Microsoft addresses uneven PlayStation launch timing
Summary
– Xbox admits PS5 launch timing has been inconsistent
– Development plans determine whether ports arrive day one
– Microsoft wants its games played by the widest audience possible
Xbox has acknowledged that its approach to PlayStation 5 releases has lacked consistency and says it is making changes to improve it going forward.
Playground Games is set to launch Fable on PS5 the same day it releases on Xbox Series X|S and PC, while Forza Horizon 6 will arrive later on the platform.
Xbox Game Studios head Craig Duncan explained that the difference comes down to development timelines, not favoritism or platform strategy.
Duncan admitted that Xbox has not always been aligned across platforms, noting that some titles launch everywhere at once, while others do not.
He noted that when strategy shifts during development, some projects can adapt to new goals while others are already too far along.
For Forza Horizon 6, the decision to bring the game to PS5 came when the team could not realistically deliver a simultaneous launch.
By comparison, the teams behind Fable and Double Fine’s upcoming game Kiln were able to align their schedules to support day-one PS5 releases.
Several upcoming Xbox titles still lack confirmed PS5 versions, leaving open questions about how consistent the rollout will be.
Duncan emphasized that Microsoft’s main objective is to get its games in front of as many players as possible.
That philosophy aligns with comments from Playground Games leadership, who have said that expanding the audience for their games remains the top priority.
