Bethesdawasacquired by Microsoft in 2021, which resulted in bothRedfallandStarfield’sXbox exclusivity. Many have taken this to mean thatThe Elder Scrolls 6and, when it eventually launches,Fallout 5will also be Xbox exclusive, to much disappointment and even backlash. However, Todd Howard argues that this is good for the company and its games.
“You know this is the hardware or the thing people are playing on, so the ability to focus on that always yields a better product,” Howard told theBBC(viaGamesRadar). “You do want people to be able to access it of course. But being with Xbox means there is an ease of access for us and I’m told we’re expecting more people playing this launch than anything we’ve ever done before and that’s despite the success of our previous games.”
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For comparison,Skyrimsold 3.4 million physical copies alone in its first 48 hours and seven million in its first week. It also became the fastest-selling Steam game at that time.Fallout 4sold 1.2 million copies on Steam alone within the first 24 hours of its release. Howard claims that Starfield has surpassed both in terms of players, though whether it has in sales - due to launching on Game Pass - remains to be seen.
Starfield may be a “better product” due to its more focused launch, leaving behind Nintendo Switch and PlayStation, but Howard says that is not the only benefit. Exclusivity helps bolster the Xbox brand, something Nintendo and PlayStation have proven time and time again with their own ever-growing libraries, creating iconic gaming characters such as Mario, Kratos, Samus, Ratchet & Clank, Kirby, Aloy, and more.
“I do also think people attach brands to certain games,” Howard said. “When you think of Zelda, you think of the Switch. I think there are times when that can be a real benefit.”
It’s unclear if other Bethesda games will follow Starfield’s suit. It’s a brand-new IP, not tied to any existing games in the publisher’s portfolio. The Elder Scrolls and Fallout have a history of also launching on PlayStation, even if those ports are infamous and often lacking in DLC that PC and Xbox had. However, Sony did claim during its pushback against Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard King that Microsoft has made “the new releases of Starfield and Elder Scrolls” exclusive.
The only word right now from Xbox itself, particularly Phil Spencer, is that “It’s so far out that it’s hard to understand what the platforms will even be at this point”. Instead, it will be handled on a “case-by-case” basis. So, we’ll have to wait and see. But given thatTES 6 has only just started early development, we’ll be waiting for a while.
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