Microsoft May Not Be Winning the Console Wars, but They’re Winning the Publishing Race

Microsoft would be on death’s door if you believed everything you saw on social media. Their console sales are bumbling, Phil Spencer is driving the company into the ground, and every game they’ve ever made is coming to PlayStation and Nintendo Switch 2. But, if you peel back the facade of the console warriors on sites like X, you may be shocked to find out that Microsoft is doing fine. They’re doing more than fine, actually.

Microsoft Saw Nearly Half a Billion Dollars in Sales in December 2024 Alone

According to a report originally published by VGC.com, Microsoft had quite a successful December. Microsoft was raking it in during the holiday season because of the runaway success of small indie titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Their purchase of Activision/Blizzard in 2023 also helped set them up to become one of the biggest publishers in the world. Add the release of better first-party titles, multi-platform deals, and more, and Microsoft has the recipe for success. Ampere, a data firm that tracks sales, reported that 64% of purchases of games like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 came from PlayStation consoles.

With the latest Xbox Developer_Direct, it seems like Microsoft realizes that they can’t just be sitting ducks anymore. The competition is getting more ruthless every day. And if they want to stay in the race, they need to diversify their portfolio. With the upcoming Gears of War: E-Day rumored to be going multi-platform, as well? This could be one of the most successful years Microsoft has ever had.

While I doubt that we’ll ever see another era like the Xbox 360, it’s great to see that Microsoft is still kicking. Competition is necessary. Otherwise, console prices and game prices could be controlled by one company. Well, as long as tariffs don’t completely screw us on that half. I’ve bought an Xbox console every generation, and I would love to keep doing so for the foreseeable future. Some franchises, like Halo, just would never feel right to play on a PlayStation console in my eyes. But I would welcome any new players from that family of consoles any day. Just give us some Helldivers 2 in return.