While Xbox's strategy of going fully multi-platform has been on display for a while, PlayStation has not outright said it's going to expand beyond the PS5. Still, PC ports and day one launches on Nintendo Switch for games like LEGO Horizon Adventures have suggested that PlayStation has become more flexible in its exclusives. A new development shows that PlayStation might be willing to play ball on other platforms, including Xbox. Announced on the Xbox Wire, PlayStation's massively successful PvE shooter Helldivers 2 is coming to Xbox in August, the same day as Gears of War: Reloaded launches on Xbox and PlayStation. Here's what's so special about Helldivers 2 coming to Xbox.

Helldivers 2 is published by PlayStation on Xbox

That might seem obvious, but it's actually a first

Helldivers 2 on Xbox is being published by PlayStation Publishing LLC, as seen on the game's store page, which marks the first instance of this. This isn't the first PlayStation game to be published on Xbox, as MLB The Show has been for several years, but that wasn't an instance of PlayStation choosing to do that. Instead, MLB publishes MLB The Show on other platforms, as a result of the sports organization requiring the game to be multi-platform for PlayStation to keep the license. Now, in what appears to be an unforced decision, PlayStation is publishing its only successful live-service game of the PS5 generation, Helldivers 2, on Xbox about a year-and-a-half after it released on PS5 and PC. Previously, Helldivers 2 developer, Arrowhead Studios, has said that it was entirely up to PlayStation if the game would be ported to other platforms (via Eurogamer).

PlayStation's history of ports

PlayStation has stuck to its PC port strategy in recent years, but this could be part of the shift

PlayStation has done a mix of strategies with its PC ports in recent years. As previously mentioned, Helldivers 2 launched on PC the same day as the PS5 and saw a ton of success. Other games, like Stellar Blade, came a year later, but still saw success. Some of the other ports, like Marvel's Spider-Man, God of War, and The Last of Us Part II, have all come more than a year after their initial releases on console, and those games have seemingly had less success. However, PlayStation hasn't released specific figures to either confirm or deny that limited success. PlayStation also released LEGO Horizon Adventures on Nintendo Switch the same day as PS5 and PC, showing that the publisher seems to be considering each game on a case-by-case basis. The upcoming Marathon, which has been delayed indefinitely, is set to launch on Xbox Series X|S the same day as PS5 and PC, although that appears to be a special case for Bungie.

Helldivers 2 may signal that more games are coming in the future

I don't think you should expect the whole PS5 catalog on Xbox

Since PlayStation has never directly stated its porting strategy for PC and other consoles, aside from occasional announcements, does Helldivers 2 signal a significant shift in strategy? I think the simple answer is no, but the more complicated answer is that it's always in flux. For a live-service game a year-and-a-half after its initial release, getting ported to a new platform seems like a surefire way to get an influx of players, which means more revenue from copies sold and microtransactions. If Helldivers 2 is successful enough on Xbox to not only cover the cost of porting it but also to make a healthy profit on top, PlayStation, as part of Sony, a publicly traded company, will have to port more games because shareholders always want more profits. If it isn't successful, meaning not enough people buy the game or the influx of players doesn't provide the boost PlayStation expects, it will likely call it a failure and not try again for a while. That said, there are definitely a few games off the table.

Don't expect big PlayStation first-party games

God of War and The Last of Us are likely off the table

While the tides might be shifting towards more multi-platform releases, PlayStation putting its big, single-player games on Xbox Series X|S isn't coming anytime soon. The reason is simple: at the moment, PlayStation does not need those sales. That won't remain true forever, as the rising costs of development combined with the plateau of the console market, meaning that each console generation isn't getting bigger than the previous, might eventually drive PlayStation to find more people to buy its games, but we aren't there yet. This could mean any remaining live-service releases from PlayStation's largely unsuccessful live-service push might come to Xbox at some point, but Ghost of Yotei won't be on Xbox consoles anytime soon.

PlayStation may eventually start with the back catalog

New PS5 games might be a no-go, but what about older exclusives?

Helldivers 2 has demonstrated one important thing: that PlayStation is willing to try putting its games on other platforms. And at a certain point, what does the exclusivity of older games really provide for PlayStation at this point? As an example, with Marvel's Wolverine coming in the future, would it entice Xbox players to get a PS5 if Marvel's Spider-Man, a PS4 game, comes to Xbox? Almost five years into the PS5's life, does keeping Demon's Souls PS5 exclusive still make sense, or should it get ported to generate more money? Ultimately, PlayStation seems willing to port its games. As a company, its one and only goal is to make more money every year, so it seems inevitable that more PlayStation exclusives will come to other platforms, including Xbox consoles.