Every gaming system is different in various ways, from specs to features. Yet the main thing people focus on when deciding which console brand to commit to is its exclusive games. Xbox is known for Halo, PlayStation has God of War, and Nintendo has Mario.
They each also have a bunch of other exclusive titles that help separate them from the others. However, exclusives don’t always stay exclusive, particularly in recent times. Some games that seem synonymous with certain systems end up appearing on a rival console. Here are some noteworthy examples.
Like most early Metal Gear Solid games, the original MGS was a PlayStation exclusive for a while. A few years after its release, it was ported to the PC, but it still had a reputation as a PS1 game.
However, 25 years after the game’s release, it finally landed on an Xbox system, the Xbox Series X|S. It was included in the Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol 1 package, alongside a few other MGS titles. It wasn’t the first MGS game on Xbox, but it still feels odd to see it on a Microsoft system, since the Xbox brand didn’t even exist when the game originally came out.
Mass Effect 2 On PlayStation 3
At this point, people have likely gotten used to Mass Effect on PlayStation consoles, but it did feel strange when that initially happened. The first two games were released on Xbox 360 and PC, which wasn’t too odd because those systems often shared exclusives at the time.
A year after Mass Effect 2’s 2010 launch, the game was ported to the PS3. This was very unexpected since the first Mass Effect game had not even been released on a PlayStation system yet. So, before ME2’s PS3 port, it very much felt like Mass Effect was always going to stick with Xbox and PC. Sony eventually got its hands on all the main Mass Effect games, though.
Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath Of Cortex On GameCube And Xbox
In the late ’90s, PlayStation was seemingly trying to establish Crash Bandicoot as its mascot, like Mario is for Nintendo. And the first three main Crash games, along with the two spin-offs, were PlayStation exclusives. By 2001, Universal had acquired the rights to Crash Bandicoot, meaning Sony no longer published the games.
Therefore, the new game, Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex, was also released on GameCube and Xbox, so Sony now shared the series with its two biggest rivals. This felt impossible when Crash was becoming the face of PlayStation just a few years earlier.
Forza Horizon 5 On PlayStation 5
For a long time, both Xbox and PlayStation had their own racing series. Xbox had Forza, while PlayStation had Gran Turismo. Now, the two brands have shared Forza ever since Forza Horizon 5 was released on PlayStation 5 in 2025.
This means if you love simulation racing, then the PlayStation consoles are the best to have because they offer both Forza and Gran Turismo. Xbox just has Forza. Because of this, it’s surprising that Xbox allowed this to happen for a series they publish.
Final Fantasy 11: Online On Xbox 360
Final Fantasy was already a very well-established series before Xbox even existed. In fact, the series had revolutionized RPG games. When Xbox did arrive on the scene, it didn’t get FF games straight away. Instead, it was still known as a PlayStation series at that point, with some games also arriving on PC.
Yet, four years after Final Fantasy 11: Online launched, it was also released on Xbox, making it the first Final Fantasy on Microsoft consoles. Since the Xbox and PlayStation console war was in full swing at the time, it was a bit surprising to see an FF game on the Xbox 360. The series has been releasing fairly regularly on Xbox consoles since then, but the games usually launch on PlayStation first.
Horizon Zero Dawn On PC
While Xbox and PC had often shared games, PlayStation was once known for being more greedy with its first-party exclusives. So, it was a big surprise when the Sony-published Horizon Zero Dawn was ported to the PC in 2020.
It has since sparked a trend, with titles like God of War, The Last of Us Part 1, and Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered being released on PC. And Helldivers 2 has been ported to PC and Xbox. Therefore, it’s a change in attitude for PlayStation, and it all started with Horizon Zero Dawn.
Resident Evil 4 On Everything
These days, Resident Evil 4 is available on almost every modern console imaginable. That wasn’t always the case, though. It was originally released as a GameCube exclusive, and Resident Evil director Shinji Mikami was adamant that it would remain that way.
He explained that this was due to his lack of faith that Sony and Microsoft would remain in the gaming business. He thought Nintendo might be gaming’s only chance of a future, so he signed an exclusive deal with the company. Therefore, it was a big shock when it was released on the PS2 before being ported to all sorts of systems since. Now, people barely remember that it was a GameCube exclusive.
Gears Of War: Reloaded On PlayStation 5
When you think of Xbox-exclusive series, Gears of War is likely one of the first names that come to mind. Outside of a few PC releases, the series has been synonymous with Xbox.
That is until Gears of War: Reloaded was released on the PlayStation 5 in 2025. This is a remaster of the original Gears of War, so it is very much classic Gears. Seeing the game running on a PlayStation console will likely always feel strange.
Sonic Adventure 2: Battle On GameCube
Long before the PlayStation and Xbox rivalry, Nintendo and Sega had their own console war in the ’80s and ’90s. At that point, they were the two major console brands, each with its own mascot. Nintendo had Mario, and Sega had Sonic.
However, by the end of 2001, Sega had stopped making consoles. So, the company ported Sonic Adventure 2 (as Sonic Adventure 2: Battle) onto Nintendo’s GameCube. Seeing a Sonic game on a Nintendo system back then was wild. Now, you can play many Sonic titles on Nintendo consoles.
Halo: Campaign Evolved On PlayStation 5
Saying Halo is Xbox’s biggest series would be an understatement. These games are what really put the Xbox brand on the map, particularly Halo 2 and Halo 3. Some of the games have also been on PC, but the FPS series has always been synonymous with Xbox.
This is why the reveal that a remake of the original Halo game will be released on PS5 is such a shock. Master Chief appearing on a system created by Xbox’s biggest rival feels weird. It’s like if a main Mario game was ported to the Xbox Series X|S or the PS5.
