Over the past weekend, reports surfaced about Xbox potentially bringing Starfield and a number of other exclusives to competitor’s platforms including PlayStation. Now, further digging into recently posted job listings at developer 343 Industries suggests that the next mainline Halo game could be released on all platforms and won’t be tied down as an Xbox exclusive.
As spotted by Game Vro, a 343 Industries job listing was recently posted seeking a Lead Game Systems Designer. The job description briefly mentions that an upcoming, unannounced Halo title will be accessible “for all players on all platforms.” Adding a bit more fuel to the fire, Windows Central’s Jez Corden recently tweeted, “you’ll see Halo on PlayStation eventually I reckon.”
It’s unlikely that Halo Infinite will be released on PlayStation, according to the same report, as it will remain an Xbox exclusive. However, future Halo titles might get the multi-platform treatment and we’ll eventually see the franchise land on PlayStation consoles for the first time.
All of this is part of a rumoured new strategy at Microsoft to expand the reach of its first-party games to other platforms after the company apparently “weighed the pros and cons” of launching its titles on competitor’s hardware, figuring that money lost via dwindling Xbox Series X/S hardware sales could be recouped with a multi-platform approach to its software. Microsoft has yet to officially comment on the matter so we’ll have to wait and see how this plays out.
Last month, Microsoft made the decision to lay off around 1,900 employees from across its gaming divisions including Xbox, Bethesda and the recently acquired Activision Blizzard. An internal email sent to employees from Microsoft’s head of gaming, Phil Spencer, reads:
““It’s been a little over three months since the Activision, Blizzard and King teams joined Microsoft. As we move forward in 2024, the leadership of Microsoft Gaming and Activision Blizzard is committed to aligning on a strategy and an execution plan with a sustainable cost structure that will support the whole of our growing business. Together, we’ve set priorities, identified areas of overlap and ensured that we’re all aligned on the best opportunities for growth.”
Source: Game Vro
