Bethesda's Indiana Jones Game is Exclusive to Xbox and PC - News

by William D'Angelo , posted on 22 June 2023 / 5,900 Views

Bethesda Softworks and MachineGames in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games announced in 2021 a new Indiana Jones game with an original story was in development. Not much has been heard about the game since the announcement.

The hearing between the US FTC and Microsoft, which started today, revealed Disney had a deal for the Indiana Jones game with Bethesda that it would release on multiple consoles.

Following Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda's parent company, ZeniMax Media, the deal with Disney was amended and the AAA game would be an Xbox console exclusive with it also being available on PC and Xbox Game Pass, according to Bethesda's Pete Hines.

Hines said that titles that release only on Xbox and PC from Bethesda benefit from having to focus on fewer platforms.

"You go to fewer platforms, your development gets more streamlined," he said. "It just needs to run as well as possible on one box, on PC. You know, a narrow focus always helps."

He added, "We would not be putting [Starfield] out in nine weeks if we were supporting an entire additional platform, in my opinion."

Indiana Jones developer MachineGames is best known for developing Wolfenstein: The New Order and Wolfenstein: The New Colossus. Todd Howard is the executive producer on the game.

Sony also has exclusivity deals with Disney as Marvel's Spider-Man, Marvel's Wolverine, and the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake are all PlayStation exclusives.

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 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

63 Comments

shikamaru317 (on 22 June 2023)

Not surprising. Fully expect TES6 will be exclusive as well.

2zosteven shikamaru317 (on 22 June 2023)

cant wait for TES6

Pemalite 2zosteven (on 23 June 2023)

TES6 will be the ducks nuts.

Every single Elder Scrolls game has improved substantially over the previous in terms of quality and reproduction value.

Can't wait.

Azzanation Pemalite (on 23 June 2023)

Some argue they are dumbed down from Marrowwind etc. Technically they have improved

Pemalite Azzanation (on 23 June 2023)

Morrowind definitely had some Pro's and Con's.

But going back to that game after experiencing Oblivion and then Skyrim, it's a very clunky experience.

G2ThaUNiT (on 22 June 2023)

Damn! Who needs game showcases when you got the FTC? Lol

Libara (on 22 June 2023)

Makes sense, no one should be surprised. Although the fake "surprised outrage" will be abundant I'm sure.

Signalstar (on 25 June 2023)

MS just need to be open and honest with everyone and admit that if allowed, they would make all the games developed by their new acquisitions exclusive to their ecosystem. Stop dancing around the matter.

scrapking (on 24 June 2023)

At least Microsoft's "exclusives" are also on PC day 1, and streaming to almost every device going day 1. As opposed to Sony exclusives which come to PC way later, and Nintendo exclusives that never (legally) come to PC.

Has anyone tried using the web browser to stream Xcloud games to a PS5?

LudicrousSpeed (on 23 June 2023)

but but this is way different than normal exclusives because the game was originally going to be MP!!!!

Actually no it isn’t, the end result is the same: one console gets the game.

Azzanation (on 23 June 2023)

Their Studio, their money.

Otter (on 22 June 2023)

Honestly didn't expect that, I assume that amendment would of cost MS some $$$ since it would have cut the likely revenue for the game by 60+ % and wasn't what Disney originally signed up for in the initial contract.

VAMatt Otter (on 22 June 2023)

Depends on the structure of the original contract

Comment was deleted...

Pajderman (on 26 June 2023)

I have a strange feeling that this will be a great game

TheTitaniumNub (on 24 June 2023)

I'm on PC so it's whatever, I really like Indiana Jones so I do wish PS5 players were playing too! Even Switch or most likely the next Nintendo console! Me and my group of friends are all going to the cinemas on Dial of Destiny premiere night, so pumped!!!

LittleCloud TheTitaniumNub (on 25 June 2023)

There are PC platforms other than Microsoft Windows. I tried Halo Infinite on Steam Deck. Couldn't even log into that mandatory Microsoft account (hadn't linked those accounts on the big PC before). With the exception of Returnal, Sony has a good track record of having their games Steam Deck verified on day one.

TheTitaniumNub LittleCloud (on 25 June 2023)

Well... yeah? I know there other platforms besides Windows? I use Steam personally.

Shinobi-san (on 23 June 2023)

Personally I dont see anything wrong with exlusivity on new IP such as Starfield and this Indiana Jones game, just really hoping MS puts TES6 on PS.

GaoGaiGarV Shinobi-san (on 23 June 2023)

Problem is they were clearly developed for Playstation until Microsoft forcibly pulled the plug on that version.

Shinobi-san GaoGaiGarV (on 23 June 2023)

Well all these cancelled PS5 games will potentially come back to bite MS as its definitely going to be used against them with the ABK merger. I said this in a previous article, MS should have played the long game and not bothered with exclusivity on Bethesda titles until the ABK purchase went through.

Cobretti2 (on 23 June 2023)

I would rather it was PC exclusive being a Bathesda game with all the bugs it will no doubt have, many patches to come, so playing it on PC makes the most sense.

-1

Jumpinbeans (on 22 June 2023)

G2ThaUNiT Jumpinbeans (on 22 June 2023)

You do know that if you're a GP subscriber, you get a 10-15% discount to purchase Xbox exclusive games lol. They're literally working on giving you the ability to stream games you OWN on Xbox lol. Not to mention, they wouldn't be selling all their games on Steam if that were a potential possibility.

Libara Jumpinbeans (on 22 June 2023)

Wishful thinking.

smroadkill15 Jumpinbeans (on 22 June 2023)

So Xbox makes THEIR games exclusive and this is what you come up with?? The mental gymnastics some of you go through puts Cirque du soleil to shame.

Odd-Sherbert Jumpinbeans (on 23 June 2023)

I manage our Microsoft Enterprise agreement and I will say it would not shock me if Microsoft did this.

They are 110% about subscriptions these days. They want everyone they can on a Azure, M/O365 or GamePass subscription. They tried to stop the sales of stand alone versions of Office (Office 2019) but the complaints made the back off, now you can buy a copy of Office 2021. I have no doubt they will try that again and same goes for Xbox Live.

-3

LivncA_Dis3 (on 22 June 2023)

G2ThaUNiT LivncA_Dis3 (on 22 June 2023)

We already knew that was the case with Spider-Man, Star Wars: KOTOR remake, and Wolverine.

VAMatt LivncA_Dis3 (on 22 June 2023)

How do you know this doesn't get them more money? Contracts can be structured all kinds of ways.

shikamaru317 LivncA_Dis3 (on 22 June 2023)

For all we know, Xbox may have chosen to compensate Disney for any lost Playstation sales in order to make the game exclusive, just like Sony might have done in order to get Wolverine and KOTOR 2 remake as Playstation exclusives. Without seeing the contracts ourselves, there is just no way to know.

Dallinor shikamaru317 (on 22 June 2023)

Supposedly Disney have been shopping around for devs to make their IP, not the other way around.

Imaginedvl LivncA_Dis3 (on 22 June 2023)

Where is your source? (I assume you have a copy of that contract and know how much money Disney is going to make because of this deal and therefor can compare it with the money they would make without the deal?).
Can you please share it? Thanks.

DonFerrari (on 22 June 2023)

Imaginedvl DonFerrari (on 22 June 2023)

I mean your hit-and-run comments about the exclusivity topics are kinda out of place to be honest.
Microsoft is at least having a "case by case" and we can see several Xbox games on other platforms, while Sony has "only one case"... Which is nothing on any other platform... Or some PC port at some point 2 or 3 years and it is a minority by far.

You can make fun of the case-by-case basis, but in the end, it is still better than not even considering it at all (Sony).

Dallinor Imaginedvl (on 22 June 2023)

No, it's definitely not out of place. He's pointing out that as more Bethesda games are revealed as exclusives, the initial PR line is exposed as nonsense. That could change if it turns out other games are multiplatform, we'll have to wait and see.

Imaginedvl Dallinor (on 22 June 2023)

The point is that making fun of Microsoft "case by case" basis when Sony is simply not even considering is. Is just moot...

Also, the case by case basis does not mean that a certain % of games "should" not be exclusives. It means exactly that: "case by case" basis... Fallout 76/ESO and new expansions are, for instance, not exclusive.
If the most popular AAA from Bethesda becomes exclusive; that's does not change anything to what they said... And at some point even if ALL games become exclusives... They still followed up on their words.

Case by case does not mean: "they should announce a certain number of game non exclusives"... It is actually still true even if at the end, everything end up being exclusives... Case by case mean they will see... Not "yes we will have some games not exclusives". That's by no mean a commitment to that...

The Fury Imaginedvl (on 22 June 2023)

Considering what? Their games release on their console, just like Nintendo release their games on their console and Xbox have done in the past. You going to moan about Mario RPG being exclusive to Switch now?

Sony haven't ever bought an entire publisher which was multi-platform before where this is a problem.

-6

Imaginedvl The Fury (on 22 June 2023)

Buying a studio and paying for complete exclusivity is no different. In fact; Sony got way more third-party content locked to their platform than any other; no matter "how" they achieve it. You can pretend that just because they do not buy them; it is different and pink and nice etc. But it is not. I mean you can argue if you want, will just ignore it anyway, this has been beaten to death already by both sides. You have an opinion about it (like many people), and I have a different one (like many people); this will not change.

Oh and for the question "Considering" what? That's the point of this comment lol.
Microsoft IS actually having a lot of first-party games available on other platforms (without being forced like MLB); so in the end, you can say whatever you want about this case by case. Microsoft is def. the best out of the 3 (and by far) regarding having some of their stuff available everywhere else (and even more when we talk about PC).

I'm not bitching Sony for that or Nintendo for instance; they are doing the right thing for their brand. But bitching Microsoft about the "case by case" basis is kinda petty when at least they are actually doing that with some of their content to the contrary of their competitors...

The Fury Imaginedvl (on 22 June 2023)

I'm not saying about about case by case, couldn't give a crap about that or this game. I do however find it odd you saying saying "considering" when it involves their own games when both MS and Nintendo have done the same and Nintendo are still doing the same and rightly so, it's their games. Stop acting like this is a Sony only thing.

-5

Imaginedvl The Fury (on 22 June 2023)

IT IS a Sony thing lol.

First: This is about Microsoft and Sony, so my points are about the difference between the two. You bring others if you want but I'm not talking about them in the first place. My comment is ABOUT SONY and Microsoft.

And second: Microsoft is def. better at that and the majority if not ALL their new games come out on PC too. And then some are even on other platforms. Sony is the opposite of it; YOU NEED a Play Station to play Sony games... You can play all new Xbox games without an Xbox. Day one And for some of them even on Play Station or Switch.

How can you even argue with that lol That's my point from the start, if you want to move the goal post and start talking about "how" others are doing it too, that's a you problem; that's not what I'm talking about.

zero129 The Fury (on 25 June 2023)

Why are you in this comment section of the article if you dont give a crap about this game?.

-1

The Fury zero129 (on 26 June 2023)

Interest in the article. Entertainment. Boredom at work. Take your pick.

-1

GaoGaiGarV Imaginedvl (on 23 June 2023)

Uuuuh no...
Microsoft bought studios that were actively developing for multiple platforms.
So those studios already had games on several platforms, logically.
Microsoft simply didn't remove the already existing games from the other platforms.
They also didn't cancel games where contracts were already made.
Thats the extend of Microsofts "generosity".
There is nothing good about that and Microsoft certainly are not the "best out of the 3"!
Contrary, they are the worst, because previously widely beloved multi platform franchises will now be locked behind their Microsoft platforms forever!

-4

GaoGaiGarV Imaginedvl (on 23 June 2023)

Please what?
When has Sony bought a studio it had no ties with, with a game in active development and made that game exclusive?
The last studio purchases like Haven etc. Sony was funding the projects from the beginning.
They even release MLB on Xbox and allow Bungie to develop Marathon for Xbox too.

Microsoft on the other hand does the ultimate money hat. They buy whole publishers with several studios off of the market and cancel planned Playstation versions of their actively developed multi platform games to make them Xbox exclusive without any prospect of ever releasing on Playstation or even Nintendo again.

They are actively and severely limiting choice for customers on a large scale while pretending to broaden audience by also releasing them for their own PC operating system and some unusable streaming services.

-1

Imaginedvl GaoGaiGarV (on 23 June 2023)

Like I said this topic has been beaten to death already. Not going to argue about it at this point. If this is your opinion and what you believe then thanks for sharing :)

Azzanation DonFerrari (on 23 June 2023)

Yet Sony makes Spiderman full exclusive yet Xbox cannot with Indiana Jones? Your posts keep getting worse

GaoGaiGarV Azzanation (on 23 June 2023)

There is a huge difference between planning and developing a game for a certain platform from the start and cancelling a game from an already planned platform retroactively to harm your competitor and more severely their user base.

-4

Azzanation GaoGaiGarV (on 23 June 2023)

Sony could have made it multiplatform, but they said no.
People need to stop making excuses. Sony has created more exclusive deals than anybody in the history of this industry.
Its all the same crap.

Comment was deleted...

DonFerrari Azzanation (on 23 June 2023)

Did Sony when buying a publisher said the exclusivity or multiplatform would be decided case by case and them ALL new titles were exclusive?

Azzanation DonFerrari (on 23 June 2023)

Case by case does not garentee games will be multiplatform.
Case by case is also much better than Sonys method of Permanent Exclusive. MS release more games on PS than Sony does for both Nintendo and Xbox combined. Funny that.
Sony want to play the Exclusive war, than expect retaliation.