day, Clockwork Revolution and State of Decay 3 might be the ones leading that charge. The more games that can be played more places, the better and I'm glad Microsoft is championing that.