In a recent whitepaper, Microsoft stated that three upcoming Bethesda releases will be exclusive to Xbox and PC, albeit it did not specify which games. With Starfield being one of the most anticipated releases in 2023, all eyes and ears are on what the Skyrim developer will be releasing soon, especially because it’s the studio’s first new IP in a quarter-century.
The international company created by Bill Gates has lately made headlines due to the controversy surrounding Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, with regulators stepping in to potentially prevent the merger. Microsoft acquired ZeniMax, Bethesda’s parent business, in 2020, and the Xbox creator already owns id Software and Dishonored developer Arkane. Given this, the tech behemoth wields considerable power in the gaming industry, and it appears that it intends to make some expected future releases exclusive to its hardware and operating system.
In the document, Microsoft has said that “three future titles” from Bethesda will be available only on Xbox and PC. “
Though the names of these releases have been redacted from the statement, it goes on to say that these games are designed to be “played primarily alone or in small groups,” so no doubt many reading will have some idea of which ones the company is referring to.
Both Starfield and Redfall, the latter of which is being published rather than developed by Bethesda, will be unique to both the Xbox Series and Windows PCs. At this point, the third mystery game can only be assumed. However, it has previously been stated that The Elder Scrolls 6 would be exclusive to Microsoft, therefore this is most likely the other title on the redacted list. At this point, this is only speculation, but the fact that these future products will either be single-player or include multiplayer with small groups means that the Skyrim sequel may be delayed for other systems such as PlayStation.
With the announcement of Fallout 5 earlier this year, some may be wondering if Microsoft would want this Bethesda game to be an exclusive title as well. It’s too early to tell, but many people who don’t have a powerful PC or a current-gen Xbox console will be disappointed if games like TES6 are exclusively available on these systems.
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