Xbox's Multiformat Move to PS5 Seems to Be Working Out Very Well for Microsoft

Microsoft’s gradual transition to multiformat publisher appears to be working out well for the platform holder, as its hardware sales continue to torpedo but software sales increase. The trillion-dollar tech titan announced a five per cent year-over-year increase in gaming revenue for the quarter ending 31st March, with its Content and Services category offsetting a six per cent hardware decline. While that’s a smaller hardware slide than usual, it’s worth noting this number is compounded by several years of declines now.

Despite that, first-party software – which includes Bethesda and Activision Blizzard these days, of course – is doing well for the company, with its software and subscription sales up 8 per cent year-over-year. It’s largely attributing that rise to Call of Duty and Minecraft . It’s worth noting that the PS5 ports of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Forza Horizon 5 will be included in the next quarter, as will DOOM: The Dark Ages and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered .



And CEO Satya Nadella seems pretty positive about his company’s performance on PS5. “We ended the quarter as the top publisher by pre-orders and preinstalls on both Xbox and PS Store ,” he beamed..