A new report suggests Helldivers 2 is actually selling faster on Xbox Series X|S than it did on PlayStation — is it true?

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Lately, a fresh piece of information has been spreading, challenging the popular notion among fans that Xbox gamers seldom purchase video games.

As a tech enthusiast, I’m excited to share that I recently got my hands on Helldivers 2 – the first game from PlayStation Publishing LLC officially released on Xbox Series X|S! And guess what? On the very same day, Microsoft responded in kind by launching Gears of War Reloaded. It’s all part of a series of successful publishing collaborations between these industry giants throughout 2025, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for cross-platform gaming!

As an observer, I can’t help but notice the anticipation surrounding Helldivers 2 on Xbox. The game’s success on PlayStation and Steam is a clear testament to its popularity, and when it launched on Xbox, its concurrent player base skyrocketed to over half a million, according to in-game statistics.

Given its Halo tie-in DLC and resemblance to Halo ODST in terms of style, it’s easy to see why many believe Helldivers 2 would resonate with Xbox players. However, the exact extent of its popularity still seems somewhat uncertain.

This week, Alinea released a report outlining the performance of the gaming industry in August 2025, highlighting some intriguing comparisons between popular games on Xbox versus their competitors. Given that PlayStation’s console user base is reportedly three times larger than Xbox’s, these findings have certainly sparked curiosity.

Is Helldivers 2 selling faster on Xbox Series X|S than it did on PlayStation?

Yesterday, I observed that Sony’s Helldivers 2 was simultaneously released with Gears Reloaded on Xbox. As of now, six days post-launch, the game has been purchased by no less than 926,000 players on Xbox. The fervor for this outstanding title evidently had been building, as it speaks volumes without uttering a word. Interestingly enough, last year’s PlayStation version managed to sell 633,000 copies within the same time frame following its release.

As an observer, it appears that Helldivers 2’s Xbox release sold an astonishingly high number of copies within its first week compared to the PlayStation version, given the common belief about Xbox’s relatively smaller user base. While Microsoft doesn’t publicly disclose exact console numbers, various estimates place the Xbox Series X|S user base between 30 and 40 million. In stark contrast, the PlayStation 5 has around 80 million or more consoles in circulation.

The report undeniably challenges the frequently cited notion that Xbox users don’t purchase games, primarily due to services like Xbox Game Pass. This argument is often brought up in discussions about titles that have traditionally not been available on Xbox, such as Final Fantasy games from Square Enix or Monster Hunter Stories titles from Capcom.

Alinea Analytics may be new in the industry, yet it boasts seasoned analysts within its team. Comparable firms such as Circana, Newzoo, or Alinea usually keep their specific methodologies for estimating sales figures confidential. However, by interpreting public declarations, statistics accessible to all like Helldivers’ 2-player user base data, and Steam API concurrency monitors, it’s possible to approximate sales data.

Let’s assume the data is accurate for the sake of argument, why exactly might this be happening?

I had a chat with Rhys Elliott from Alien Analytics to gather more insights about the impressive performance of Helldivers 2 on Xbox. According to Elliott, the game’s success is primarily due to the Xbox community’s fondness for it and their preference for alien-shooting games.

Rhys Elliott noted that Helldivers 2’s success on Xbox can be attributed to a combination of factors. Firstly, since the game was initially unavailable on Xbox at launch, its arrival after 18 months generated a lot of anticipation among players. Secondly, the game’s style aligns well with the preferences of core Xbox gamers. Lastly, the Halo-themed ODST content released around the same time created a unique crossover opportunity that appealed strongly to Xbox players. While PlayStation has a larger user base, on Xbox, Helldivers 2 feels like a fresh and exciting release, which is why sales are escalating rapidly.

After Gamescom and more recently, I had informal discussions with key people from Xbox about anticipation for Helldivers 2. They shared similar views as Rhys Elliott stated earlier. It appears that Xbox fans have a strong affinity for shooter games, but they also seem to enjoy sports games, according to the same report. Interestingly, Madden sold slightly more on Xbox than PlayStation, despite the latter having a larger user base. However, Mafia: The Old Country appeared to perform poorly on Xbox compared to PlayStation in the same study. This could be due to PlayStation’s focus on action-adventure fans with games like Uncharted and God of War.

From an outside perspective, it appears that PlayStation has managed to amass a sizable user base, particularly among younger and casual gamers. This is evident in their dominance during holiday sales and gift desires. PlayStation has become something of a default platform, which has attracted Fortnite-centric casual players who might not show interest in games like Helldivers 2.
On the other hand, Xbox’s user base maintains a steady count of enthusiastic, investment-heavy gamers, despite competition from various platforms and even alternative media.

It would be intriguing to find out whether similar findings to those of Alinea will be presented by analytics companies such as Circana and Newzoo once they publish their August reports.

Will this spur PlayStation to port more of its games to Xbox?

There’s been a lot of discussion about whether any PlayStation games could potentially appear on Xbox. Sources close to Windows Central suggest that it’s unlikely we’ll see popular PlayStation exclusives like The Last of Us or God of War on Xbox in the near future. Instead, they seem more optimistic about the possibility of future releases including simultaneous launches for new games, as well as service and multiplayer titles being ported to Xbox.

In simpler terms, I believe games like Returnal and The Last of Us, along with its TV adaptation, would likely be successful on Xbox. However, action-adventure games such as Ghost of Tsushima might not fare as well. Previously exclusive titles such as Death Stranding reached the top of Xbox sales when released, even after a long delay, but others like Final Fantasy 16 didn’t seem to perform exceptionally well.

The release of Helldivers 2 was undoubtedly a significant moment for Xbox gamers. Its gameplay style reminiscent of Halo and multiplayer aspect make it an appealing choice for cross-platform gaming groups, and as PlayStation’s first direct venture into selling games on Xbox, it adds a touch of novelty. Whether other PlayStation games will achieve similar success remains uncertain, but considering the unexpected crossover, it seems that unusual times are upon us in the gaming industry.

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2025-09-05 01:11