Bethesda to Focus on Xbox Exclusives for “Platforms Where Game Pass Exists” Says Spencer

Now that Microsoft owns Bethesda lock, stock, and barrel, will time to come games in the Fallout, Elder Scrolls, and Doom franchises be Xbox exclusive? That's the question many fans have been asking, and Microsoft hasn't provided particularly clear answers. Some upcoming Bethesda games, like Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo, are actually coming to PS5 start, and in a recent statement Phil Spencer would only say that "some" future Bethesda games would be Xbox panel exclusive.

Well, merely minutes ago during a new Xbox-Bethesda "roundtable" livestream, Phil Spencer made Microsoft'southward position on Bethesda exclusives much more clear. According to Spencer, Microsoft's goal in purchasing Bethesda was indeed to create exclusives for Xbox and other platforms where "Game Pass exists." Microsoft will honour certain agreements Bethesda made before they purchased them (such every bit the ones for Deathloop and Ghostwire PlayStation exclusivity) and will support games already on other platforms, just it sounds like that won't be the norm long term…

I'g gonna try to be as clear as I can, considering I just think it'south fair. Then obviously I can't sit hither and say every Bethesda game is sectional, because we know that's not true. There's contractual obligations that nosotros're going to see through as we ever do in every 1 of these instances. We have games that exist on other platforms, and nosotros're going to go support those games on the platforms they're on. There'due south communities of players. We love those communities and we'll continue to invest in them. And fifty-fifty in the future, there might be things that have either contractual things or legacy on dissimilar platforms that we'll get do.

But if yous're an Xbox customer, the thing I want you to know is this is virtually delivering great exclusive games for you that transport on platforms where Game Pass exists, and that's our goal. That's why nosotros're doing this. That's the root of this partnership that we're building, and the artistic capability nosotros will be able to bring to market for our Xbox customers is going to be the best information technology'due south e'er been after we're washed here.

Of class, Spencer left himself a little wiggle room in his statement, merely those property out hope that, say, The Elder Scrolls Six or the adjacent Fallout will exist multiplatform may be in for a disappointment. Of course, Sony and Nintendo will still become the full slate of Bethesda games if they just say yes to Xbox Game Pass on their platforms. Nosotros shall see what happens.

What do you think about all this? How practice yous translate Phil Spencer's statement? Which future Bethesda games will exist Microsoft exclusives, and which might be exceptions?