Speaking with GameSpot, Bethesda’s Senior Vice President of Global Marketing and Communications Pete Hines has apologised to PlayStation fans after Xbox and Bethesda officially confirmed that the long-awaited Starfield will be exclusive to Xbox and PC during their joint E3 2021 showcase.
“If you’re a big fan of stuff we make and a game that we’re making is no longer available on your platform I totally understand if you are unhappy or pissed. I get it, those are all real feelings and frustrations.”
Hines continues by saying that he doesn’t know or want to suggest how you should deal with those frustrations and that his focus is more on what the company is doing than what it isn’t.
“I don’t know how to allay the fears and concerns of PlayStation 5 fans other than to say, ‘Well, I’m a PlayStation 5 player as well,’ and I’ve played games on that console and there’s games I’m gonna continue to play on it. But if you want to play Starfield? PC and Xbox, sorry. All I can really say is that I apologise, because I’m certain that’s frustrating to folks, but there’s not a whole lot I can do about it.”
Furthermore, Starfield’s director Todd Howard told The Telegraph that Starfield will benefit from its Xbox exclusivity, even though it means people on other platforms will miss out on playing the RPG.
“You don’t ever want to leave people out, right? But at the end of the day, your ability to focus and say, this is the game I want to make, these are the platforms I want to make it on, and being able to really lean in on those is going to make for a better product.”
Xbox stunned the gaming industry back in September 2020 when it announced that it had acquired ZeniMax Media, the parent company of Bethesda and its studios, for US$7.5 billion dollars to further enhance its Game Pass offering, and while Phil said that exclusivity will be decided on “case by cases basis,” it seems that Xbox is favouring keeping Bethesda to its own platforms for now, especially in regards to new IPs.
Despite a childhood playing survival horrors, point and clicks and beat ’em ups, these days Zach tries to convince people that Homefront: The Revolution is a good game while pining for a sequel to The Order: 1886 and a live-action Treasure Planet film. Carlton, Burnley FC & SJ Sharks fan. Get around him on Twitter @tightinthejorts
