An Xbox racing game on the PS5 sold millions. Another indication that shows that the Xbox is becoming less significant as a console. MeinMMO editor Benedikt Schlotmann believes this is an important sign that Xbox as a brand is becoming increasingly important for Microsoft, but the console itself is likely to lose significance.
Those who had to choose between an Xbox or a PlayStation often looked at the exclusive titles. Because with such “system sellers” they gave customers an incentive to buy the console. After all, a Pokémon game can only be played on a Nintendo console.
While companies like Sony or Nintendo hold more or less tightly onto these exclusives, Microsoft has taken a different path in recent weeks and months: It has gradually released key Xbox titles not only for PC but also for the “hostile” platform: By now, you can easily play Halo, Forza Horizon, and several other titles on the PS5.
And the release of Forza Horizon 5 for the PS5 was a surprise: Because the Xbox racing game dominated the sales charts on the PS5 for a long time. According to the official press release Forza Horizon 5 has now sold over 5 million copies on the PS5, making it one of the most successful games of 2025.
And this is also a bad sign for all players who had hoped again for exclusive titles for “their” Xbox.
The Xbox is becoming increasingly insignificant as an exclusive platform
For some time now, there have been indications that the Xbox as a console is no longer exciting for the company from Redmond:
On the one hand, Microsoft has consciously decided to release the successor Forza Horizon 6 simultaneously with the PC and Xbox version for the PS5. This means that players who want to play Horizon 6 from May 2026 do not need an Xbox or a PC but can also play directly on their own PS5.
On the other hand, there are rumors that Microsoft is no longer focusing on specialized hardware for the next Xbox console. Instead, there is supposed to be normal PC hardware that ideally emulates the Xbox system. Not a good sign for people interested in a powerful Xbox.
Another point: There are rumors that Xbox will return as a gaming brand and label. Moving away from Microsoft Gaming and back to Xbox. Here, too, the brand is more in focus and less the console that one places under the television in the living room.
Essentially, this change of mind is not surprising. Because in 2025 alone, the sales figures for the Xbox have drastically dropped and it is considered the weakest year for Microsoft in terms of consoles. Worldwide, approximately only 2.11 million units of the Xbox Series X|S were sold in 2025, while Sony is said to have sold more than 14 million units during the same period (via statista.de). This also shows that things for the Xbox currently look anything but rosy.
For many, there will likely be little reason in the long run to buy an Xbox, as the lines between PC and consoles continue to blur. Especially if Microsoft sees Xbox more as a brand rather than a console. However, this could also mean the loss of important advantages of the Xbox: 6 things where PS5 and Xbox are simply better than a gaming PC
Your opinion is important to us!
Do you like the article? Then let us know!