180°

Best Xbox Game Studios Franchises

These are some of the best and most popular video game franchises now owned by Xbox Game Studios and Microsoft.

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gamefreaks365.com
Sciurus_vulgaris896d ago (Edited 896d ago )

Microsoft was involved with Halo, Gears, Forza, Ori, Flight Simulator and Fable from early development, I will give them credit for those franchises. Fallout, Elder Scrolls and Doom were established franchise before being acquired by MS.

Crows90895d ago (Edited 895d ago )

Exactly. They had nothing to do with their most popular franchises now.

Their old franchises are dwindling and pretty much non-existent.

They've had perfect dark in the chamber this whole time and haven't done squat...that tells you the kind of company they are. Fable is another franchise that's been destroyed and ignored...let's see how the new game turns out.

Profchaos894d ago

Yeah perfect dark, banjo conquer ms seems to kill more franchises then they like to admit while pretending to care about others like hexen

Sitdown895d ago

Given the article specifically says "now owned", what made you feel the need to do a break down?

thesoftware730894d ago

Sit-down,

Because it's N4G and any opportunity to shit on MS is never missed.

Rude-ro895d ago

Gears is not.
It was the same as mass effect:
Just contracted.

closed_account896d ago (Edited 896d ago )

Ah yes, feels like forever ago since Microsoft created Skyrim. So much so, I had actually forgotten they had created it and the other Elder Scrolls games! 🤔

*They really shaped my preteen years w the original Doom too!

ocelot07895d ago

Don't forget the original Elder Scrolls way back in 1994 or fallout in 1997.

Sitdown892d ago

So you don't understand the combination of "now owned"?

Crows90895d ago (Edited 895d ago )

I fully expect all these popular franchises to be killed off by Microsoft. Just a matter of time.

Unless they take a huge distance approach which pretty much means they don't ba e anything to do with the games being made ...in that case the franchises should be fine. But then...they shouldn't really get credit.

DOMination-895d ago

"I fully expect all these popular franchises to be killed off by Microsoft. Just a matter of time."

Based on what?? Microsoft usually gets stick for releasing too MANY games in their franchises, to the point where it's quite a long-running joke - one I'm sure you've partaken in before.

Pretty much all of their major IP has had releases in the last five years or have upcoming releases scheduled so I see no evidence whatsoever for this claim.

"Unless they take a huge distance approach which pretty much means they don't ba e anything to do with the games being made"

But.. They HAVE been very hands-off for a long time and have drawn lots of criticism for it?

fr0sty894d ago

See: All of Rare's games

DOMination-894d ago

I really wouldn't say that MS have let Rare franchises die. They've just had the freedom to create new IP in Sea of Thieves and Everwild. MS are currently developing a Perfect Dark game, licensed Killer Instinct out, Rare themselves released several compilations and several Banjo games as well as PDZ in the past.

I'm not sure what else you could want. They can only make one game at a time. You can't say MS let all their franchises die but also be annoyed that they allow their studios to make new IP.

Profchaos894d ago

If that's the case where my banjo or conquer sequel why didn't I get sunset overdrive 2 oh yeah not enough bro in those games

ChasterMies895d ago (Edited 895d ago )

EA is a good example of what can happen to a franchise when a larger corporation buys up studios from a smaller corporation. Quarterly earnings should never matter more than quality.

wiz7191894d ago

@Crows that is the case , Zenimax is operating independently of MS and have full creative freedom to do what they want. Zenimax games aren’t being published under XGS ,

ravens52895d ago

Soon Microsoft will be known for making Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, Candy Crush, Call of Duty etc. Lmao they know what they're doing. Especially with the archiving issue the gaming industry has.

closed_account895d ago (Edited 895d ago )

Microsoft built the game industry. Microsoft invented games. Didn't you know? ;)

**What a bizzaro world we live in where the losers can become the winners overnight.

Hypertension140895d ago

@ravens52

What are those franchises you're talking about?
Activision/Blizzard only makes Call of Duty and Bethesda has Elder Scrolls and Starfield only, stop making it seen that is much more anti competitive/consumer than it actually is.......

Profchaos894d ago

Zero creative vision and the ability to bankroll it by purchasing everything that everyone else had success with even Halo wasn't technically theirs Bungie had to sell it to them to become independent

Atari6052B895d ago

You mean any studio Microsoft could acquire to flog last gen games on game pass ... What happened to HD-DVD that Microsoft pushed so hard ...

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160°

Forza Horizon 5 PS5 port tops 5 million sales, securing $300m in additional sales for Xbox

Forza Horizon 5 has reportedly sold more than 5 million copies on PS5.

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eurogamer.net
ocelot075d ago

I happily contributed during the Christmas sale.

Eonjay4d ago

All are winners here. Especially Microsoft who actually has a audience now that will buy their games. While I do miss the competition from Microsoft as a consumer, it is nice getting those games without having to buy another console and get another subscription. I just wish they released proper physical games.

ocelot074d ago

Yup fully 100% agree with you. On one hand I'm sad the way Xbox as a platform as gone. On another hand as you said one console is all you need really now for majority of games.

Wish they did release this physically as well as age of empires, flight sim, age of mythology.

Lightning774d ago

Xbox guys still buy games. Gotta kill this narrative.

fr0sty3d ago

It's a hard narrative to kill when MS confirms it by having to reach out to other platforms in order to get sales.

Lightning773d ago

@Frosty as usual you make no sense. With your logic then PS needs PC since those games are on there and HD2, deathstranding on Xbox. They're reaching out for sales because console is no longer enough.

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Agent755d ago

More reason for Microsoft to ditch Xbox and release on PS and PC. Imagine if Nintendo stopped faffing on with consoles, their games would reach eye popping sales, but they love control and that's losing them millions or billions a year. Mario Kart 8 and World on PS5 and PC, what sales would they hit?

Sgt_Slaughter5d ago (Edited 5d ago )

This comment makes absolutely zero sense. Nintendo is never leaving the console industry as a manufacturer; they have the second highest selling system of all-time, and some of the highest attachment rate of any developer ever. The PS5 won't even touch Switch 1 sales, so why would Nintendo even entertain the idea of this? MK8D sold 70 MILLION UNITS on the Switch. That is the "eye popping sales" you're going on about, if anything Sony wants that for their games that they never get.

Agent754d ago

What you're saying is, if Nintendo ditched consoles, it wouldn't make a bigger killing from releasing all of its games on PlayStation and PC, maybe even Xbox if Microsoft grows a backbone? Mario Kart 8 and Breath of the Wild as examples, what sales would Nintendo hit on PlayStation 5, PC and Xbox Series X? Nintendo could still bang on with controllers, joycons and cams etc. to bulk up its profits. Nintendo has been holding back its fans for years now when it comes to tech. Last time it was up there was with the GameCube and that generation, it was the second most powerful console, Xbox being top in terms of tech, followed by PlayStation 2 then Dreamcast. Average tech holds back AAA games, the Switch 2 is apparently up there with PlayStation 4 tech. I agree that the Switch has pulled off some amazing games, although some games were Wii U ports. I understand that Nintendo will never leave the console industry, but it most definitely has missed the boat when it comes to maximising game profits. Nintendo has only been on top (not handhelds) with the NES, Super NES, Wii and Switch, but the Switch is a handheld console, Nintendo skipped that generation and didn't release a home console and that's also the case with the Switch 2. The Switch isn't anything new to a certain extent, as SEGA's Nomad and Sony's PSP could be connected to a TV. Some gamers can't accept that Nintendo pulled out of the home console market with the release of the Switch, comparing to sales of home consoles is a pointless exercise. I don't care about PC gaming, but I hope Microsoft ditches consoles for PC and PlayStation. Most gamers are fed up with all these consoles and game sales at an all-time low, gaming does need a single format. One tech, we all choose which brand we want to buy and that's it. It has never done the likes of VHS, DVD and Blu-ray any harm and someone mentioned on here a number of years ago, owning a Sony DVD player, you could only watch Sony produced movies and play Sony produced music CDs.

5d ago Replies(6)
DivineHand1255d ago

I agree. Nintendo is leaving billions on the table. If they left console gaming behind and let us say released a mainline Pokémon game on android and IOS, in addition to console and PC, I cannot imagine the amount of profit they would enjoy.

Modern phones are good enough to play most Nintendo switch games so if they made a mobile controller that can interface with android and IOS phones, they could port games like Mario Kart 8 to mobile phones and other consoles. I am sure they would be enjoying sales from both their own unique controllers and the game sales itself.

The only thing they stand to lose is the 30% cut from all software sales being released on their system. Perhaps they believe they can earn more from that vs sales of their own IPs on other platforms.

Agent754d ago

Mario Kart 8 apparently hit just under 70 million sales on Wii U and Switch, although that figure includes the game packaged with the console, so I'm not sure on single game sales (disc, card and download). No Nintendo console out there, I think Mario Kart 8 would've hit bigger sales when you add Android and IOS, which is a good point. Nintendo's games don't exactly need ground breaking tech, but if that was there with a single format, Nintendo could then keep up. Don't get me wrong, I love the Switch and Switch 2, but PS4 tech games going into 2026 and onwards, again, it's a limited console from Nintendo.

BehindTheRows5d ago (Edited 5d ago )

Nintendo games already reach eye popping sales. In fact, neither PlayStation nor Nintendo really HAVE to put their games on other systems. Even Sony's PC releases don't sell anything big (outsold of outliers like Helldivers II).

That said, I agree about Microsoft with Xbox. Outside of being a gateway to Game Pass, they should drop the platform and cut their losses. Stick it out as a 3rd Party pub and make bank that way.

5d ago
Neonridr4d ago

so what.. just have PlayStation in the console space? Great news for innovation and pushing each other to be better.

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neutralgamer19925d ago (Edited 5d ago )

Yeah it makes way too much business sense for these games not to be on PS and PC. If it's 300 million Sony got 90 million from simply allowing the sale of the game. MS need to get the development house in order so these games can come out at the same time that's when you make real big money

5d ago
Eonjay4d ago

This is correct. There is a lost sale aspect by not being available day and date on PlayStation. Halo is day and date so everything else should be too. This may not be possible all the times but they are not served at all by taking the Forza 6 route. No one is buying and Xbox or getting GamePass to play the next Forza. When the realize this they will just enforce day and date for all games.

4d ago
Eonjay4d ago

Halo is coming out after FH6...

VenomUK4d ago

@Wommens @Potdy Keep creating those alt accounts!
The truth is Forza, Gears and Halo and Starfield and the WHOLE SLATE will be going to PlayStation.
Microsoft has sold more copies of Forza on PS5 then it did on Xbox Series S/X.
The RAM price rise could lead to the 'Xbox PC' being delayed - if that happens Microsoft might not release it at all.

Stop running defence for a trillion-dollar company that doesn't know you exist.

maximusprime_5d ago

The way I see it, most racing gamers prefer playing on Playstation. It has been so since PS1.

As I said before, that Forza Horizon 5 would do well on PS5. So I was right

Sgt_Slaughter5d ago

Racing games have primarily been an arcade + PC endeavor in-terms of popularity. GT and Forza pale in comparison to the decades of arcade/PC simulator racing games that defined the genre. iRacing, Assetto Corsa, Rfactor, NR2003, Automobilista, GTR 2/GT Legends, GPL, GP4, Daytona USA, Richard Burns Rally, SEGA Rally, Virtua Racing, etc..

Console games have only just started on the path to comparing to them, but even then, the physics on PC are unmatched.

BehindTheRows5d ago

Again you don't know what you're talking about. Daytona/SEGA Rally, as examples, never sold ANYWHERE NEAR what GT has and has never been as popular either (particularly in EU). Put out a new Daytona and GT8 and watch the latter absolutely dog walk it in sales. On top of that, most of those games are very different from one another. They can co-exist. If you want to go there, the highest selling "racing" series is Mario Kart. Hint: console. It hasn't been an Arcade + PC > console for a very long time.

badz1494d ago

all those games combined didn't sell as much as Gran Turismo

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30°

Best PS5 Games of 2025 - 10 Essential Picks To Play Right Now

Looking for your next PlayStation 5 game? Browse our best PS5 games of 2025 with quick summaries, pricing notes, and links to each full review.

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spawningpoint.com
60°

Forza Horizon 5 PS5 Review - Xbox’s Festival Becomes PS5s Showcase Open-World Racer

This Forza Horizon 5 PS5 review breaks down visuals, handling, content, and the key PS5 Pro enhancements that make this the definitive console version.

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spawningpoint.com
Abnor_Mal32d ago

I’ll try it out if it ever comes to PS Plus.