In an interview with Bloomberg, Phil Spencer has confirmed that the PlayStation 5 exclusivity agreement Bethesda made with Sony for Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo still stands. Both games will debut on the next-gen Sony console and are confirmed as timed exclusives for PS5. As per Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, Phil Spencer told Bloomberg’s Dina Bass that “future Bethesda games will be on Xbox, PC, and ‘other consoles on a case by case basis’.”
So if you were worried about the status of either Tango Gameworks or Arkane Lyon’s upcoming projects, fret not: both will still see their console debut on PlayStation 5. Typically, console exclusivity deals last 12 months, but it remains to be seen exactly what the deal Sony and Bethesda have agreed to with regards to the next-gen titles. Earlier today, Microsoft confirmed it purchased Bethesda’s parent company, ZeniMax, for $7.5 billion. As a result, Microsoft now owns the rights to the likes of Fallout, Doom, Quake, Prey, The Elder Scrolls, Dishonored and many more. Microsoft now counts the likes of Bethesda Softworks, Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, ZeniMax Online Studios, Arkane, MachineGames, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog, and Roundhouse Studios as part of its Microsoft Studios collective. “[…] We’re still Bethesda,” said Bethesda Softworks senior vice president of global marketing and communications, Pete Hines, regarding the takeover. “We’re still working on the same games we were yesterday, made by the same studios we’ve worked with for years, and those games will be published by us. “So why the change? Because it allows us to make even better games going forward. Microsoft is an incredible partner and offers access to resources that will make us a better publisher and developer. We believe that means better games for you to play. Simply put—we believe that change is an important part of getting better. We believe in pushing ourselves to be better. To innovate. To grow.” It is currently unclear whether future titles – such as Starfield and The Elder Scrolls VI and more besides – will be Xbox/PC exclusives.
