Sony’s Attempt to Secure Starfield as a Timed Exclusive
In recent news, it has been revealed that Sony, the gaming giant, allegedly made efforts to secure Bethesda Softworks’ highly anticipated game, Starfield, as a timed console exclusive. This information was disclosed by Xbox CEO Phil Spencer during the Federal Trade Commission hearings involving Microsoft and Activision.
According to Spencer, Sony’s previous deals for timed exclusives on Bethesda titles like Deathloop and Ghostwire played a significant role in Xbox’s decision to pursue ZeniMax, the parent company of Bethesda. The whispers of Sony’s attempts to obtain Starfield further accelerated the acquisition process.
“When we acquired ZeniMax, one of the driving forces behind it was Sony’s deal for Deathloop and Ghostwire. Sony paid Bethesda to keep those games away from Xbox,” explained Spencer. “So, when we heard that Starfield might also skip Xbox, as a third-place console, we couldn’t afford to fall behind on content ownership. Securing exclusive content became crucial for our continued viability in the gaming industry.”
While it remains uncertain if Starfield would have ended up as a timed exclusive, journalist Imran Khan previously noted in September 2020 that Sony had expressed interest in securing timed exclusivity for the game.
In June 2021, it was officially confirmed that Starfield would be an exclusive for Xbox consoles. Bethesda Softworks’ Senior Vice President of Global Marketing and Communications, Pete Hines, even expressed his apologies to PlayStation players for the exclusivity deal.
The trial between Microsoft and Activision has shed light on the topic of exclusivity in the gaming industry. While games like Indiana Jones are confirmed to be Xbox and PC exclusives, the fate of titles like The Outer Worlds 2 and The Elder Scrolls 6 coming to PlayStation remains uncertain. In a statement, Spencer expressed his willingness to do “whatever it takes” to ensure that Call of Duty continues to be available on PlayStation platforms.