Microsoft does not intend to withhold Bethesda games from Sony and Nintendo gamers, but PC and Xbox users can expect advantages moving forward.
After its blockbuster purchase of Bethesda this summer, there were fears Microsoft could raise the drawbridge on franchises like Doom, Fallout and The Elder Scrolls.
However, the company now plans on a “first or better approach” when it comes to new instalments of those and other titles. This likely means some timed exclusivity and perhaps advantages when it comes to downloadable content.
The word from Xbox CFO Tim Stuart, who says there’ll be a differentiated experience on Microsoft’s platforms, while also revealing there are no plans for removing Bethesda games from rival platforms.
In comments transcribed by Seeking Alpha (via Ars Technica), he said that “in the long run… 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.”
Stuart says the idea will be to assist with Xbox Game Pass subscriptions, so the best experience is will likely be available on that platform.
“That’s not a point about being exclusive,” Stuart continued. “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.”
However, these aren’t the first words we’ve heard from Microsoft on the matter, so may not be definitive. In an interview with Kotaku in October, Xbox chief Phil Spencer admitted the company “doesn’t have to go ship those games on any other platform other than the platforms that we support in order to kind of make the [Bethesda] deal work for us.” He said the company would look at each game on a case-by-case basis.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
