Phil Spencer: Bethesda Deal is About Delivering Great Exclusive Games on Xbox, PC, and Game Pass - News
by William D'Angelo , posted on 03 July 2021 / 3,835 Views
Phil Spencer during the Bethesda and Xbox roundtable was asked about Xbox console exclusivity of Bethesda games.
He said they plan to honor contracts with current Bethesda games like with Deathloop and GhostWire: Tokyo, which were announced as PlayStation 5 console exclusives, with a release also on PC. He also said that games already released on other platforms will continue to be supported.
Spencer added that the ZeniMax acquisition is about delivering great exclusive games that will ship on platforms where Game Pass exists.
"If you're an Xbox customer, the thing I want you to know is that this is about delivering great exclusive games to you that ship on platforms where Game Pass exists," said Spencer.
This essentially confirms that the vast majority of future Bethesda games will be released as Xbox console exclusives, as well as on PC and platforms that support Xbox Game Pass.
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.
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That sinks it then. No Starfield or ES6 on PS5.
I really think people are getting ahead of themselves.
"Even in the future there might be things that have either contractual things or legacy on other platforms that we'll do."
Add that to Pete's statement about the aquisition
"Bethesda’s games will continue to be published under the Bethesda label, not the Microsoft label."
As a huge publisher they of course have some bargaining power in how the take over is managed. Potentially it was agreed that their flagship multiplatform titles (Fallout/ES6) are still allowed to releases to the widest audience. Hence Phil's comment about games with legacies on other platforms going ahead with multiplat releases.
Their games will be on PS5 if it has Gamepass too.
Sony should have out bid MS
Not surprising, and completely expected if you thought about it logically rather than emotionally.
Not surprising? Can't argue about that. But 'completely expected'? They spent $2.5 billion on a company that had made just one game (Minecraft) in 2014. Since then, they've continue to support the game on all platforms, released it on even more platforms (including competitors' platforms), and released new games (again including competitors' platforms, even as late as last year). And this is all from a company that has opened up recently during the current CEO. For a company with more IPs and a longer history, $7.5 billion without heavy focus on exclusives doesn't seem like an unreasonable choice either.
All in all, this is not surprising and definitely makes sense, but to me, it seems like 'completely expected' is not exactly how this should be described.
Well, just going by MS other studio acquisitions... it was completely expected to me. Minecraft was the exception, not the rule.
What other studio aquisitions are you going by? From my recollection Mojan is the only aquisition to put Microsoft in charge of a hugely popular multiplatform franchise (minecraft) hence it being the exception. Unless I'm forgetting one, that now makes Bethesda the second (Elderscrolls/Fallout) and technically another exception. In this regard their treatment of Mojan/Minecraft is the only aquisition comparable to Bethesda.
Hmm, a fair point. I was kind of going to agree with NobleTeam360, but the only other acquisition I can remember off the top of my head (Obsidian) is quite different from Mojang or Bethesda. Looking up the rest, they seem smaller as well. Arguably it would seem reasonable to have a different strategy for big and small acquisitions (although that doesn't seem to be the case here), which would really leave only Mojang comparable to this (and yet, still quite different).
No one should be surprised about this, a company isn't going to spend 7.5bn to release their games on a rivals platform.
Phil Spencer is the king of gaming!
Yah, they had to wait for the deal to close before to say it officially :) But that's it .
They still left the room open for other platform to open up to GamePass tho.
It's great that it's finally confirmed, and now the talk can go from exclusivity to the games themselves. I can't wait to see more of Starfield.
But I heard there's no way they'd recoup 7.5B unless the games hit another console platform.
Look, if you are a playstation owner and want to play future releases for sure. Why can't you just buy an xbox? It wont be the end of your world.... There are some butt-hurt people in here.
Sony Ponies are too loyal. Out of Xbots, Nintendrones, and Sony Ponies. the Ponies are by far the worst.
Well lol now I'll need to buy the series s soon
Sega, Ubisoft and Capcom next please.
Hmmmm, to be expected. Anyone who thought otherwise doesn't understand how business works.
Curious to know the impact of all this on the sales and popularity of "Zenimax games". Exclusivity for Xbox / PC / Gamepass, how many people will continue to follow these franchises? how many will abandon them?
A very aggressive move here, there will undoubtedly be notable consequences.
I agree. It is going to be really interesting to see how the market behaves in the next 3-5 years.
just play bethesda games on pc coz thats the only place they play good anyways haha
“even in the future there might be things that have contractual things, or legacy on different platforms that we’ll go do,” this give the possibility of some future legacy titles as to be multiplats such as elder scrolls and fallout. We know those franchises are so far away.
June 2020 - Phil
"Exclusives are counter productive and not what gaming is about.."
March 2021 - Phil
"... unless it's about gamepass.."
Per usual, context is needed for Papa Phil quotes on Chartz. That was an interview about locking games away from Xbone owners and making them buy X|S.
Also, they aren’t locking Bethesda games to Xbox. You can also play them on PC, mobile, anything and anywhere with xCloud. Papa Phil correct again.
Probably one of their markering strategies to push GP on other platforms or miss out rule.
Well those that cried Xbox has no games will now cry they cant play those games.
Now he talked what everybody already knew but he couldn't say before the purchase was done. Now without the need of the roundabout "this purchase isn't about removing content for others but putting content on Xbox".
It means removing content such as current deals. Games that arent out yet like Starfield or Elder Scrolls 6 is not removing content if it doesnt exist on the platform, they just are not adding content. Same as Minecraft, MS didnt remove it but they dont have to support it or promise a sequel etc.
everybody knew?
Look at the comments...
https://www.vgchartz.com/article/447775/microsoft-acquisition-of-bethesda-complete-some-future-titles-to-be-xbox-and-pc-exclusive/
https://www.vgchartz.com/article/447537/microsoft-to-discuss-future-bethesda-plans-once-deal-closes-in-march-according-to-jeff-grubb/
I still suspect that not everything will be exclusive, but I like where this is going.
Bummed that ES6 won't be on PS5 but that's the only game i'll miss (not taking into account any future new IP's of course). Not enough incentive for me to get an XB...
It is coming to ps5, just not on launch
It's all about tying people into subscriptions and purpetual debt
PS5, PC and Switch - super ultra gaming combo!
For me it's PS5 ( as soon as i manage to find 1 for a good price T . T) and PC.
nah. just PC and Switch. Sony games are also coming to PC so whats the point in buying one?
Yeah that is most likely the ultimatum. Either way, Xbox walks out on top with this acquisition.
That is true as of right now but never say never. Thats alot of games they will be missing out on by saying no. I cant see GP on PS, maybe Nintendo.
Exactly, all statements made so far reflect the same sentiment which remains vague but clear
-"some new titles in the future that will be exclusive to Xbox and PC players." there will be exclusives
-"We’ll take other consoles on a case-by-case basis" there will be multiplatform titles
-"Even in the future there might be things that have either contractual things or legacy on other platforms that we'll do." hints at what those multiplatform titles will be
The most logical guess on these statements is that most of Bethesda's releases will be exclusive for Xbox/PC outside of their established big multiplatform franchises which have a legacy on other platforms (Doom/Elderscrolls/Fallout), similar to how they treated the Minecraft IP. This wouldn't mean they couldn't be timed exclusives though. And although one would expect new IPs to be exclusive there were reports Sony was negotiating Starfield exclusivity, so it'll be interesting to see what happened there.
Essay Pro