According to Polygon, Xbox Game Studios head Craig Duncan clarified the company’s multiplatform strategy in a new interview. He stated that while reaching the largest audience is the primary goal, day-one PS5 releases aren’t guaranteed for every title. For example, Playground Games’ Fable is confirmed for a fall release on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X simultaneously. However, Playground’s other title, Forza Horizon 6, hits PC and Xbox on May 19, but its PS5 version won’t arrive until sometime in 2026. Duncan framed this delay as a development resource issue, not a strategic exclusivity play, and admitted the company has been inconsistent but is working to be “more consistent.”
The new actual rule
Here’s the thing: reading between the lines, Duncan basically confirmed that day-one PS5 releases are now the default plan for Xbox Game Studios titles. The old mindset of holding games back to sell Xbox consoles? That’s done. He couldn’t be clearer: “reaching as many players as possible is the number one priority.” So when a game doesn’t launch on PS5 day-one, like Forza Horizon 6 or last year’s Avowed, we’re supposed to see it as a logistical hiccup, not a feature.
Why the exceptions then?
But let’s be real. Calling it a “development reality” is a convenient catch-all. It covers a lot of ground. Maybe the Forza team truly didn’t have the bandwidth or the PS5 dev kits early enough. Or maybe, just maybe, there’s still a tiny bit of business calculus left. Forza Horizon 5 only hit PS5 nine months ago and is still selling well—so is there a huge rush for the sequel? Probably not. Duncan’s other point about not releasing a port until it’s “the best that it can be” is fair, but it also gives them a perfect, player-friendly excuse for any delay. It’s a smart, flexible stance.
What this means for players and the console war
For gamers, this is mostly great news. More people get to play great games without buying a specific plastic box. The so-called “console war” narrative takes another major hit, which is healthy for the industry. But it does make you wonder about the future of the Xbox hardware itself. If every major first-party game is guaranteed elsewhere, what’s the compelling reason to choose an Xbox Series X over a PS5 or a PC? Game Pass remains a huge value, but Microsoft is slowly dismantling the traditional exclusivity pillar that has propped up console sales for decades.
For developers under the Xbox Game Studios umbrella, this clarity is a double-edged sword. The pressure is on to plan for multiplatform from the very start, which adds complexity. But the potential reward is a much larger player base and more revenue. The inconsistency Duncan admits to must have been a nightmare for studio heads trying to plan their projects. Now, the directive seems simpler: target everywhere, and if you can’t, have a good reason ready.
strategy-still-in-motion”>A strategy still in motion
So, is this all settled? Not quite. Duncan’s purview doesn’t even include the Bethesda or Activision Blizzard teams, which operate under their own publishing labels. Will Call of Duty or the next Elder Scrolls follow this “day-one where possible” rule? That’s a billion-dollar question. What Microsoft has done, though, is set a new baseline expectation. The rule is multiplatform. The exceptions will be explained away as development hurdles. It’s a messy, evolving transition, but the direction is unmistakable. The walled garden has a very open gate now. You can read more of Duncan’s comments in the interview with GamesRadar.
