As if we needed any more confirmation besides Bethesda being a Microsoft owned company now, a new report from games journalist Jeff Grubb appears to confirm via his own sources that Bethesda’s Starfield will be an Xbox and PC exclusive, and will not be coming to PlayStation platforms, either the PS4 or the next-generation PS5. Starfield PS5 isn’t happening.
Grubb made the assertion via a tweet, saying simply “Starfield is exclusive to Xbox and PC. Period. This is me confirming that.”
Starfield is exclusive to Xbox and PC. Period. This is me confirming that. https://t.co/j78Msk8nyG
— Jeff Grubb (@JeffGrubb) May 15, 2021
It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. After all, why would Microsoft pay an exorbitant sum to acquire a company only to continue its multi-platform operations as is. Still, many PlayStation fans were holding out hope that the new IP from the company behind Fallout and The Elder Scrolls would still come to PlayStation. After all, it was announced years ago, before Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda, and at the time was presumed to be in development for multiple consoles.
Though Microsoft has stopped short of outright saying so, they’ve left a lot of breadcrumbs (we’re talking really, really big breadcrumbs. Basically full pieces of bread at this point) that new IP in particular would be used to bolster the Microsoft Studios Xbox exclusive portfolio. Starfield, in essence, exists to boost the Xbox Game Pass service. Grubb himself further confirmed this in a longer article on GamesBeat, saying he’s confirmed it with sources familiar with the situation. It’s all about user acquisitions to Game Pass via exclusive content, and the purchase of Bethesda was a big part of that plan.
So there’s hope for The Elder Scrolls VI, right? Probably not. While he may not have the sources to confirm such a decision yet, Grubb states “And I would predict that Xbox would make this call for The Elder Scrolls VI and beyond.” Bethesda may be continuing to support titles that are already out on PlayStation, as well as honoring deals like Deathloop’s exclusivity to the PS5, but as we get further and further from Microsoft closing the acquisition deal, expect the company to lean on Bethesda and its multitude of studios to bring people into the Xbox ecosystem exclusively.
Remember when Daily Reaction predicted “Consoles as a Service?” This is the direction that Microsoft is moving in, with Xbox being less of a singular platform and more of a gaming ecosystem and service that players are broadly a part of regardless of where they play.
