UPDATE: Microsoft’s Phil Spencer has now confirmed to Bloomberg that Xbox will honour the current exclusivity deals already in place for Bethesda games, which includes Deathloop and Ghostwire. Future Bethesda games will be available on PC and Xbox, along with “other consoles on a case by case basis”. The news was confirmed via Jason Schreier in the below tweet.
To answer the question everyone is asking: Phil Spencer tells @dinabass that Xbox plans to honor the PS5 exclusivity commitment for Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo.
Future Bethesda games will be on Xbox, PC, and "other consoles on a case by case basis." https://t.co/Agyttr53LO
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) September 21, 2020
With both games reported as timed console exclusives, it would appear that Microsoft is allowing that deal to remain in place, but considering Microsoft’s current position, we’ll almost definitely see Deathloop and Ghostwire on Xbox (and PC, more than likely) when the exclusivity ends.
ORIGINAL POST: Do you remember, the 21st night of September? We certainly will, as it’s the day that Microsoft announced that Bethesda have joined Team Xbox, as Microsoft have entered into an agreement to acquire ZeniMax Media, Bethesda’s parent company. The official PR statement confirmed that Microsoft will pay $7.5 billion, in cash.
In a blog post about the announcement, Phil Spencer talks about how Bethesda were one of the first to truly adopt Xbox Game Pass, along with his excitement for their blossoming partnership, as we’ll see more Bethesda games added to Xbox Game Pass in the near future. You can read part of the statement below.
Like us, Bethesda are passionate believers in building a diverse array of creative experiences, in exploring new game franchises, and in telling stories in bold ways. All of their great work will of course continue and grow and we look forward to empowering them with the resources and support of Microsoft to scale their creative visions to more players in new ways for you.
Of course, this acquisition, as amazing as it is for Xbox fans, leaves a couple of unanswered questions regarding the status of two upcoming Bethesda titles: Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo.
What’s Going On With Deathloop & Ghostwire?
Both games have been announced as exclusive games for the PlayStation, possibly timed but the details are little bit murky right now regarding anything PS5 and exclusive. This meant that, until today, we thought it’d be a long time before we’d see either game on the Xbox, if at all.
Today’s news changes things, as Bethesda owns both Arkane and Tango Gameworks, developers of both Deathloop and Ghostwire respectively. So if Bethesda is owned by Xbox, will that prevent Deathloop and Ghostwire from being timed exclusives, stealing two big name titles from Sony’s platform?
Naturally, we reached out to Bethesda Europe to receive some clarification, but as you’d guess, we were referred to the official announcement and told that “no further comment will be made”. With little to go on on that front, we have to refer to previous incidents where Xbox have purchased third party developers with games in development.
Historically, when Xbox have purchased a studio, any games in development will still be available on any announced platforms. This is true of The Outer Worlds when Xbox bought Obsidian, Psychonauts 2 when Double Fine were acquired, and, of course, Minecraft once Mojang were purchased. It stands to reason that we’ll still see Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo on the PS5, but whether they’ll still be timed exclusives is another story, one which we don’t have the answer for.
That being said, Deathloop and Ghostwire are still on Bethesda’s mind, if the statement from Bethesda’s SVP of Global Marketing and Communications Pete Hines is anything to go by. In it, he mentions both games by name when referring to how the conversation will switch back to the games after this announcement.
And soon the conversation will move on from this deal to talking about our games again. And I can get back to answering the questions that get us all excited. Tell me more about Deathloop. When can I see more Ghostwire? What’s coming in Q4 for The Elder Scrolls Online? I want to see more of the DOOM Eternal DLC. WHEN THE HELL WILL YOU TELL ME ABOUT STARFIELD? I’m excited for those conversations and look forward to talking to you about all of that – and much, much more – in the weeks, months, and years ahead.
It’s possible that Bethesda, Xbox and Sony don’t have the answers yet themselves, but once they do, we’ll be sure to inform you all.
Are We Excited By This Acquisition?
Honestly, as someone who leans more towards the Xbox, this is a huge get for Microsoft, bolstering their offerings with a host of talented studios. Considering that the Xbox’s main drawback is a lack of exclusives, purchasing Bethesda could be a great way to ensure exclusive games from franchises and studios that are already incredibly popular. That said, I’d just like more clarification regarding Deathloop and Ghostwire. As of right now, those are two games that are being left hanging in the balance.
READ MORE: Is Xbox All Access A Good Deal For Series X/S?
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