Microsoft announced which Xbox-developed games will be released on competing consoles this year: Pentiment and Grounded from Obsidian Entertainment; Hi-Fi RUSH from Tango Gameworks/Bethesda Softworks; and Sea of Thieves from Rare. The company said the four titles will appear on PlayStation and Nintendo platforms in 2024.
Why Microsoft is releasing Xbox titles to competitors
Phil Spencer, CEO of Xbox, revealed last week that Microsoft would make four previously exclusive Xbox games available on rival platforms such as the PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. The move follows licensing terms — reported as content licenses between 5 and 10 years — that were part of the agreement used to secure regulatory approval in the United Kingdom for Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
Confirmed release dates and platforms
The company published specific release schedules and storefront details for each title.
- Pentiment (Obsidian Entertainment): a narrative-driven adventure noted for its award recognition and historical-inspired visual style, will launch on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch on February 22.
- Hi-Fi RUSH (Tango Gameworks/Bethesda Softworks): the award-winning action title will arrive on PlayStation 5 on March 19, with pre-orders opening in the PlayStation digital store on February 21.
- Grounded (Obsidian Entertainment): the cooperative survival adventure that reached 20 million players will come to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch on April 16.
- Sea of Thieves (Rare): the shared-world pirate adventure will be released on PlayStation 5 on April 30, and is available for PlayStation 5 players to add to their wishlist starting February 22. Microsoft said cross-play support across Xbox, PlayStation and PC will allow players to team up across platforms.
Announcement and context
The titles had already been rumored, and their revelation confirms earlier speculation. Many observers expected an announcement during Nintendo’s Direct presentation on Wednesday, Feb. 21, which focused on third-party games, but the official reveal appeared later on the Xbox blog.
“On Wednesday (21) we announced that four beloved Xbox games will be coming to Nintendo Switch and Sony platforms soon. The studios behind these acclaimed games leveraged their multiplatform experience to open the worlds they created to even more players and communities,” said Matt Booty, president of Xbox game content, in a statement.
Microsoft’s assessment of the games
Phil Spencer noted that each of the four announced games has been available on Xbox and PC for at least a year and has reached its “full potential” on those platforms. Microsoft described those titles as successful within its ecosystem.
