The biggest news circulating last week was Microsoft’s impending announcement that they were going to go third party, Game Pass was going to hit Switch and PS5, and the Xbox brand was going to fundamentally change the way we knew it. 

And in a shocking turn of events that has never happened before in the history of the universe, the internet maybe possibly overreacted and concocted a scenario that differs pretty greatly from reality. 

That’s not to say that things haven’t changed at all. Microsoft is no stranger to letting their IP play in other peoples sandboxes, particularly their chummy relationship with Nintendo bringing the likes of Banjo-Kazooie, GoldenEye 007, Ori, Cuphead, etc. to Nintendo’s handheld juggernaut. But while their recent announcement stated in no uncertain terms that Game Pass was remaining an Xbox console exclusive and new games like Indiana Jones and Starfield would not be hitting the PlayStation 5 anytime soon, they did say that their multiplatform efforts were expanding. 

Basically, what’s happening is that Microsoft is bringing at least 4 of their existing games to competing platforms. Which ones and where are still very much up in the air, and there’s no end to the speculation as to how many more games will follow this initial batch of ports. But one thing’s for certain, Microsoft has a very different worldview on the state of gaming exclusivity than their competitors. 

But on to the fun part. Which games should Microsoft be bringing to the competition? Well, they laid a few ground rules in their presentation that can help narrow things down a bit. Namely that their big-budget Xbox Series exclusives are more or less off the table for now. So with that in mind, let’s see what we’ve got. 

Ori and the Blind Forest & Ori and the Will of the Wisps for PlayStation 5

Both of the Ori games are extraordinary Metroidvanias, but they didn’t exactly set the world on fire on Xbox. However, they were phenomenally successful when they were expertly ported to the Switch. And where else do people like to play these kinds of games? Why PlayStation, of course! The Ori titles would fit right at home on PS5, and heck, PS4 while we’re at it! 

Battletoads for Nintendo Switch

The Battletoads have appeared on numerous platforms over the years, but at their core, they’re a Nintendo franchise. The first NES game was where the series hit it big, and no matter where they’ve gone since, it’s that adventure that most people think of when they think of the Battletoads. So considering Microsoft’s friendship with Nintendo, it’s always been a source of mystery to me why this game never landed on Switch. It failed to gain much traction on Xbox (much like a lot of Rare’s output, leaving me to continue to wish with all my heart that Microsoft had never purchased them in the first place) but it would likely make at least some waves on Switch. 

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Sunset Overdrive for PlayStation 5

This game’s been out forever. It’s an Xbox One title for Pete’s sake. It was also developed by Insomniac Games, a studio that’s most well known for their PlayStation content. So a fresh upgrade for current gen consoles would be a fantastic way to widen this property’s audience! Putting this one on both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series just makes sense.

Rare Replay for Nintendo Switch

This collection is infuriatingly good, and the fact that the vast majority of the games in this collection are Nintendo games makes playing it on the Xbox feel weird. Especially when you see things like the intro to Conker where he cuts up the N64 logo and the NINTENDO letters in RC Pro-Am missing outright. A Nintendo port of Rare Replay could fix that, and would likely garner a LOT of attention from longtime Rare fans. If the Banjo in Smash situation has proven anything, it’s that people want to play Rare’s games on Nintendo platforms. 

Forza, I don’t care which one, for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5

This one might be a stretch seeing as it’s one of Microsoft’s bigger franchises, but hear me out. Forza is basically a direct response to Gran Turismo. So putting it on Sony’s system would effectively force Sony to up their game in the racing department. Competition is a great thing! 

While on the other end of the spectrum, Nintendo doesn’t have a hyper-realistic racing sim at all, so Forza would fill that hole nicely. It works on every level! 

Hi-Fi rush for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5

I’m not going to lie, I don't really know much about this game besides the fact that it looks super cool and everyone I’ve talked to who has played it likes it. It's also the one that’s been showing up in all the articles and blogs about the Microsoft 3rd party thing, so there’s got to be some nugget of truth behind it, right? This one just seems like the kind of game that struggled to find the audience it deserves on Xbox, and widening its reach would only be beneficial. 

Psychonauts on Nintendo Switch 

That this series never landed on a Nintendo platform before is beyond me. I get that the GameCube wasn’t exactly the hottest seller during its generation, but it always struck me as incredibly odd that this game, a 3D platformer, skipped Nintendo but landed on Xbox and PlayStation. With Psychonauts 2 out there winning awards and making people's dreams come true on Xbox One, Xbox Series, and PS4, it’s time to bring Raz and company to the Switch. It would do gangbusters there. 

Sea of Thieves for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5

One of the few Rare projects to actually find success post-Microsoft buyout, Sea of Thieves has made quite a name for itself. But as an online sort of thing, what’s the best way to expand its reach? Get more players to play it! Having this game on both Nintendo and Sony’s platforms would be great for business, and would only serve to enhance the already much beloved experience. 

Geometry Wars for Nintendo Switch

Poor Geometry Wars. It’s such a cool series that has been thrown to the wayside after its creators Bizarre Creations were sold and subsequently shuttered. But you know who owns the brand now? Freaking Activision. And do you know who owns Activision? Freaking Microsoft! Seriously, that Geometry Wars hasn’t been ported to every platform under the sun is a crime, but in particular, this series would feel so very at home on Nintendo Switch. It’s way past time Geometry Wars and all its sequels found a new home, and the Switch is that home! Though in all honesty, Retro Evolved would be awesome on Atari VCS too. 

Killer Instinct - for PlayStation 5, and Switch I guess

Fighting games live and die by their audiences, and after a bit of a rocky start, Killer Instinct found that audience on Xbox. It was never a sales juggernaut, but it’s got a great competitive scene, and has become a very well loved game. But there sure are a lot of fighting game fans that love the PlayStation! PS5 would be such a great place to expand the KI audience. Porting this game there would breathe so much well deserved life into it that it’s hard to quantify. 

Then there’s the Switch. It’s honestly not the best fit in terms of expanding the game’s online audience, BUT Killer Instinct has such an inextricable link to Nintendo, what with its first two entries basically being killer apps for the SNES and N64 respectively, not having KI on Nintendo just feels wrong. Maybe it could land on the Switch’s successor. 

Halo: The Master Chief Collection for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5 

Okay, I understand that Microsoft said they weren’t bringing their biggest console sellers, but I honestly feel like this one could be an exception. The Master Chief Collection is only the first few games in the series. Let everyone else have a taste, and if they want to play the latest and greatest in the world of Halo, they have to get an Xbox. It’s a great way to expand the brand’s marketability on Xbox, and it would absolutely sell a butt ton on Switch. People have been begging for this one for ages. 

So those are the games I think should wind up on competing platforms. I honestly think every single one of them would outperform their original Xbox incarnations if they were to make their way into the world of competing platforms. But what do you think? Which Xbox games do you think should go multiplatform, and which games would you buy if they got ported to your system of choice?