New sales data for the second quarter of 2025 has revealed a new reality for the console market: Microsoft-published games are now dominating the sales charts on PlayStation platforms. According to the latest figures from Circana, a leading industry analytics firm, an incredible six of the top ten best-selling games on PlayStation are published by Microsoft, a testament to the company’s aggressive and controversial multi-platform strategy.
The data, which covers dollar sales from early April through early July, shows that Xbox’s decision to bring its flagship titles to its primary competitor is not just an experiment, it is a massive financial success.
A New Console War Fought on Enemy Turf
The most striking takeaway from the chart is the sheer dominance of what were once Xbox-exclusive franchises. The open-world racer Forza Horizon 5 landed at #2 on the PlayStation best-sellers list, a feat that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. It was joined near the top by The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion: Remastered at #3.
Further down the list, the trend continues with Doom: The Dark Ages (#6) and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (#8) making strong debuts. This, combined with the perennial success of Microsoft-owned properties Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (#5) and Minecraft (#9), paints a clear picture: Microsoft is now one of the most successful software publishers on its rival’s hardware.
This data serves as a powerful vindication of the strategy championed by Head of Xbox, Phil Spencer. By prioritizing software sales over hardware exclusivity, Microsoft is successfully reaching players—and their wallets—wherever they are, fundamentally changing the definition of winning in the games industry.
How Sony and Third Parties Fared
While Microsoft’s success is the headline, the performance of other publishers is also telling. Sony, the platform holder, placed two of its own first-party titles in the top ten: MLB: The Show 25 at #4 and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach at #7. While both are strong performers, they are notably outnumbered by their direct competitor.
The top spot on the chart was secured by Bandai Namco with the highly anticipated Elden Ring: Nightreign, proving that a massive, must-play release can still outperform any single platform holder. The only other publisher to crack the top ten was Ubisoft, with Assassin’s Creed: Shadows holding on at #10.
