Recent statistics reveal the remarkable success of Xbox’s strategic decision to port its first-party games to other consoles, notably exemplified by the triumph of Sea of Thieves on PlayStation.
PlayStation’s official blog disclosed its top downloaded games for May across PlayStation 5 and 4 platforms. Although exact figures remain undisclosed, Sea of Thieves emerges as the undisputed champion in the United States, Canada, and the European Union. This achievement is particularly noteworthy considering Sea of Thieves’ previous exclusivity to Xbox consoles until its release on PlayStation 5 on April 30.
Sea of Thieves’ dominance extended beyond AAA releases, outperforming titles such as Madden NFL 24, Grand Theft Auto 5, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. The charts also featured smaller titles like Killer Klowns from Outer Space: The Game and Another Crab’s Treasure.
This strategic shift by Xbox, announced in February, aimed to bring its first-party titles to a wider audience. Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment, Grounded, and Sea of Thieves were among the initial games announced for this initiative. While Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment, and Grounded were ported to Nintendo Switch and PlayStation consoles, Sea of Thieves exclusively sailed onto PlayStation 5.
Sea of Thieves’ success on PlayStation is attributed not only to its existing player base of 35 million on Xbox and PC but also to its crossplay support, allowing seamless multiplayer experiences across platforms.
According to Xbox Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, this strategic shift aligns with the company’s long-term vision of platform growth, game performance, and reaching as many players as possible. While not all Xbox first-party titles will be available day one on other consoles, as seen with Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 and other announcements during the Xbox Games Showcase, this move signifies Xbox’s commitment to expanding its reach beyond its traditional ecosystem.
