Soon pre-orders will go up for the Xbox Series X, and this news about Microsoft’s Bethesda acquisition couldn’t have come at a better time. Bethesda games, despite in some cases having exclusivity deals with PlayStation, could become Xbox & PC exclusives in the future. While some may have doubted Xbox’s first-party offerings before, Bethesda games are a huge get for Microsoft. These games also help bolster the value of Game Pass immensely, as future first-party Bethesda games will come day-and-date to Xbox’s games subscription.
RELATED: Microsoft Acquires Elder Scrolls, Fallout Developer Bethesda
Microsoft Makes a Huge Acquisition
Considering pre-orders for Xbox Series X/S begin tomorrow, September 22, this announcement couldn’t have come at a more prime time. Existing games like Fallout 76, Doom Eternal, Wolfenstein: Youngblood, as well as upcoming projects like The Elder Scrolls 6, Starfield, Ghostwire: Tokyo, all of which falls under the Bethesda Game Studios banner. Now every single one of these games falls under the Xbox Game Studios banner as well, which means a couple things. Not only will future Bethesda projects be Xbox and PC exclusives, they’ll also be on Game Pass from the get-go.
Having these games come to Game Pass on day one is a huge get for Microsoft, and could potentially result in a huge increase in subscribers to the service. Not only will existing games like Fallout 4 and of course Skyrim make it to the service in time, but it also means every new title makes it on the service on release day. With the profitability of Game Pass consistently rising for Microsoft, the proposed value of Game Pass to players is even higher now. Fallout and Elder Scrolls fans, among other Bethesda titles, will be able to play those games immediately for $10 a month, and that’s not even including the over 300 games already on the service as well.
The Future of Bethesda/Zenimax Under Microsoft
In terms of Bethesda/Zenimax’s future under Xbox’s wing, not a whole lot is going to change. Among the many other developers under the Xbox Game Studios, Microsoft’s approach to studio acquisitions has largely been hands off. Generally the support of the games is there, and really the only major difference is with platform exclusivity, which is usually the point of making studio acquisitions like these. Which means Bethesda fans who typically play on PlayStation may not be in luck when it comes to future Fallout or Elder Scrolls titles. That being said, future Bethesda titles will release on other platforms on a “case by case basis,” according to Xbox boss Phil Spencer.
However, that doesn’t mean current exclusivity agreements with PlayStation will be null and void. Upcoming titles that have already been confirmed for PS5 are still releasing there, no titles are being pulled from any platforms at this moment. Specifically in the cases of Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo, both games will still remain PS5 timed-exclusives (with the exception of PC) and won’t have any release platforms changed as a result of the deal. In the immediate future, not much is changing, but soon Bethesda Game Studios titles will be Xbox and PC exclusive.
RELATED: PlayStation Fans Call for Sony to Buy Konami As Response to Microsoft Bethesda Acquisition
Putting the Pressure On Sony’s Exclusives
In the end, this is all in service to putting the pressure back on Sony, who’s consistently used exclusives against Xbox. Now Sony once again finds itself at the other end of the stick, as Bethesda/Zenimax is generally responsible for some of the greatest games of all time. Granted Sony’s definitely not lacking in the exclusives department comparatively, but the acquisition does shorten the gap between PlayStation and Xbox’s first-party studios by a great deal. An acquisition as large as this was bound to happen in general, considering how many studios Xbox has been picking up in the last five years alone.
The future of Microsoft and Xbox is certainly looking bright, especially with Bethesda and Obsidian in its court. Not to mention making this kind of huge announcement just a day before Xbox pre-orders are live. Of course this isn’t some kind of “console war” declaration of victory, PlayStation and Xbox will still certainly do quite well this fall. That being said, Microsoft’s Bethesda acquisition definitely brings up the pedigree of its first-party offering way higher than it already was.
The Xbox Series X/S launches on November 10, 2020.
MORE: The Elder Scrolls 6 Offers Bethesda a Unique Advantage
