After months of debate about Xbox’s future as some of its big console exclusives jumped ship to PlayStation 5, we have our clearest evidence yet of why Microsoft is experimenting with a new multiplatform approach: fewer and fewer people are buying Xboxes.

Those two data points speak to a console that is struggling to substantially increase its player base during a period that should, historically, be its strongest sales period. But getting wider context on those numbers is a bit difficult because of how Microsoft reports its Xbox sales numbers (i.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has taken note of a recent report that Xbox first-party titles are dominating PS Store best-selling games list. Nadella referenced the report in Microsoft’s latest earnings while discussing the company’s third quarter financial results.

Xbox games are performing well on PlayStation