Similar to Ghostwire: Tokyo and Deathloop which have been each Bethesda-published video games that launched as timed exclusives on PS5, we now have affirmation that Starfield was nearly going to be a PS5 console unique at one level earlier than Microsoft acquired Bethesda and guardian firm ZeniMax.
According to The Verge, Xbox boss Phil Spencer just lately spoke about Starfield within the FTC hearings relating to the acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft. Spencer said that upon listening to about Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo‘s PS5 exclusivity offers, Microsoft took motion in buying Bethesda and ZeniMax. This course of was solely sped up when studies started to floor about Sony potentialy buying the exclusivity rights for Bethesda Game Studios’ sci-fi RPG, Starfield.
READ MORE – The Elder Scrolls 6 is Still Over Five Years Away
Spencer’s feedback on Starfield‘s PS5 console exclusivity reads:
“When we acquired ZeniMax, one of many impetus for that’s that Sony had carried out a deal for Deathloop and Ghostwire to pay Bethesda to not ship these video games on Xbox. So the dialogue about Starfield after we heard that Starfield was probably additionally going to finish up skipping Xbox, we will’t be ready as a third-place console the place we fall additional behind on our content material possession so we’ve needed to safe content material to stay viable within the enterprise.”
If the deal had gone by means of, it’s doable that Starfield might’ve solely been a PS5 console unique for a 12 months earlier than heading to Xbox platforms. Of course, the curve the competitors, Microsoft made the choice to brush up Bethesda with a purpose to keep away from this from occurring. Xbox nonetheless honoured the preparations for Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo‘s one-year timed console exclusivity on PS5, although issues might’ve been a lot completely different had Sony been profitable in its makes an attempt to safe an exclusivity deal for Starfield as properly.
Starfield launches on 6 September 2023 for Xbox Series X/S and PC.
Source: The Verge
