UPDATE: 5:00PM BST: According to an article from Bloomberg (paywall), Microsoft plans to honour the agreement Bethesda has in place for Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo to be timed exclusives on PlayStation 5; the thought of Microsoft technically publishing 2 PS5 timed exclusives is certainly ironic – and just the right amount of madness we’ve come to expect this year.
As for future releases such as Starfield and The Elder Scrolls VI, Phil Spencer has said that these titles will launch on Xbox and PC, with other platforms being decided on a “case-by-case basis.”
ORIGINAL STORY 2:30PM BST: On the eve of Xbox Series X/S preorders going live, Microsoft have made a monumental move in the industry by acquiring Zenimax Media, the parent company of Bethesda game Studios, id Software, Arkane Studios, MachineGames and Tango Gameworks to name a few.
This acquisition will see a plethora of AAA IPs joining the Xbox family such as Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, Starfield, Wolfenstein, DOOM and Dishonored.
The news was broken by Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier shortly prior to the official announcement:
Head of Xbox Phil Spencer described the occasion as a “special day” given the strong partnership Xbox and Bethesda has had since the console launch of Morrowind on the original Xbox. Spencer continued by saying that Bethesda games have “always had a special place on Xbox”
The Xbox boss didn’t mention the possibility of future releases being exclusive to Xbox and PC. Microsoft has confirmed that all new Bethesda and Zenimax games will come to Xbox Game Pass at launch – Starfield, Elder Scrolls and (eventually) Deathloop for £11 a month? Game Pass continues to provide exceptional value.
Spencer was also keen to express his excitement at what lies ahead for the newest members of the Xbox family:
“One of the things that has me most excited is seeing the roadmap with Bethesda’s future games, some announced and many unannounced, to Xbox console and PC including Starfield, the highly anticipated, new space epic currently in development by Bethesda Game Studios.”
Bethesda’s Todd Howard also issued a statement, sharing in the positive sentiment:
“I have had the pleasure of working with, and partnering with, many of the best gaming and tech companies in the world. But our longest, and closest partner during my career, has been Microsoft.“
“We share a deep belief in the fundamental power of games, in their ability to connect, empower, and bring joy. And a belief we should bring that to everyone – regardless of who you are, where you live, or what you play on. Regardless of the screen size, the controller, or your ability to even use one.”
As for what the acquisition means for Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo is currently unclear. Back in June, it was announced that both games would be timed exclusives on Sony’s next generation console. It’s likely we’ll hear more about the future of this exclusivity deal sooner rather than later.