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Microsoft is reportedly planning to release Starfield on PlayStation 5 as part of a new initiative to bring more Xbox-exclusive games to other console platforms.
That’s according to XboxEra, which cites anonymous sources who claim that the Bethesda RPG is being planned for release on the Sony‘s console, alongside previously rumoured Hi-Fi Rush and Sea of Thieves ports.
According to the publication’s sources, Microsoft is planning to release Starfield for PlayStation 5 after the game’s planned Shattered Space expansion, which is due to arrive on Xbox and PC later this year.
It’s claimed that Microsoft has made additional investment into PlayStation 5 dev kits to support the development efforts.
VGC has asked Microsoft for comment on this report.
Update4th Feb 2024 / 10:35 pm
Bethesda’s upcoming Indiana Jones game could be another first-party Xbox title set to release on PlayStation 5, according to The Verge sources.
According to the publication, Bethesda is considering bringing Indiana Jones and the Great Circle to PS5, following its announcement for Xbox and PC last month.
“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,” it wrote.
Bethesda will reportedly launch its Indiana Jones game first as an Xbox console exclusive, followed by a possible PS5 release some months later.
On the surface, the move would represent a significant change in Microsoft’s gaming strategy, which has previously seen it keep its biggest titles exclusive to Xbox consoles, other than those which were already multiplatform before joining Xbox, such as Minecraft or The Elder Scrolls Online.
However, Xbox already releases all of its first-party games on PC immediately, and with PlayStation 5 reportedly outselling the Xbox Series consoles significantly, it’s possible the company has decided the potential software sales can no longer be ignored.
According to the XboxEra report, “Microsoft senior leadership have reportedly debated the various pros and cons of releasing more of their exclusive software elsewhere, and internally, not everyone is necessarily happy with the decision, but recouping the potential money ‘left on the table’ by not releasing elsewhere has arguably won out.”
Officially, Microsoft’s head of gaming, Phil Spencer, has said game exclusivity is decided “on a case-by-case basis”. But privately, according to last year’s FTC lawsuit, the exec had internal conversations suggesting that all Bethesda games would be exclusive going forward.
Evidence is mounting, however, that Xbox could be about to soften its approach. Last month, multiple journalists reported that Rare’s Sea of Thieves is being planned for Sony’s console, along with last year’s critically well-received Hi-Fi Rush.
Daniel Ahmad, director of research and insights at Niko Partners, said an increased multiplatform strategy could be a “win-win” for Microsoft and Game Pass.
“While console is still important to Xbox / MS, it’s pretty clear that MS’s goal for a while has been that its games can be accessed anywhere. Hence why you can play Xbox games on PC or on mobile via cloud. Game Pass also tying into that. PlayStation or Nintendo releases would just be an extension of that strategy.
“Finally, the current reports seem to indicate some kind of delayed release for PlayStation. Which is again similar to PlayStation’s strategy for PC. So under this reported strategy, Xbox consoles (and Game Pass) would still have priority.”
