Xbox's Q2 sales dominate PlayStation's storefront, holding 60% of the top 10 game sales positions
In the dynamic world of video gaming, the console market is witnessing a significant shift as Microsoft's Xbox and Sony's PlayStation square off in a battle for supremacy.
As of mid-2025, Sony's PlayStation 5 remains the best-selling console globally, maintaining strong unit sales throughout the year. However, Microsoft's Xbox titles are increasingly dominating PlayStation 5's best-selling game charts. Six out of the top ten PS5 games in the U.S. during Q2 2025 were published by Microsoft/Xbox Studios, including Forza Horizon 5 and major franchises like Minecraft and Call of Duty.
This trend reflects Xbox’s strategy of expanding its game portfolio and cross-platform availability, including bringing recent Xbox-published titles to PlayStation. This move has paid dividends in terms of sales and influence on the PS5 platform.
In the evolving console market, both companies have shifted strategies:
- Microsoft/Xbox has focused heavily on game publishing and subscription services (like Xbox Game Pass) to broaden its user base beyond Xbox hardware owners, effectively competing on game content rather than console exclusivity.
- Sony/PlayStation, while leading in hardware sales, has seen a narrower range of exclusive titles dominating sales charts compared to Xbox-published games. Sony continues to rely on its exclusive franchises (e.g., MLB: The Show 25, Death Stranding 2), but these are fewer in top sales compared to Microsoft-published games on PS5.
Sales data from the Americas through June 2025 also shows PlayStation 5 holding significant market share compared to Xbox Series X|S and new competitors like Nintendo Switch 2, though full detailed comparative figures were not available.
The console landscape is also seeing a rise in cross-platform collaboration. Recent PlayStation ports like DOOM: The Dark Ages, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Oblivion Remastered, and Forza Horizon have been successful on PlayStation's store. Square Enix has publicly committed to multiplatform releases, while the next Xbox is expected to support PC stores like Steam and the Epic Game Store.
AI is expected to have a role in the coming years in gaming, for better or worse. Meanwhile, Microsoft's Xbox division made significant layoffs over the past year, and Xbox Cloud Gaming should shed its beta tag later this year and potentially ramp up its marketing efforts.
As for the future, both Microsoft and Sony are working on new consoles. Microsoft's Xbox plans include OEM-built Xbox-branded PCs like the Xbox Ally from ASUS. Microsoft has also acquired games like Call of Duty and Minecraft, and Grand Theft Auto 6 could uptick console sales for PlayStation and Xbox until new hardware is introduced.
In summary, the console market is witnessing a shift from purely competing consoles to competing gaming ecosystems. Xbox is leveraging its content strategy to challenge Sony’s hardware lead, signaling a new era in the console wars.
- Microsoft's Xbox division is targeting a broader user base by focusing on game publishing and subscription services, such as Xbox Game Pass, expanding beyond Xbox hardware owners and competing on content rather than console exclusivity.
- Sony's PlayStation 5 has held impressive market share compared to competitors like the Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2, but its sales are being challenged by a high number of newly successful Xbox-published games on the PS5 platform.
- The success of cross-platform collaboration is evident in recent games like DOOM: The Dark Ages, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Oblivion Remastered, and Forza Horizon being popular on PlayStation's store due to ports, and Square Enix commitments to multiplatform releases.
- In the coming years, both Microsoft and Sony are working on new consoles, with Microsoft planning to release OEM-built Xbox-branded PCs like the Xbox Ally from ASUS and attending to acquire popular games like Call of Duty and Minecraft, which may uptick console sales until the release of new hardware.
