Starfield was a highly anticipated game for Xbox, announced in 2018. It was meant to be available on PlayStation too but became exclusive to PC and Xbox Series X/S after Microsoft acquired Bethesda. Phil Spencer, the CEO of Microsoft Gaming, hasn’t ruled out the possibility of multiplatform releases. Xbox users were pleased that they finally had their own highly acclaimed first-party title that matches the likes of PlayStation exclusives, but the head honcho seems to be open to sharing.
Starfield Was Meant To Be Playable on PlayStation
Exclusivity can be a business advantage but also passive-aggressive towards the community, especially for gamers who are into one specific platform but have interests in other franchises belonging to other platforms. It makes it inconvenient for them to buy another console, not everyone is made of money and can place an order and wait for it to arrive on their doorstep. Starfield being multiplatform could benefit PS5 users but hurt the ego of Xbox players.
Microsoft pulled the ultimate move by buying Bethesda Game Studios, therefore all of their future projects will be Microsoft exclusive, and they were well aware of PlayStation’s limited exclusive deals with their previous titles like Ghostwire: Tokyo and Deathloop. Both were published by Bethesda and Starfield could have followed the trend.
The announcements won't stop. Starfield will be announced for Playstation 5 with a release between November and December 2024. The 2025 plan is even bigger, featuring well-established franchises in the Xbox universe.#xbox#PlayStation5#Starfield
— Silknigth (@Silknigth) February 21, 2024
Xbox games are already making their way to other platforms, Sea of Thieves will require users to sign in with a Microsoft account to enable socialization. The X user Silknight claimed that Starfield will eventually make its way to PS5 near the end of the year and it won’t be the last Xbox title to do so.
Phil Spencer initially said that four of their games will make their way to rival platforms like the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5, but he was clear that both Starfield or Indiana Jones and the Great Circle are not among the four, but isn’t shutting the door for the possibility. It may seem like he was lying, but it also looked like he was playing coy.
The Era For Exclusives Is Over With Microsoft’s Multiplatform Initiative
While some are stuck in their ways and prefer having console exclusives, Phil Spencer doesn’t mind breaking tradition and sharing what they have especially the acquisitions they have made certainly affected the market. It is also a display of how good he is at making business decisions when others begin to doubt and question, Spencer seems like he is five steps ahead looking at the bigger picture.
PlayStation and Xbox have grown throughout the years and made massive leaps in both technical aspects and building bridges to make each of their titles accessible on any hardware. This could cause a shift in gaming, but perhaps this could be a means to an end where every publisher can co-exist.
Competition builds character and that’s what made their friendly rivalry appealing as each of these companies find ways to improve but that could all go away once exclusives are abolished. Are you a fan of Phil Spencer’s business moves? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
