Future Bethesda games releasing on other consoles will be on a ‘Case-by-case basis’

With Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda, the initial reaction to the deal would be to ask the question “Will all Bethesda games now be exclusive to Xbox?” The answer to which, at the moment, is not as clear cut as everyone thinks it is.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Phil Spencer said that they will be keeping the current publishing commitments, likely referring to both Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo as PlayStation 5 timed exclusives. For everything else? All Spencer has to say is that “We’ll take other consoles on a case-by-case basis.”

Spencer also confirmed in an interview on CNBC that the range of titles on Bethesda’s roster will be a day one release on Game Pass, saying that “the great games coming from ZeniMax and all of those studios—we’re now over 23 studios inside of Xbox—those games will be able to come to the Xbox community, they’ll come to Game Pass day-and-date, and people will just have this amazing collection of great games to continue to play on Xbox.”

Bethesda’s Todd Howard also says that “this one is about more than one system or one screen. We share a deep belief in the fundamental power of games, in their ability to connect, empower, and bring joy. And a belief we should bring that to everyone – regardless of who you are, where you live, or what you play on. Regardless of the screen size, the controller, or your ability to even use one.”

All this surely means for now is that Microsoft has indeed bolstered its first party lineup with this strong acquisition, and with the addition of Game Pass, the next-generation is indeed looking strong for Team Xbox. Whether or not some titles will be releasing on other consoles like the PlayStation 5 or the Nintendo Switch remains to be seen, but at least there is still that possibility.

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