Jacob Curr
Image Credit: Xbox; Microsoft
Halo coming to PlayStation consoles, while unconfirmed, has likely never been closer to becoming a reality than it is in the present time. For years the hope of the legendary Halo franchise being made available for PlayStation could be nothing more than just that, hope and speculation, as the console wars raged on and the battle for supremacy between Microsoft and Sony meant that each would retain a tight-grip onto their precious exclusive IPs. Recent events and rumors, however, have led many to believe that a Halo port to PlayStation may not be as far-fetched as was once believed.
In January of this year it was reported that Microsoft was considering bringing Hi-Fi Rush and Sea of Thieves, two of their first-party exclusives, to PlayStation. This of course comes after the finalization for their acquisition of Activision Blizzard in October and subsequent promise by Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer to ensure the Call of Duty franchise remains on PlayStation for “as long as there is a PlayStation”. Then, in early February, it was reported by TheVerge that Microsoft was considering releasing their new Indiana Jones IP from Bethesda to PlayStation “some months” after its planned release to Xbox and PC in December 2024. Almost simultaneously, it was reported by the folks at XboxEra that their sources had confirmed to them that a port of Starfield to the PlayStation was also in the works.
Image Credits: Bethesda; Microsoft
Rumors suggest that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, originally thought to be an Xbox exclusive, may be coming to PlayStation sometime after it’s initial release. Likewise, Starfield is also reported to be coming to PlayStation sometime after the release of its “Shattered Space” DLC.
Why does Microsoft seem to be changing direction after years of exclusivity? It’s no secret that Xbox has been falling behind in console sales compared to some of the other major competitors. In 2023 Xbox X/S sales finished behind both the PS5 and Nintendo Switch, by 14.9 million units and 8.5 million units respectively. The poor performance of the current generation of Xbox in 2023 was likely in part due to the poor performance of many of their major exclusives that were released for the platform. In a year where Xbox and Microsoft really needed some big wins to flesh out the (arguably weak) collection of exclusives, their two big hitters – Redfall and Starfield – released to disappointing reception (the former much more so than the latter).
Meanwhile, Microsoft has made a considerable effort over the last several years to grow their subscription service, Xbox Game Pass, which was reported to have hit 30 million subscriptions in September of 2023. Microsoft likely understands and has accepted that Xbox will not overtake their competitors in the console space, at least for the current generation of consoles. Switching focus completely to the Game Pass, to producing quality games, and to getting those games onto as many screens as possible seems like a plausible next evolution of Xbox gaming – and would explain why some of their “exclusive” titles are starting to do away with the exclusivity.
What Does It Mean for Halo?
It is unknown whether or not Microsoft will allow Halo to be made available for PlayStation consoles in the future, or if these unlikely olive branches to Sony will become more of a common or rare sighting. With that said, if we expect this trend to continue, then Halo coming to PlayStation after over two decades of exclusivity has never seemed more possible than now.
Image Credit: Xbox; Microsoft
Halo coming to PlayStation would instantly become the biggest thing to happen to the franchise since its development officially transferred to Microsoft in 2011. Understandably, the move would likely be off-putting to many fans of Halo as the franchise has been paired with Xbox for over 20 years – it just wouldn’t feel right seeing it on a PlayStation. There are also many fans who probably really enjoy the exclusivity of Halo, and who would argue that if Sony is allowed to maintain their highly-acclaimed exclusives, then Xbox should be entitled to doing so too. BUT, if we could all for a moment look past the bloody console wars battlefield, then I think you’ll find that there are a ton of benefits to be found.
Almost instantly, Halo would be injected with tens of thousands of new players into its player base – specifically into Halo Infinite and the Master Chief Collection, if it also gets a port (which I believe would be likely). This would considerably improve the experience for those already playing these games on Xbox and PC as playlist density would improve, slowing wait times in between games and making all of the playlists more viable to play at all hours (something that the Halo games have always struggled with).
Much more intriguing to me as a massive fan of the franchise, however, are the long-term implications of a move to PlayStation. After the weirdness wears off, I believe that Halo would undoubtedly earn the love and admiration from PlayStation users just as it had within the Xbox community. All of those added eyes and ears would surely put additional pressure, motivation, and perhaps justification on Microsoft to actually live up to that hype. We’re talking additional support for Halo Infinite and beyond. We’re talking larger support for the Halo franchise to begin exploring the side-stories of the universe again, akin to the likes of Halo 3: ODST and Halo Reach, and more Halo Wars. And we’re talking added pressure for the Halo brand to exist on screen in the other forms of media we’ve all been desperately calling for – films, animation, and maybe even a TV series or two that we can actually be proud to tune into every week.
But even if none of that ends up holding true, what Halo coming to PlayStation consoles would really mean is that millions of people who love videogames would finally be able to experience one of the most beloved franchises in gaming, and get to find inspiration in one of gaming’s greatest ever heroes. If ceding that joy to PlayStation users is what it will take to perhaps usher in a new Halo renaissance, then I am most definitely here for it.
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