Xbox Game Studios head Craig Duncan has announced plans for more consistent releases of its games on PlayStation 5, addressing past irregularities in launch timings. The upcoming Fable reboot will launch simultaneously on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PS5, while Forza Horizon 6 will arrive on Sony's console later. This shift aims to broaden the audience for Xbox titles amid financial pressures.
Xbox Game Studios is moving toward a more standardized approach to multiplatform releases, particularly for PlayStation 5. In an interview with GamesRadar, studio head Craig Duncan acknowledged the company's previous inconsistencies, noting that its 2025 slate included six first-party games on PS5 with varied launch windows. "Sometimes we are inconsistent. You see some games in one place, some games in multiple places," Duncan said. "Just know that we're going to work on that, and we're going to try and be more consistent with what we do."
This pledge reflects Microsoft's strategy to maximize reach for its games, especially after acquiring studios like Activision and Bethesda. Development constraints mean not all titles will launch simultaneously; Duncan explained, "There's always development realities about when these projects start." For instance, the Fable reboot from Playground Games is set for a day-one release across Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PS5, highlighting the studio's push for broader accessibility. Duncan praised early builds of Fable, calling its "Living Population" and combat "mind-blowing" and predicting it will be "massively shareable" for RPG fans.
In contrast, Forza Horizon 6 will launch first on Xbox and PC, with a PS5 version following later, similar to the approach for Grounded 2. Duncan attributed staggered releases to limited resources: "Not everything is limitless. So we just want to do the best job, by each platform, by each game." The financial rationale is clear from past successes; Forza Horizon 5 has sold approximately 5 million copies on PS5 since its April 2025 launch, according to Alinea Analytics.
These changes come amid broader challenges, including studio closures like The Initiative, which cancelled the Perfect Dark reboot, and Rare's Everwild project. Duncan described such decisions as painful but necessary for resource allocation: "Sometimes business decisions have to be made, which have wide reach and impact. We don't like doing that."
Overall, the strategy prioritizes player access and revenue growth, potentially at the expense of Xbox console exclusivity.
