Upcoming RPG Starfield is said to be an Xbox/PC exclusive by a reputable insider, squashing any doubts about the limits of Xbox's acquisition of Bethesda. It was heavily speculated that Starfield could come to PlayStation simply due to the fact that the game has been in development for so long, Bethesda may have made prior deals with Sony that can't be broken. It seems like that won't be the case, though.
Starfield is expected to appear at E3, likely showing off the first real look at the game and providing concrete details regarding its gameplay, release, and more. The new RPG is the first from Bethesda since Fallout 4 in 2015 and was announced in 2018, though it has reportedly been in development since at least 2013. The game will be a departure from Bethesda's other RPGs and take players to space, likely bringing in some of the tried and true formulae of its other titles.
Its long development made many think it would likely come to PlayStation through prior deals and possibly just offsetting production costs, but Jeff Grubb confirms that it will be an Xbox/PC exclusive. On top of other recent Starfield leaks, Grubb noted that he had personally confirmed with sources that it was a definite exclusive and boasted heavy confidence in his claims. Although Grubb is reputable, it's still worth noting it's just a rumor at this time and should always be taken with a grain of salt.
Xbox has been aggressively trying to acquire exclusives, which is largely why it went out of its way to drop billions of dollars on Bethesda and its family of developers. For them to have locked down one of the biggest games in the foreseeable future, speaks volumes about its policies for the company going forward. Many believed that perhaps games like The Elder Scrolls 6 would be multiplatform, similar to Minecraft, but it seems unlikely.
There's no word on when Starfield will release, but it's rumored to be a 2022 game at the earliest. Other rumors suggested 2021 was the goal, but things like the pandemic may have disrupted those plans. Either way, it's likely that Xbox will give the likes of Todd Howard a lot of stage time at its Xbox E3 show to really sell people on Starfield as he did for Fallout 4 many years ago. Details regarding story, gameplay, and more are all a big mystery, but given Bethesda only releases RPGs every few years, it'll likely be a major deal.
Source: Jeff Grubb/Twitter