Christopher Dring, co-founder of The Game Business, made a statement in a podcast that later needed clarification.

Xbox’s current multiplatform strategy has confused some publishers and developers—to the point where, given the PlayStation’s market dominance, they no longer see the need to develop Xbox versions of their games. In the embedded podcast below, Dring commented on the state of the console market, noting that Sony now dominates more than ever. Most Xbox games released this year also hit PlayStation 5 on day one (DOOM: The Dark Ages, Gears of War: Reloaded), while Avowed and South of Midnight remain Xbox exclusives for now.

The Trouble With Going Multiplatform

Even though the strategy may pay off—with Xbox titles performing well on PlayStation—some developers feel confused. From their point of view, if Microsoft is abandoning its hardware focus in favor of multiplatform launches, then there’s no strong reason to invest in Xbox versions. Dring says Microsoft needs to find a balance moving forward.

Despite appearances, the Xbox Series consoles aren’t the final generation for Microsoft. The company is already working on next-gen hardware, including an Xbox-branded handheld with ASUS and a Series X successor, which is expected to mark the biggest generational leap in Xbox history. Still, with rising costs and market shifts, plans could change quickly.

Dring Clarifies His Comments

Apparently a line I said in my podcast has been picked up. It was the one around some publishers/developers being baffled by Xbox’s strategy of putting games on PS5, and questioning why they’d support Xbox if they’re not going to grow the console. Three things to clarify:

1.…

— Christopher Dring (@Chris_Dring) May 9, 2025

“Third-party support for Xbox is stronger than ever. We can see it in Game Pass, in their work with Square Enix, SEGA, etc. There is zero sign that people are turning away from Xbox (quite the opposite). That part of the podcast was highlighting the temporary challenge Xbox faces in keeping publishers happy while also pushing this multiplatform strategy. I don’t believe we’ll see many (if any) companies abandon Xbox, even if some are grumbling behind the scenes. The whole industry is going multiplatform. Ultimately, I think Xbox’s strategy is great. There’s just a short-term challenge that needs managing. But they’ll manage it. Xbox and Game Pass still offer one of the best deals in gaming,” wrote Dring.

Still, it remains to be seen how many publishers truly step away from Microsoft’s ecosystem.

Source: WCCFTech