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Xbox CFO Talks Bethesda Exclusivity; “We Want Bethesda Content to be First or Better or Best on Xbox Platforms”

According to Xbox CFO, Tim Stuart, Microsoft wants Bethesda content to be first or better on Xbox platforms, including Xbox Series X|S.

wccftech.com

So what does this rather vague phrasing mean for Bethesda titles on other platforms? While Xbox CFO Tim Stuart didn’t make any announcements regarding Xbox exclusivity, he did have some rather interesting things to say about the matter, including the fact that Microsoft is keen to keep supporting cross-platform play.

“When we think about Bethesda, it's going to be the continuing to allow -- I'll say allow, but continue to sell their games on the platforms that they exist today, and we'll determine what that looks over time and will change over time”, the CFO said. “I'm not making any announcements about exclusivity or something like that. But that model will change.”

He added, “Microsoft is a platform. We're one of the first to really support Minecraft, Roadblock, Fortnite across platforms. So we highly encourage cross-platform play, simply from this landscape of, if it's good for the gaming ecosystem, it's good for us, classic rising tide lifts all boats.”

Like Phil Spencer, the executive points out that, in the long run, Microsoft doesn’t have intentions to pull content from either Sony or Nintendo. He did state, however, that Microsoft wants Bethesda content to show up the best it can on Xbox platforms, also hinting at some form of timed-exclusivity for Bethesda titles on Xbox.

"What we'll do in the long run is we don't have intentions of just pulling all of Bethesda content out of Sony or Nintendo or otherwise. But what we want is we want that content, in the long run, to be either first or better or best or pick your differentiated experience, on our platforms. We will want Bethesda content to show up the best as -- on our platforms.
Yes. That's not a point about being exclusive. That's not a point about we're being -- adjusting timing or content or road map. But if you think about something like Game Pass, if it shows up best in Game Pass, that's what we want to see, and we want to drive our Game Pass subscriber base through that Bethesda pipeline.
So again, I'm not announcing pulling content from platforms one way or the other. But I suspect you'll continue to see us shift towards a first or better or best approach on our platforms."

 

[AV]

Anyone really still believe TES6 won't be a timed exclusive? Anyone? Really?

Edit: this meant to just say TES6, but for transparency I deleted "and Starfield"

 

[mejin]

First it is then.

 

[Bittermich]

Anyone really still believe TES6 and Starfield won't be timed exclusives? Anyone? Really?

Yes, they will be full and permanent exclusive to Xbox, Gamepass and PC. That’s clear.

 

[assurdum]

Anyone really still believe TES6 and Starfield won't be timed exclusives? Anyone? Really?

I think it's all matter of sales. If Bethesda and his software house sell well enough, ps5 could be easily ignored. In other cases they come later in the years. I guess.

 

[Deleted member 801069]

PS5 gets COD xp boost XSX gets Starfield and TE6 it all balances out

 

[Represent.]

Just as I thought. Too many Playstiaions out in the world to just NOT have heavy hitters on the Playstation platform.

If these were ever gonna be exclusives MS would have said so from the jump.

 

[AV]

Yes, they will be full and permanent exclusive to Xbox, Gamepass and PC. That’s clear.

Anything to back this up other than feelings? "first or better or best" does not indicate "full exclusive forever". Nor has anything they've said on the matter up to this point honestly.

Completely ignoring an install base as big as Playstation would be crazy, but X amount of timed exclusivity will be enough to push diehards over to the other platform. No chance some of those people are waiting for TES6, they'll just flip.

 

[Represent.]

Yes, they will be full and permanent exclusive to Xbox, Gamepass and PC. That’s clear.

He literally says

"We don’t have intentions of just pulling all of Bethesda content out of Sony or Nintendo, we want it to be first or best on our platform''

The exact opposite is clear.

 

[xHunter]

Anything to back this up other than feelings? "first or better or best" does not indicate "full exclusive forever". Nor has anything they've said on the matter up to this point honestly.

Completely ignoring an install base as big as Playstation would be crazy, but X amount of timed exclusivity will be enough to push diehards over to the other platform. No chance some of those people are waiting for TES6, they'll just flip.

He is a troll and most likely an alt of Meirl who has 6+ accounts already banned. Dont pay too much attention to him.

 

[FunkMiller]

This is going to be another one of those things where everyone who supports Microsoft is adamant the games will never come to PlayStation... and then games inevitably come to PlayStation (probably timed exclusive) because this is the real world, and money talks.

 

[#Phonepunk#]

lol @ yet another vague statement which leaves it entirely open for multiplat and yet console warriors demanding exlusives

tell me, why would you buy the company who sold Skyrim on every system possible, then decide to limit your sales of Skyrim 2 to only one? in what universe does that make sense?

it would be stupid. why would you choose to sell less copies of a game? you know, they have to make back $7.5 billion to get even on this deal? they are going to whore out Skyrim 2 just like the first.

this is what people are arguing when they say exclusivity. it's hilarious. you honestly think Microsoft is going to leave free money on the table?

 

[ChuckeRearmed]

Damn, this topic won't move away. I wonder if guys at MS and Xbox tired of the same questions over and over.
Until the deal is finalized we won't hear the exact response, but I highly expect Bethesda's games to be MS platform exclusives. It is worth it.

this is what people are arguing when they say exclusivity. it's hilarious. you honestly think Microsoft is going to leave free money on the table?

Why Sony leaves free money on the table by not releasing games on other platforms? (though it started with PC, because PC is the best of couse) Nobody questioning Sony yet for some reason MS have a moral duty or [money] duty to release the games on PS5.

 

[Dabaus]

Told you. All you had to do was read between the lines. Phil never, ever flat out said "no" when asked if these games will come to playstation. MS will not have an installed base large enough to sustain the budget of these games when they finally come out. The reason Microsoft bought bethesda was to block amazon from doing it because MS wants to be the leader in streaming. Amazon and google are their competition Phil even said as much.

 

[vpance]

Everything’s gonna be 1 year timed exclusives at the very least.

 

[Nymphae]

lol

 

[Stuart360]

Anything to back this up other than feelings? "first or better or best" does not indicate "full exclusive forever". Nor has anything they've said on the matter up to this point honestly.

Completely ignoring an install base as big as Playstation would be crazy, but X amount of timed exclusivity will be enough to push diehards over to the other platform. No chance some of those people are waiting for TES6, they'll just flip.

They cant officially say anything about exclusivity by law, as they dont own Bethesda yet. This has been explained many times.
People keep forgetting that Xbox isnt just the Xbox console anymore, its PC as well, and Xbox + PC drawfs the install base PS5 could dream of getting.
The next Doom, the next Fallout (as in Fallout 5), the next Elder Scrolls, people forget just how big these are, and how much system selling potential they have. I could even imagine some of the most hardened Sony fans seriously contmplate buying an Xbox for those games.
Imo we wont get official confirmation of exclusitivity until E3 (assuming E3 happens) when we get the official reveal of Starfield with the 'Only on Xbox and PC' tag.

 

[Andodalf]

So not canceling the games Sony paid to have exclusivity of, but the Xbox will get the GOTY editions when they come. Got it.

 

[ChuckeRearmed]

If these were ever gonna be exclusives MS would have said so from the jump.

I don't get why people cannot understand that they cannot say that right now because not only the deal is not finalized, but it heavily affects the media perception.

"We don’t have intentions of just pulling all of Bethesda content out of Sony or Nintendo, we want it to be first or best on our platform''

[All of Bethesda's content]. Online games like Elder Scrolls Online will remain on PS for example.

 

[a multicultural team of v]

I mean they really have two paths, each with pro/cons

A short (year) exclusivity: Pro: They can charge full price for the game on other platforms since it is still relatively new. Con: the time isn't long enough to significantly influence people switching over.

A long exclusivity: Pro: More people would potentially switch over. Con: They couldn't charge full price and would therefore be leaving money on the table, and they also risk damaging the game brands.

Personally I think a short exclusivity is their only option. People really underestimate the impact and damage a loss of mindshare can have on franchises. PC including Steam would mitigate this, that is if they still support Steam like they say they will (and if they support Steam what logic is there that they won't support Playstation or Nintendo?).

 

[CasperDarling]

Sweet I guess that means God of War and Spiderman are coming to Xbox next year. You are all delusional if you still think games like Starfield and ES6 are coming to PS5

 

[JohnnyFootball]

Weird. I was totally expecting him to say that he wanted all Bethesda content to be not only the best, but completely EXCLUSIVE to Sony's console.

 

[TheThreadsThatBindUs]

Yes, they will be full and permanent exclusive to Xbox, Gamepass and PC. That’s clear.

The denail is strong with this one.

 

[SpongebobSquaredance]

Skyrim 2 to only one? in what universe does that make sense?

PC is still supported and the biggest platform for Bethesda titles. Now add in xcloud which will be available on basically anything..
Being in MS's ecosystem doesn't mean only one platform.

The denail is strong with this one.

Your guess is as 'good' as his. Which means both of you rely on your magic crystal ball and make predictions, nothing and more and nothing less.

 

[ChuckeRearmed]

Completely ignoring an install base as big as Playstation would be crazy,

What installs base? How many PS5 consoles sold? GamePass has 15mil. subscribes + PC release + Xbox. What install base on PS5?
People still talk as if PS5 will sell 100kk consoles by the next year

 

[FunkMiller]

Sweet I guess that means God of War and Spiderman are coming to Xbox next year. You are all delusional if you still think games like Starfield and ES6 are coming to PS5

Everyone was delusional to think that the Ps5 would match the XSX in performance too.

 

[dorkimoe]

Lock the ps5 to 30fps and watch the internet cry

 

[Neko Mimi Mode]

Sweet I guess that means God of War and Spiderman are coming to Xbox next year. You are all delusional if you still think games like Starfield and ES6 are coming to PS5

Nobody actually believes that lol

He says "pulling content", that's talking about existing content already available on Sony and Nintendo hardware. Elder Scrolls Online, for example.

These games will be exclusive, we've been told this repeatedly.

 

[Stilton Disco]

Timed exclusive, no better than parity in optimisation, and maybe exclusive content on Xbox then? (Starfield seems like an obvious plays to have exclusive Master Chief skins and Halo weapons, for example).

That would be at least less shitty than not porting them at all. Hopefully we'll see that pan out.

 

[Zheph]

might be tough for "best" it seems so "first" it is

 

[IntentionalPun]

I think the big Bethesda games will be Xbox platform exclusive.

But considering nobody really believed MS would do day-one Gamepass games.. or day-one PC releases for almost all titles..or...or... the list goes on for business decisions that MS makes that are about people being able to access their content.. it's getting harder and harder to make definitive guesses about what they'll do.

 

[FunkMiller]

What installs base? How many PS5 consoles sold? GamePass has 15mil. subscribes + PC release + Xbox. What install base on PS5?
People still talk as if PS5 will sell 100kk consoles by the next year

Chances are Elder Scrolls is a good three years away. Ps4 sold over 60 million consoles in three years. Ps5 likely to sell even more.

Now.... do you really think they’ll leave 60 million potential sales on the shelf so you can be a happy XBox fan?

Timed exclusives. Bet on it.

 

[AV]

They cant officially say anything about exclusivity by law, as they dont own Bethesda yet. This has been explained many times.

Right, but there's not even anything to suggest that they would keep things completely exclusive that I've seen. Unlike the post in OP which suggests quite heavily that it'll be timed.

What installs base? How many PS5 consoles sold? GamePass has 15mil. subscribes + PC release + Xbox. What install base on PS5?

Ask me again when any of these games are actually out. TES6 is years away. The install base when the system hasn't even launched in some countries and the games are still being cobbled together is meaningless. You're also forgetting that we don't know whether a PS4 version of Starfield is a possibility.

 

[Coulomb_Barrier]

Every time they speak on this it gets more vague and open to interpretation.

Now they've thrown in 'first on Xbox'. I think it's likely these big franchises are not exclusives then, as many were saying.

 

[LisaMariaMartin]

I dunno but getting timed exclusives on your own IPs seems incredibly retarded.

I will certainly just buy a PS5 if I can still get Doom, ES6 and Starfield on other platforms. Why restrict yourself to Xbox if they get barely any exclusives?

 

[Bernkastel]

Chances are Elder Scrolls is a good three years away. Ps4 sold over 60 million consoles in three years. Ps5 likely to sell even more.

Now.... do you really think they’ll leave 60 million potential sales on the shelf so you can be a happy XBox fan?

Timed exclusives. Bet on it.

They have already said Starfield and TES VI are not coming to last gen.

 

[Bernkastel]

They wont give a definite answer because the deal is not finished and they are not allowed to talk about it.

 

[Elder Legend]

Anyone who thinks TES6, future Fallout titles or Startield is gonna be perma exclusive on Xbox/PC is out of their delusional minds. These games will never ever be perma exclusive. Microsoft is treating them as a 3rd party publisher similar to Minecraft its beneficial to them to sell on other major platforms. Even the first Ori game is on Switch as well. This is nothing new.

Can they be timed exclusives? Yeah. Sure I can see that. For how long tho? Not sure. Maybe a year at most or 6 months would be my guess. Will these be the best versions of the games on the market? Out of the consoles most likely yes. Not including PC here because PC = Microsoft as well so.

 

[Bittermich]

He literally says

"We don’t have intentions of just pulling all of Bethesda content out of Sony or Nintendo, we want it to be first or best on our platform''

The exact opposite is clear.

You just need to read what he said. It’s easy to see that they will be full exclusive in the future, of course games released today will not be pulled from Playstation and Nintendo, that’s what he is referring to.

The acquisition is not finished yet, so they can’t really say anything at all. But we will find out soon enough - next year.

Lock the ps5 to 30fps and watch the internet cry

no need for that, there are already multiple games running 120 FPS on XSX compared to 60 FPS only on PS5 lol

 

[AV]

They have already said Starfield and TES VI are not coming to last gen.

Got a source? Haven't seen them saying that definitively anywhere, just that cutting out last gen isn't out of the question.

 

[Jigsaah]

I'm pretty sure TES6 and Starfield will be great...but first? I don't think Bethesda has the chops. I'm much more looking at Ninja Theory or Playground Games to deliver the best next gen experiences.

 

[LisaMariaMartin]

On another read, this sounds really confusing.

What does "pulling content" mean? Games that are already released? Or just established franchises?

 

[Kokoloko85]

Gamepass aint gonna for it all I guess

 

[Bernkastel]

Phil Spencer on exclusivity, monetisation and game development

We spoke at length with Head of Xbox Phil Spencer about first-party software, monetisation, and what The Initiative is actually doing.

www.gamereactor.eu

First of all, I would like to say that we haven't acquired ZeniMax. We have announced our intention to acquire ZeniMax. It is going through regulatory approval and we don't see any issues there. We expect early in 2021 the deal will close. But I say that because I want people to know, I'm not sitting down with Todd Howard and Robert Altman and planning their future. Because I'm currently not allowed to do that, that would be illegal. Your question is completely inbound, but I get a lot of questions right now: "is this game exclusive? Is this game exclusive?" And right now, that is not my job in regards to ZeniMax. My job is not to sit down and go through their portfolio and dictate what happens.

 

[R3claimer117]

Anyone reading into this as anything other then all ESO will be on switch and PlayStation will be disappointed. They will not be releasing any of their big hitters on that platform.

 

[SpongebobSquaredance]

Now.... do you really think they’ll leave 60 million potential sales on the shelf so you can be a happy XBox fan?

With the release of those big games on Gamepass and the fact xcloud will be available by then, they will have a huge user base that will make a PS5 release obsolete.

 

[SNG32]

I dunno but getting timed exclusives on your own IPs seems incredibly retarded.

I will certainly just buy a PS5 if I can still get Doom, ES6 and Starfield on other platforms. Why restrict yourself to Xbox if they get barely any exclusives?

How is that retarded you have a year exclusive to gamepass to get more people into the ecosystem and you can sell the game to your competitor at full price to more consumers with a bigger install base. Sounds pretty smart to me from a business perspective.

 

[DeepEnigma]

With the release of those big games on Gamepass and the fact xcloud will be available by then, they will have a huge user base that will make a PS5 release obsolete.

eCoNoMiCs oNe01

 

[Neko Mimi Mode]

Anyone who thinks TES6, future Fallout titles or Startield is gonna be perma exclusive on Xbox/PC is out of their delusional minds. These games will never ever be perma exclusive. Microsoft is treating them as a 3rd party publisher similar to Minecraft its beneficial to them to sell on other major platforms. Even the first Ori game is on Switch as well. This is nothing new.

They've already stated they view Minecraft as unique and won't be following the same model with Zenimax IPs.

Ori/Moon Studio are not first party.

Anyone reading into this as anything other then all ESO will be on switch and PlayStation will be disappointed. They will not be releasing any of their big hitters on that platform.

Bingo, pulling content is talking about existing content, like ESO, Fallout and content like Deathloop/Ghostwire that is agreed to go elsewhere.

 

[Bernkastel]

Got a source? Haven't seen them saying that definitively anywhere, just that cutting out last gen isn't out of the question.

Starfield being next-generation means hardware and gameplay, says Todd Howard

The next big single-player game from Skyrim and Fallout maker Bethesda Game Studios will be Starfield, the company's fi…

www.eurogamer.net