Today's been a bit eventful hasn't it! Microsoft hosted a special 'Bethesda Joins Xbox' roundtable presentation earlier today, and as part of it, Xbox boss Phil Spencer had some interesting comments about exclusivity.
Spencer outright stated during the show that the goal is to "deliver great exclusive games for you, that ship on platforms where Game Pass exists," which suggests that games such as The Elder Scrolls 6, Starfield, Indiana Jones and more won't be making an appearance on PlayStation in the future, which is quite the bombshell.
However, as fans have pointed out, Spencer acknowledged that older games, as well as "things that have their contractual things or legacy on different platforms" might not be exclusive, and that "legacy" comment has got some people wondering whether franchises such as The Elder Scrolls might fall under the 'legacy' banner.
"Even in the future, there might be things that have their contractual things or legacy on different platforms that we'll go do."
The Elder Scrolls 6 is a good example to speculate over, then - not just because it's so highly anticipated, but because we're still not 100% sure whether it'll be totally exclusive to Xbox. What do you think? Give us your thoughts below.
Comments 38
NO clue, but honestly these games are boring to me so I don't care either way.
It's 50/50 to me but only time will tell, still Phil speaking in riddles and not giving a 100% clear answer, best people can do is just assume it's not coming to playstation so they don't get dissapointed and if it comes to sony then xbox players don't lose anything and if it doesn't come to playstation then Sony fans will have two options, forget about it and keep their pride or get gamepass on an available platform, it's not like they have to buy an xbox to play it either. No matter what game comes out there's always a way to play it, just depends how far your wallet can go
Also pretty sure because how long this game has been in development there's probably already contracts in place with playstation
Probably Xbox and PC.
@UltimateOtaku91 I doubt any contracts in play for eso and it was pretty clear I found myself.
I think things like indiana jones where it's not there ip maybe multi platform
Xbox and PC I’m fairly confident it’ll be exclusive now.
I guess so but we don't know if there's already something signed with Sony behind close doors for that game
Maybe it's his way of saying that they can have Elder Scrolls 6 on PS5 if Sony let's Microsoft put Game Pass on PS5!
The fact that the Elder Scrolls Online will continue on Playstation, you'd think that ES6 would too. Indiana Jones was announced before MS officially owned Zenimax and no doubt the deal with LucasArts was made prior and potentially come under 'Contractual agreements'
Minecraft Dungeons released on Playstation too.
That being said, games like Elder Scrolls, Doom, Wolfenstein etc have a Legacy on PC. All of these started on PC so I don't know if that could be the overriding factor - unless the next games are direct sequels (like a Wolfenstein or Doom Trilogy)..
Its so far off, I don't really care. I also own a Series X and PS5 so couldn't care less if they are exclusive or not, I will be playing any I want on Game Pass Ultimate anyway. I know others care a lot and it would be a big incentive to buy into GP - if it wasn't good value already! Regardless of which games are exclusive or not, the fact that they will ALL come to Game Pass on day 1 of release - inc Deathloop and Ghostwire when they eventually release on Xbox.
I sure hope it becomes exclusive! Wanna see those tears 🤗
I would think they will keep it exclusive to drive GamePass subscriptions and keep the Games as Service options like ESO and FO76 cross platform.
100% certain this will be an XBox|PC only deal.
...
UNLESS, Sony allows MS to have Game Pass (with achievements and XBox Live features) inside PlayStation. Not entirely impossible, since they allow EA Play.
@JGRockford those salty Sony tears!
I think it was pretty clear unless they have a contractual obligation to release it on PS5 it will be exclusive.
Pretty much exclusive to GamePass, which "could" come to different platforms.
Existing and upcoming exclusive games on the PS will stay. I just can't see Microsoft shutting down PS ESO servers. Saying that, ES had much more of a history with the PC and XBox systems.
Yes and it should be I play series x and pay for game pass.
If I wanted to play say the next Last of us I would have to buy a PS5, so if the PS5 gang want to play the Next Elder Scrolls they can buy a series x and the same goes for Nintendo exclusives.
What’s good for Sony and Nintendo is good for Microsoft. So that’s that.
All the other Sony and Nintendo gamers can all stop with their moaning and tears.
You lot have been having exclusives for years.
So stop winning, just because Microsoft have been watching and learning and are playing to you at your own game.
@Dezzy70 I get your point but elder scrolls has been multiplat the last few entries whilst the last of us had always been playstation exclusive. That's the main issue sony gamers have is that a third party game they have invested hundreds of hours in is now xbox exclusive, imagine sony buying EA and having fifa and mass effect exclusive
@UltimateOtaku91
I understand you comments.
But at the end of the day with all three companies
You wanna play you got to pay.
The past is the past and when you buy a game it’s that one game you pay for and if things change, it’s just the way it is.
It's been almost a decade since the last main elders scroll entry and each game is a new separate story, it's not like it's the equivalent of going from Mass Effect to mass effect 2 for example.
So I can't say I have sympathy for ps owners who are arguing sayings it's not fair because past games where on PlayStation
This approach essentially solves Xbox's "it has no exclusives" problem almost overnight. with the sheer range of existing titles on GP plus the titles added on March 12th. You already have a considerable setup. Now whatever Microsoft adds in the future both from first parties (which are a fairly big deal by themselves) and Bethesda means that Xbox will probably always have more exclusives than PS5. It is interesting to think how things will go from here.
@BrilliantBill current Bethesda titles arent xbox exclusives so you can't count them, but it seems like xbox now have more first party studios than playstation so on paper should have more exclusive games but for some reason they don't which has always baffled me.
Mark my words, It will be exclusive to Xbox & PC..
@UltimateOtaku91 The way I understood it from Phil's text and his general tone plus the way press is covering this, all current franchises like Doom,ES,Fallout and so on are exclusive. But again the whole issue is discussed to death already. So you may be right.
The 1st party studios of Microsoft still need to mature quite a bit. 343 industries is still stumbling and learning along the way. The Coalition only managed to put out a true AAA with Gears 5 in 2019. Ninja Theory is still a bit like an indie dev transitioning to AAA and so on. There is still not a single studio under Xbox banner that is as show-stopping and reliable as Sony SantaMonica or ND.
Seems obvious that you don't spend $7.5 billion just to have a year exclusivity deal or something, those are much, much cheaper. So yes it will be a GamePass exclusive... which probably means PC and Xbox... but maybe they will be able to stream to other platforms as well. Their streaming service is something new.
He means that there are current games that exist on other platforms and that will be supported and that they will honour timed-exclusivity deals with Sony: Deathloop and Ghostwire Tokyo. I think that he is quite clear and I don't understand why some people are still confused. Everything else will be Xbox/Game Pass exclusives.
@UltimateOtaku91 most of those studios were either acquired or created rather recently. The acquired ones were still working on contractually obligated multi platform games.
It will take some time for those studios to start delivering that exclusive content. If rumors are to be believed, Bethesda might deliver Xbox at least two exclusives this year: Starfield and whatever the studio behind Wolfenstein is working on.
@GunValkyrie which is fine with me. The only decent FF was 7
It'd be idiotic if it's not exclusive to Xbox.
I'm going to say this once. Playstation is going to get games like Minecraft. Elder Scrolls will likely come too. Any new IP like Indiana Jones or Starfield it's best you don't think about!
How is this even a question? ES is Bethesda’s flagship series. Of course it will be an Xbox exclusive. People will buy Xbox’s for that alone.
All of those studios and any real triple A exclusives are still probably years away. I keep hoping they have something tucked away in secret that is nearing completion.
I'd bet Elder Scrolls 6 is going to be on PlayStation, but it'll be the last one there. Historically, previous ES releases have either skipped the platform or been utter rubbish on PS, so we can throw out "legacy" there. Starfield will also likely be on PS for the same reason as ES: they've already started development for PS and probably already have those contracts in place. ESO will also continue to release new expansions on all platforms, as will Fallout 76.
Aside from these exceptions, though, I'm sure every game will be exclusive from here on out. However, the term 'exclusive' doesn't really mean much here, considering Microsoft is dedicated to making GPU as ubiquitous as possible. It's not like people aren't going to be able to play these games if they don't have an Xbox. I don't know if the PS5 has a browser, but if it does, you better believe MS is trying to find a way to get Game Pass on it through there.
Stop asking these pointless question, it WILL be exclusive.
I WAS firmly and vociferously on the side of old IP might not be exclusive on a case by case basis, whereas new IP would be.
However the wording seemed VERY clear to me that games like Elder Scrolls, Doom and Starfield will be exclusive to any platform with Game Pass.
They left enough caveats and wiggle room that anything is possible, perhaps Switch ports later on for example, but I don’t expect these to come to PlayStation. (Indiana Jones could be an exception if Lucasfilm want it across platforms)
I think if MS is smart, ES VI will be exclusive. However, I don't know if it will happen so I voted "no."
@GunValkyrie "Phil would work out a deal that benefits MS with Sony if they reallllly wanted it"
He already stated the terms for that: GamePass would have to be available on PlayStation, and that includes Xbox logins and achievement support.
None of that is outrageous to ask.
EA Play is on PlayStation.
Minecraft aleady has Xbox logins
Nintendo and PlayStation gamers were having great exclusive for years.
Now it's Xbox's turn!
@Deadcow I know several people just in person who where set on a ps5 untill this deal and are now getting the series s/x instead, so yeah it's clearly a big deal and is clearly changing people's minds, on top of the fact you get all exclusives day 1 for no extra cost.. Pretty great
I would think yes, as with Oblivion being Xbox exclusive originally , I would think that Elder Scrolls as a series going forward (Skyrim on) was probably and still is a game by game thing, and not ' we'll release ES games on you platform for the next 10 years for this deal'
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