Sea of Thieves shows how Microsoft can sail past PlayStation’s exclusive game lineup

It is no secret that Microsoft has struggled to deliver compelling exclusives to the Xbox One. Even Microsoft gaming executive Phil Spencer admits the company can do a better job. By contrast, PlayStation 4 exclusives like Horizon: Zero Dawn and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy earned critical acclaim and sold well over 2 million combined digital copies in 2017.

Meanwhile, Microsoft relied on third parties and Forza Motorsport 7 to carry the launch of the Xbox One X. On the surface, Microsoft’s game library seems to lag far behind rival Sony. However, the Xbox maker actually has some major advantages that will become apparent with the launch Sea of Thieves in March.