Xbox Report Says "Latitude" Project Will Bring More Games to PlayStation Consoles
Will Halo Infinite end up on PS5?
A new report from Windows Central claims that Microsoft is planning to bring even more Xbox games to PlayStation 5. According to Jez Corden, the project has an internal codename of "Latitude." While Corden does not specifically say which games are going to make the move, his reporting claims that there isn't a "red line" regarding which titles can and cannot make the jump. He then goes on to mention the possibility of Halo Infinite selling a lot of copies on PS5, but also the concerns at Microsoft about the impact it could have on the Xbox brand.
Xbox Games Go Multi-Platform
It's not surprising that we might see more Xbox games make the jump to PlayStation; Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella hinted at just that during the company's recent 2024 third quarter earnings conference call. However, Corden's discussion of Latitude is part of an overall article about the company, and how Nadella seems to be prioritizing short term profits at the cost of long term faith from Microsoft users. Those statements echo what a lot of people have been saying over the last few months; if all of Microsoft's games become available on PS5, why should anyone actually buy an Xbox?
Microsoft has already seen some wins with its strategy of bringing games to PS5; since Xbox brought over games like Sea of Thieves, Pentiment, Hi-Fi Rush, and Grounded, sales have apparently been strong. Given how much Xbox has spent over the last few years between game development and acquiring publishers like Activision Blizzard and Bethesda, it makes sense that the company is looking to recoup some money. But it's easy to see how this strategy could backfire, hurting sales for the Xbox Series X|S as well as the company's next console.
Will Halo Come to PS5?
If Halo Infinite truly is making the jump to PS5, the timing is perfect; the second season of the show ended earlier this year on Paramount+, and this could be a way for the franchise to expand its audience. But Halo is a series that has always been associated with Xbox. Bringing Master Chief to PlayStation is like if Nintendo made Super Mario World playable on Sega Genesis. The move would have undoubtedly sold a lot of copies, but Nintendo might not be in the position it's in right now if the company had opted for a short term gain.
Video games are a costly investment; they take years to develop, and there are no guarantees when it comes to recouping costs. The Xbox brand was already in a difficult place at the start of this console generation, and things are arguably much worse right now. Moves like closing down beloved studios and taking away the incentive to own an Xbox console have left fans upset, and third-party publishers are wondering why they should continue to bring games to these systems. Nadella's current moves might make investors happy, but the long term impact remains to be seen.
Are you worried about the health of the Xbox brand? Do you think bringing these games to PS5 will hurt console sales? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
