Microsoft announced a bombshell with the news it was buying ZeniMax Media, giving the company rights to the massive catalogs of Bethesda, iD Software, Tango Gameworks, Arcane Studios, and more. It's a massive acquisition, especially with a $7.5 billion price tag.
Bethesda, in particular, has been a prominent part of the gaming industry for years, and the Microsoft acquisition raises some questions about the game Bethesda currently has in production, like The Elder Scrolls VI and Starfield, which were both officially announced at E3 2019.
Bethesda has traditionally released their games on multiple platforms, but with Microsoft owning the studio that could change. The big question right now, of course, is if The Elder Scrolls VI will be an Xbox exclusive.
What Microsoft's Purchase Means For the Future of Elder Scrolls
The Elder Scrolls series has appeared on PlayStation consoles for years now, ever since the release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. To this day The Elder Scrolls Online continues on PS4, which makes the eventual release of The Elder Scrolls VI a tricky situation. Microsoft now owns the rights to the Elder Scrolls in every way, meaning the decision is entirely up to them. This early on in the process Microsoft hasn't commented on what's happening with Elder Scrolls VI, however, it has confirmed it will honor the timed-exclusivity of Deathloop and Tokyo Ghostwire on PS5. Adding on to that, however, Microsft said that future releases will come to other non-Xbox systems on a "case by case basis."
This means there's no way to really know what kind of release the Elder Scrolls VI will have, but there are reasons Microsoft could go either way. The Elder Scrolls would be a massive exclusive for Xbox, the kind of exclusive that could sell a lot of consoles. It would make perfect sense for Microsoft to keep it on Xbox and PC as it directly benefits the company. On the other hand, The Elder Scrolls is a series guaranteed to sell huge numbers, both on Xbox and PlayStation. Because of this, it's also possible to see Microsoft put Elder Scrolls VI out on both consoles as a way to increase net sales. Realistically, the decision might lie in how both PS5 and Xbox Series X do in terms of sales. If PS5 sales are significantly higher than Xbox, it might make more sense for Microsoft to put Elder Scrolls VI on PS5. However, if Xbox Series X sales are equally high, Elder Scrolls VI would be a fantastic exclusive to drive sales even more. One possibility is that Microsoft makes Bethesda's new IP, Starfield, exclusive while bringing Elder Scrolls VI to PS5. More than likely Microsoft's plans will change and adapt as the Xbox Series X launches, so Elder Scrolls fans will just have to wait and see what happens with the ambitious next entry.