The gaming landscape has evolved significantly, blurring the lines of console exclusivity. For years, gamers chose consoles based on exclusive titles like Halo for Xbox, Mario for Nintendo, and Uncharted for PlayStation. This trend is shifting, with both Xbox and PlayStation releasing games on competing platforms. PlayStation has adopted a staggered approach, launching titles on PS5 first, followed by PC releases a year or two later. Examples include Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and The Last of Us Part 2, both slated for PC in early 2025. Conversely, Xbox has embraced a different strategy, releasing titles like Sea of Thieves and Hi-Fi Rush on PS5. They also plan to release Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on PS5 next year.
PlayStation’s recent release of LEGO Horizon Adventures on PC and Nintendo Switch simultaneously marked a departure from their typical strategy. While MLB The Show launches on Xbox day one due to an agreement with MLB, LEGO Horizon Adventures‘ multi-platform release was unexpected. The game’s commercial performance has seemingly struggled, with a peak player count of only 429 on Steam and currently around 30 active players.
lego-horizon-adventures.jpgLEGO Horizon Adventures gameplay screenshot featuring Aloy in a LEGO world.
While performance on PlayStation and Switch remains unclear, rumors suggest an impending Xbox release in early 2025, according to justplayit (via Insider Gaming). This would be a significant move, marking the first time a major PlayStation first-party franchise, outside of the MLB series, lands on an Xbox console. While distinct from the core Horizon games, it still represents a notable presence of the Horizon IP on a Microsoft platform. It’s crucial to remember this is currently a rumor.
Insider Jez Corden expressed skepticism about the rumor, suggesting a potential contractual obligation with LEGO as the reason if true. Corden also mentioned he hasn’t personally investigated the claim. However, the Switch release indicates PlayStation’s openness to broader platform availability for the title.
LEGO Horizon Adventures offers a lighthearted reimagining of Horizon Zero Dawn, reminiscent of TT Games’ LEGO adaptations of Star Wars and Harry Potter. While receiving mixed critical reviews, it’s considered an interesting experiment for PlayStation. This marks LEGO’s first foray into adapting a video game franchise, but the game’s apparent underperformance may discourage similar ventures in the future. The fact that LEGO Horizon Adventures has already been discounted since its release last month further hints at potential sales struggles.
