Now that Microsoft has become the largest video game publisher in the gaming industry thanks to its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the company could be in the midst of evolving its entire gaming ethos by releasing its exclusive titles to competitng platforms.
Over the weekend, news outlets began running with a story about Microsoft’s Xbox gaming business could be prepping its highest profile exclusive title in a decade, for a trip over to PlayStation soon.
The open world space adventure game Starfield has been a relative exclusive success for Microsoft but the euphoria Xbox fanbois relished in finally getting a privilaged title to themselves may be shortlived as Tom Warren from The Verge confirmed other previous first party titles will make their way to the PS5 and Switch later this year.
Warren cosigned another tweet from @Wario64 who stumbled across t-shirt textures of Hi-Fi Rush Anniversary makreting designs that pointed to a release of the game for the Switch and PS5.
While a year old indie rhythm-based action game is not a direct one-to-one to Microsoft’s massive open world space oddyess, Hi-Fi Rush was published by Bethesda and has both the game publisher and Microsoft discussing which other games could make their way across platforms.
Warren followed up his Twitter communications with a full write up on The Verge, in which he also says that “Bethesda’s upcoming Indiana Jones game is also tentatively set to launch on Sony’s PlayStation 5 console.”
A new multi-platform approach for certain Xbox games is emerging inside Microsoft, we’re told, with the company weighing up which titles will remain exclusive and others that will appear on Switch or PS5 in the future. Indiana Jones appears to be part of this new wave of multi-platform games.
Tom Warren, The Verge
While Bethesda will launch its Indiana Jones game first as an Xbox console exclusive, it’s currently set to have a rather short period of exclusivity we’re told. A release for PS5 is being considered for some months later, with Bethesda tentatively targeting a December 2024 launch for the Xbox and PC versions.
Again, Indian Jones and Hi-Fi Rush are not Starfield but Warren does cite XboxEra as his source for the rumors of the space epic going to PlayStation by the end of the year.
According to sources, we understand that currently Microsoft are planning a launch for Starfield on PlayStation 5 post the release of the already announced “Shattered Space” expansion for Xbox and PC, which is on target to arrive at some point later this year. We’ve also been informed that Microsoft have made additional investment into PlayStation 5 dev kits to support ongoing development efforts – adding further fuel to the fire.
Jon “Sikamikanico” Clarke, XboxEra
The move to release Starfield on PlayStation’s gaming platform is in direct contradiction of what Xbox leadership has preached in previous statements including new president of Xbox, Sarah Bond who has said less than two years ago, “It is awesome to share with you for the very first time one of the most anticipated games in the world, from Todd Howard and the team at Bethesda Game Studios – a ground breaking game, and yes – it’s exclusive.”
If Microsoft moves forward with becoming more inclusive with its gaming titles, it runs a very real risk of diluting its own console efforts, which ultimatley shrinks the market of competition.
For the bean counters within the Xbox division, releasing Starfield on PlayStation makes more than enough since in recouping development cost and revenue earning as well as potentially doubling Bethesda’s customer base for future In-app purchases, DLCs, and brand loyalty.
However, with Microsoft walking down the path of inclusivity means embracing the publisher role more than the consoler maker title and while the margins on software are much higher, the company could be paving a path forward where Nintendo and Sony are the only major console makers and Microsoft simply becomes the biggest name in game publishing and nothing else.
