In the ongoing trial between Microsoft and the Federal Trade Commission, an email regarding Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6 surfaced. Will the later one be exclusive for one platform?
More and more information about the inner workings of Microsoft is surfacing during the ongoing trial between the company and the Federal Trade Commission. Now, an internal email was published by Axios reporter Stephen Totilo regarding Xbox' plans for exclusive titles. This includes news about the upcoming title Starfield and the long-awaited Elder Scrolls 6.
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Xbox Forced Bethesda To Make Starfield And Elder Scrolls 6 Exclusive
The published email is from February 2022 and was sent by Pete Hines, Bethesda's Vice President of Global Marketing and Communication. Bethesda was acquired by Microsoft in early March 2021, as Microsoft bought ZeniMax Media.
In the message, Hines shared his confusion about the fact, that Microsoft will make Activision Blizzard titles, especially Call of Duty, available for PlayStation platforms. Especially after, as he stated, Bethesda was told to do the opposite with their own titles.
"I'm confused. Is the below not the opposite of what we were just asked (told) to do with our titles?" This obviously emphases, that Bethesda was instructed to make their games Xbox exclusive. And with the upcoming Starfield (which was announced as an Xbox exclusive title) and The Elder Scrolls 6, this would regard two big games, which wouldn't be playable for PlayStation users.
So it appears that both games will only be released for PC and Xbox, an information that doesn't fit to a Statement given by Phil Spencer, Microsoft's Gaming CEO. In this, he stated that the company hadn't decided yet if The Elder Scrolls 6 will be also available for PlayStation.
The mail ends with the question:
"Todd's going to DICE in a couple weeks, you don't think a journo might find him and press him on why the below is ok for COD or any Activision Blizzard Games, but not TES6 or Starfield?"
Feb '22 email from Bethesda exec Pete Hines suggests frustration at Xbox/PC-centric strategy for team's games. Reacting to public vow to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation: "I'm confused, is the below not the opposite of what we were just asked (told) to do with our own titles?" pic.twitter.com/N6S8IqBxbH
— Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) June 26, 2023
That's actually an interesting question. Why does Microsoft seem to have a different idea for the Activision Blizzard games than for Bethesda's titles. Especially since Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6 are two of the most anticipated games and would for sure bring in loads of money and a huge following.
It will be interesting to see how Microsoft will handle this in the future. Starfield was already announced as an Xbox-exclusive title, but maybe there is hope for all the Elder Scrolls fans, that at least TES6 will be released for PlayStation. Only the future will show this.