Publicly, Microsoft has been quite coy on the future of The Elder Scrolls and what platforms any future releases will land on. Part of that is because the sixth entry is so far away at this stage, but also, the team is still saying it will look at upcoming Xbox exclusivity on a "case-by-case basis" - hinting that some titles will still launch on PlayStation. However, new FTC court documents suggest that won't be the case for The Elder Scrolls 6.
Yep, a new court doc has appeared from the ongoing Activision Blizzard investigation that basically says The Elder Scrolls 6 won't be released on PlayStation. A separate excerpt has also been spotted showing Microsoft claiming that the game "may be released only on Xbox and PC". The two are viewable down below:
Just last week, Xbox's Phil Spencer reiterated that the team plans to look at each first party release as it comes, so plans like the ones for TES 6 may not be set in stone just yet. Still, it looks unlikely that the next mainline Elder Scrolls game will hit PlayStation platforms at this stage.
Outside of Bethesda and its IP, Microsoft is of course still trying to purchase Activision Blizzard and its respective franchises. At the time of writing this acquisition is still being worked on, as Xbox continues to remedy the deal to suit the likes of the UK CMA and other regulatory bodies.
Do you think it'd be a good move to make The Elder Scrolls 6 exclusive? Let us know in the comments section!
Comments 39
Pretty sure that Phil said something like this in regard to Zenimax games "These games will exist where game pass is". Couldn't be much more clear than that.
Was there ever a doubt? I feel the horse has been beaten many a times. It's time to let it lie, folks. If you want to play the single player Bethesda games, be ready to play them on xbox or pc.
Why does this question continue to come up? Xbox (or Microsoft) owns Bethesda. Safely assume ES6 will be exclusive to Xbox and PC. There is no point in taking about it — the game could be 5 years off.
Spencer is not going to engage in delivering an itemized list of which games will be exclusive to MS platforms. That's why he says "case-by-case" over and over again. If anything, the FTC and CMA antics put the last nail in the coffin.
@theduckofdeath @J_Mo_Money it’s because publicly bethesda and spencer are still saying a ps5 port isn’t out of the question and the development for said port hasn’t been canned yet.
/me sits and waits for all the Phil said he wants to get the games to more ppl , he's a liar etc and completely disregarding all the ppl on Nvidia and other cloud services/ TV/ mobiles/tablets etc etc
This should surprise no one.
That said @theduckofdeath why does it keep coming up? A few reasons but mostly because Microsofts language in this has been vague and unclear. Which I understand WHY they do it, keep all options available, but it means they always leave the door open on a game by game basis. As such it will keep being a question.
It's not just these Regulatory bodies behaviour, @theduckofdeath, but also that of Sony. Sony went out of their way to cause problems for Microsoft. Above and beyond indeed. Such was their behaviour that I can foresee Microsoft allowing only a very select few titles to land on the PlayStation. Where there may have been a little bit of good will on the part of Microsoft, I think Sony stomped all over it. I think the gloves are well and truly off now.
Ultimately, as with Starfield, those that game on a PlayStation only will have the choice of buying an Xbox (as that's cheaper than a PC) or simply missing out completely, and for that, they can blame the Sony leadership as much as anyone (though they will, of course, wholly blame Microsoft)...
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I’d be more surprised if it wasn’t.
Shock horror, so surprised.
Good 😊 I'm happy with that
This shouldn't surprise anyone.
It also makes sense. Elder Scrolls 6 isn't likely to be a 'sequel' and/or a continuation of any story or plot line. Every game is a 'stand-alone' experience that starts off with you creating your own character to play in that 'sandbox' - similar to Fallout or Starfield.
Its not as if the last game finished on a cliff hanger or that people have become attached to specific Characters (like Lara Croft, Nathan Drake etc) and want to find out where their Story goes next. Its a 'fresh' start so has no 'legacy' on any system.
It makes sense that Single Player games are kept exclusive to attract people into the Xbox ecosystem - much like Sony/Nintendo do with their 'exclusives'. Multi-player games - especially those with Active and established online Communities (like CoD) on other platforms makes sense not to split those Communities that have become accustomed to playing with friends/family on whatever hardware together, will still be able to keep playing future Online games built to cater to that 'Established Active Online Community'.
The reason they are potentially 'vague' is because they don't know what the 'hardware' landscape would be. When Starfield was 'revealed' alongside ES6, the Series Xbox and PS5 weren't announced and neither are likely to release on Xbox One/PS4 hardware. In 5yrs time, the PS5 may not be a 'realistic' platform to release on as they may use MS 'tech' not compatible or maybe Next gen hardware is out.
No one bought a PS5 to play Starfield or ES6 because these were NEVER announced for Playstation. I doubt if Insomniac decided to make Sunset Overdrive 2, that would come to Xbox and both Morrowind & Oblivion were both Xbox Exclusives before they eventually got ported to PS.
The fact is that Single Player games are much more 'useful' to MS to attract players to their ecosystem and spending their time and money there. Its not just 'sales' of Starfield, ES6 etc, but all the games those players go on to buy too. If they can buy on PS, then what incentive do they have to spend time/money on MS? Established MP games will likely remain on PS so you can still buy CoD, Minecraft etc so they 'need' games to get you to play in Xbox, spend money in Xbox etc.
Its no different from Sony/Nintendo keeping their games 'exclusive' so you'll spend time/money in their ecosystem. You may buy it for Zelda or Uncharted, but you'll go on to buy games, accessories etc etc too so Single Players are the games to 'bring' gamers into Xbox with established Online games still remaining multi-platform to grow the Active Communities who are 'fans' of these and want to keep playing together on their 'prefered' platform.
Queue the review bombs in few years from the disgruntled Playstation gamers.
@themightyant Correct. It's all politics
@Fiendish-Beaver Starfield was never going to release on PlayStation as soon as Microsoft bought Bethesda. We already know that one of the first things they did was put a stop to development of Redfall on PlayStation. Nothing Sony or any regulators did had any effect on that.
Speculation will exist as long as Microsoft don't confirm publicly that TES:VI is exclusive, I don't see what they get by not confirming it at this time.
If Sony caves and streams game pass on their platform one day (Something I'm sure Microsoft has in the platform's roadmap) then they will remove console exclusivity. If, a few years later, Game Pass runs natively on Playstation through a PS service-tier, then that further removes console exclusivity.
Not sure why Phil Spencer would commit to making comments on games several years out esp as he probably won't be the the CEO of Microsoft Gaming by that point.
Understandable, have a good day. **goes back to playing Starfield on Xbox**
It’s simple if all Xbox studio games were released on day one on PS5, then why buy and Xbox console and Gamepass.
Just buy a PS5 and have the best of both worlds.
Xbox and PlayStation exclusives, and just buy the ones you like.
Same for Switch as well.
Absolutely agree with you, @Kevw2006. To my mind, Microsoft may as well publicly say now that the next Elder Scrolls will be an Xbox (and PC) exclusive, as doing so might just push sales of the Xbox now as there maybe people that are hesitant to buy an Xbox to play Starfield but will make the jump to get an Xbox now if they know that ES will not be on coming to the PlayStation.
I mean, it's like the world's worst kept secret. Everyone knows that it will be an Xbox exclusive, so why not just come out and admit it now? Seems a ridiculous stance to me. Also, if there is going to be a backlash from the PlayStation crowd, what difference does it make if it is now or in 6 years time? At least at the moment there is a positive buzz surrounding Starfield that will mask some of the ill-feeling regarding any ES exclusivity announcement...
Jim Ryan must be throwing a fit over this.
Sony would be doing the same thing if they bought Zenimax. Oh, and Sony would not have released it on PC either on day one.
pretends to be shocked
No way!
And Phil literally said last week when asked specifically and directly about ES6 'case by case basis'. So not only is his mind already made up as the document reveals but he continues to skate around it or flat out lie to look good to regulators.
Everyone knew it wouldn't be on PS5 but we also know Phil will dance around it while regulators are on his case to get what he wants.
Source of what he said last week.
https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/xbox-boss-phil-spencer-addresses-potential-elder-scrolls-6-exclusivity/
@GunValkyria Well, to be fair, all consoles suck equally.
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@darkswabber Sony better pay up, and a LOT of that's the case. They'll lose a lot of money if/when that happens.
Is it a slow news day? I am not sure why anyone thought this would be any different tbh. Only some multiplayer games will stay multiplatform.
Now this is how you define console exclusive
@Cashews
You are just adorable♥️
You can be Poor Xbox.com's champion! It'll be like that time where the Mountain met Oberyn Martell in a duel.
Did anyone honestly think otherwise. They've been pretty clear about it from day one.
Moment of respect for the Playstation-only owners out there.
While I tend to dislike exclusives in general, it's been said a few times by myself and others, moving forward it shouldn't surprise anyone that the single player games end up being exclusives and the multi players end up being non exclusive.
I don't really mind after the ridiculously childish antics of Sony as of late. They kind of deserve it, but exclusives are just bad for gamers IMO.
Slightly OT: I'm much more interested in the idea of the larger category of PC only games coming to Xbox via Xcloud. MS keeps teasing but it seems like it's in the works now vs just "a plan".
What happened to all the gamers online at the start of the gen that said they all had PC’s and was buying a PS5. Cause in their words all you needed was a PS5 and PC. Now all of a sudden they can’t play games that come to PC day and date. Guess that didn’t age well for them.
I must be one of the few who doesn't care, because I never played the Elder Scrolls games lol.
They bought Betheseda for a reason. Sony would have made it exclusive too if they owned them.
This is not news.
But Todd Howard said "it's hard to imagine" the next Elder Scrolls being exclusive to Microsoft platforms. In other words, he can't imagine it not being on the Playstation, Lol. Try harder buddy.
Buying on PC so no biggie to me.
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