- Microsoft is prioritizing audience growth over console exclusivity, aiming to put games on every screen.
- Major Xbox franchises like Fable, Halo, and Forza are confirmed or expected to launch on PlayStation.
- The year features heavy hitters like GTA 6, a Tomb Raider remake, and a new Star Wars racing title.
Microsoft’s whole “exclusives win consoles” mindset feels like it’s fading fast. Not too long ago, choosing between an Xbox and a PlayStation actually felt like picking a side. You bought a console for the games you couldn’t get anywhere else.
Now, that line is getting blurrier by the year, and honestly, it feels like Microsoft is done playing the old console war game.
Back in the day, Xbox exclusives were a big deal. They were a reason to commit to the platform. But over time, Sony built its own lineup that pulled players hard in the other direction, and Xbox slowly shifted focus.
Instead of fighting for exclusivity, Microsoft started chasing reach. More players, more platforms, more screens. Less “our console only,” more “our games everywhere.”
Upcoming Xbox Games on Multiple Platforms
Xbox Game Studios head Craig Duncan has confirmed with almost certainty that Microsoft is pursuing a strategy of releasing games on as many platforms as possible. In a recent interview, he stated that “As the guy that gets to run studios and help our game teams, I take a pretty simple view on this: we want our games to reach the most players that we can. That’s always our goal. It’s rarely more complicated than that. It’s like, how can we get this game to as many players as we can?”
At the Xbox Developer Direct in January 2026, four games were shown to the public. These included Forza Horizon 6, Fable, and Kiln, all made by Playground Games and Double Fine. Of these, Fable and Kiln are scheduled to hit PlayStation on the first day of launch. Forza 6 is expected to be released sometime after its launch on the native console.
Working Out Release Dates
When asked about why some will be available on release and others at later dates, Microsoft has given development variables as the reason. This also depends on how big the team is and if plans change. This can result in inconsistencies.
The last of these games will be Halo: Campaign Evolved. This will be a major show of the shifting nature of Microsoft’s tactics to games, as the Xbox’s once flagship game makes its way to a rival. The same is expected with the new Gears of War instalment’s arrival. All of these signals that it may be the end of days when games were exclusive to Xbox.
Crossplay Issues
What Microsoft does get from these releases is access to new players, and they often do that through the creation of accounts to play the game. People must sign up for a Microsoft account, and this is mandatory. This is also the case if you buy it on Steam.
This has really annoyed many players and buyers. When doing so, you gain one license, so you can only play on one format at any time. It has been criticised as you don’t gain access to cross progression. A
Account linking has also been criticised as being loaded with bugs, with many people having to reconnect multiple times. There is also no trophy or achievement autosync.
A lot of players have started taking a different route instead of dealing with slow progression and messy account systems. That’s where Forza Horizon 5 accounts come into the picture. Some of these accounts are now seen as high-value because they come loaded from the start, with cars, credits, and unlocks already in place.
For players who just want to jump straight into racing instead of grinding for weeks, it’s an easy shortcut from beginner status to feeling like a top-tier driver on day one.
Upcoming 2026 Xbox Games
The rest of the year looks set for big releases on the Xbox system from a range of developers. At the head of this pack lies GTA 6, scheduled for a November launch. The delays have done nothing to dampen the excitement, instead showing everyone that Rockstar knows it has to be perfect.
All that is really known is that the role of dual protagonists will be adopted as you go across an open world as Lucia and Jason.
Old favourites will also return, as Lara Croft gets on her Tomb Raider outfit in Legacy of Atlantis, a remake of the 1996 smash. This will take the gaming icon back to her roots in the hunt for a mysterious artifact, with the addition of new surprises. All this will be just in time for the release of the new movie.
Star Wars will also add a new title to its long line of games with Galactic Racer. This will add to a long line of Star Wars racing games. This will see you take part in an off-grid circuit race in the galaxy’s outer rim.
Plenty of outliers will also be released, which could come from nowhere and become hits of the year. Square Enix is bringing another JRPG to the fore with The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales. You take the form of an explorer who has a fairy sidekick who helps you upgrade and take on huge boss enemies.
Thus, the future looks bright for Xbox users and those wanting to play their games on other consoles. You will need accounts for many, but hopefully, issues will soon be resolved, especially if Microsoft plans to do this regularly.
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