In the high-stakes battle of gaming consoles, Xbox’s struggle to keep pace with PlayStation’s sales has led to unrest among third-party game developers. The lack of expected sales performance has prompted a reevaluation of support for the Xbox platform by some of these studios.
Xbox Faces Headwinds
Since its launch as a flagship next-gen console on November 10, 2020, the Xbox Series X and S have not managed to outperform the PlayStation 5 in the sales arena. This is particularly true in recent times when sales have plateaued in Europe, leading to a reassessment of the console’s viability by several third-party game creators. Insights from GamesIndustry.biz revealed that whispers of discontent were circulating at the GDC event held last week.
The Xbox Query Sparked by Sales Slump
The downturn in sales that kicked off last year shows no signs of abating as we move through 2024. The situation is especially dire in Europe, where sales have plummeted. Chris Dring, president of GamesIndustry.biz, shared a revealing comment from a studio that had launched a significant title for the console last year, expressing bewilderment over their decision to invest in the platform. This sentiment seems to be gaining traction among other game studios as well.
Xbox’s chief, Phil Spencer, in a conversation with The Verge, highlighted the inevitable trend of games crossing over to other platforms. The future releases of Xbox-origin games such as Sea of Thieves, Pentiment, and Hi-Fi Rush on PlayStation and Nintendo Switch platforms are almost confirmed. This strategy shift by Xbox, currently perceived as the underdog in the console wars, will be crucial in determining its market position moving forward.
