Microsoft wants future Bethesda games to be “either first or better or best” on Xbox platforms, a senior executive has said.
Speaking at the Jefferies Interactive Entertainment conference last week,Xboxchief financial officer Tim Stuart discussed howMicrosoftintends to handle the release ofBethesda Softworksgames once the Elder Scrolls, Fallout and Doom publisher becomes a first-party company.
Microsoft announced in September that it intends toacquire ZeniMax Media and its game publisher Bethesda Softworksfor $7.5 billion, with the deal expected to be completed in early 2021.
“What we’ll do in the long run is we don’t have intentions of just pulling all of Bethesda content out ofSonyorNintendoor otherwise,” Stuart said (transcribed bySeeking Alpha).
“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.
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“So again, I’m not announcing pulling content from platforms one way or the other,” Stuart continued. “But I suspect you’ll continue to see us shift towards a first or better or best approach on our platforms.”
Microsoft’s acquisition ofZeniMax Mediawill see Xbox Game Studios grow from 15 to 23 development teams.
Employing some 2,300 staff worldwide, Bethesda Softworks studios include Bethesda Game Studios (Fallout, Elder Scrolls),id Software(Doom), ZeniMax Online Studios (Elder Scrolls Online),Arkane(Dishonored, Prey),MachineGames(Wolfenstein),Tango Gameworks(The Evil Within), Alpha Dog, and Roundhouse Studios.
Following the announcement of the ZeniMax deal, Xbox bossPhil Spencersaid Microsoft willhonour existing PS5 exclusivity agreementsBethesda has in place for games likeDeathloopandGhostwire: Tokyo.
For future Bethesda games, Spencer said “we’ll take other consoles on a case-by-case basis.”
Microsoft CEOSatya Nadellaechoed Spencer’s comments: “When we think about strategy whether it’s in gaming or any other part of Microsoft, each layer has to stand on its own for what it brings. When we talk about our content we want our content to be broadly available.”
Xbox’s Stuart also told the Jefferies Interactive Entertainment conference that Microsoft expectsXbox Series X/S supply shortages to continue until April 2021, and that it will announcefirst-party Xbox Series X/S software pricing“in due time”.
