Microsoft will release more games this year than Sony.

Sony just held its State of Play event, its semi-regular showcase of upcoming games. But instead of a clear roadmap for PlayStation gamers, the event was filled with multiplatform titles, available on both Windows and Xbox. This reflects the dramatic change in the current gaming industry.

Development costs are outpacing console growth. Sony has seen slight user growth, but PCs are the industry's main growth driver. PlayStation now aggressively supports PCs, with exclusives like Helldivers 2 selling even better on Windows. God of War, Spider-Man, and more have come to PC, and it's possible that they'll be released simultaneously on PlayStation and PC in the future.

On the Xbox side, Microsoft was the first to expand to PC to attract new users, but this has had a serious impact on Xbox hardware sales, which have been declining for many consecutive quarters. To compensate, Microsoft is bringing games not only to PC but also to PlayStation. Call of Duty, Minecraft, Forza Horizon 5, Indiana Jones, Age of Empires… are all coming to PS5. Hellblade 2 is even expected to be released on PS5 this April.

Many people doubt that Microsoft can release more games on PS5 than Sony itself in 2025. This makes the Xbox community worry about the sustainability of the Xbox ecosystem.

Meanwhile, PlayStation has also been criticized for its lack of specific information about its long-term plans. Despite having blockbusters like Death Stranding 2 and Ghost of Yōtei, users still expect more from big studios like Naughty Dog, Insomniac or Sony Santa Monica.

However, most major titles, including PlayStation titles, will come to PC via Steam. PC is increasingly becoming the "optimal" platform for cross-platform gaming, especially as Steam expands its SteamOS operating system - a Linux platform for gaming - and prepares to enter the traditional console market.

However, PC gaming is still a challenge for many people - especially when it comes to TVs and controllers. But neither Xbox nor PlayStation have completely bowed to the PC.

Sony just announced 16% year-over-year hardware growth and 7% user growth. The PS5 Pro is part of the reason for Sony's year-end sales surge. Microsoft, meanwhile, doesn't release Xbox user numbers, but hardware sales are clearly down, due to a lack of marketing and promotion investment. Still, Xbox is working on a new console generation, and the hardware has moved beyond the initial proposal stage. The next challenge is how to attract developers to bring games to the Microsoft Store, something that has so far been unsuccessful.

Jessica Tanner

Update 15 May 2025