What I've learned with Xbox is that most of the time, it won't be exclusive

If you're talking about Bethesda the deal hasn't been done yet. When the deal goes all the way through we'll know what's going where.

Outside of Bethesda other MS studios are Xbox and PC only.

@Foxtrot

They can not disclose platforms for a company/game they do not currently own.

I really do not know what you expect them to do? Break the law?

Lol we believe in generations!

"Microsoft is the king of smoke and mirrors" 100% THIS.

Microsoft: "We've totally bought bethesda and stuff - QUICK, pre-order Series X!!!"
Gamers: " Wow, big news! So are those games Xbox exclusive now?"
Microsoft: "Umm...can't tell you - it's a secret and we'd get put in jail, maybe"
Gamers: " You haven't actually bought them, have you???!"
Microsoft: "Well, umm, no, but we will in a year or so - So BUY Series X NOW!!!"
Gamers: "*Sigh* All these games will be multiplatform still, won't they? -_-"
Microsoft: "... ...BUY SERIES X!!!"

I've been through numerous acquisitions, companies are not allowed to talk about future plans until the deal has completely gone through. Usually the company issues internnal memos telling employees what they can say, and usually thats only the line of "i can direct you to our "public communications correspondent"

nice try to turn this into another MS is bad thread...

I don't know why you are getting so many downvotes. It has been seen countless times that when it comes to games, Microsoft is all talk and little action.

That strategy is fairly typical of them. The thing is, why announce it without clarifying what exclusivity is there? I surmise it is to entice people to buy the system on promises of games years out potentially.

The other objective is more or less what is happening in comment sections and articles like these. To reveal it this early despite being so vague about details, it seems was intended to headline grab. They don't need to tell us about it, so why tell us about it if there are no details to provide? This whole reveal has generated so conversation about XsX and "will they or won't they".

Nintendo and Sonys acquisition are clear and defined, and their discussions occur in short term. And after game releases.

Well their smoke and mirrors all of the xbox one generation was to say exclusives are coming.

They can't discuss anything about bethesda/zenimax until the acquisition is complete.

@ziggurcat
Spencer also said that Xbox games will not be on PC.

I hate smoke and mirrors. Hopefully MS can come out of the closet and just be up front with there current fan base. I'm sure once or if they release news of these games going multiplat they'll understand that there fans who've hung around for years waiting for exclusives will have finally more than likely had it. I would much rather be honorable than someone always wavers deceitfully. Hopefully they do the right thing for long time fans which will look good even to the biggest haters.

Phil already addressed this issue and if I remember correctly it was pretty much that announced titles will remain multiplatform but unannounced titles can be either. Did everyone forget this info because it gives you a chance to hate Microsoft again?

They are not allowed by law to discuss exclusivity, make demands, etc to Bethesda while the acquisition is in process.

It is called "Marketing".

Whether it was Sony waiting until the last minute to admit that they will ship some nextgen games on both PS4 and PS5

or

Microsoft not telling us what platforms games will be on until the last minute.

Neither side can claim that they are any more righteous then the other.

Sounds like business.

That's basically what OP said. It's business.

Buy an xbox if youre not sure if it will come to playstation. Lol. That’s what they are hoping you will do.

I wouldn’t hold my breath in thinking these games are coming to other platforms other than PC. If they do then that will be a surprise. Just don’t want people holding out only to be disappointed lol.

Or maybe and bear with me there where preexisting deals for these games before Bethesda was bought and its either too expensive to break them or they can't.

Na they just can’t announce all Bethesda games will be exclusive until the deal is final. Microsoft had zero need to release games on PlayStation this is all about gamepass and Xbox

The trade has not been approved yet, That is why they are not able to inform about their intentions more clearly. And that is a FACT- whatever N4g thinks.

"What happened to "transparency"? If every future Bethesda game were exclusive why hasn't Phil Spencer said so?"

Because Razzer that would be illegal.

"Because Razzer that would be illegal."

How?

"They can not discuss Bethesda/ZeniMax exclusivity rights as they do not own them yet."

lol...they already have. Quite a lot actually.

“What we’ll do in the long run is we don’t have intentions of just pulling all of Bethesda content out of Sony or Nintendo or otherwise,” Stuart said (transcribed by Seeking Alpha).

“But what we want is we want that content, in the long run, to be either first or better or best or pick your differentiated experience, on our platforms. We will want Bethesda content to show up the best as — on our platforms.

“Yes. That’s not a point about being exclusive. That’s not a point about we’re being — adjusting timing or content or road map. But if you think about something like Game Pass, if it shows up best in Game Pass, that’s what we want to see, and we want to drive our Game Pass subscriber base through that Bethesda pipeline.

https://www.videogameschron...

@Dirty

"If you want an honest answer: They are not allowed to do so."

So Tim Stuart wasn't allowed to say all the stuff he said, huh? lol....ok

If you want an honest answer: They are not allowed to do so.

Bethesda is still independent and they can’t announce anything from them as long as the deal is not finalized.

That would be against the law. They only announced that they are planning to acquire them. The deal is closed in a couple of months.

A 7.5 billion transition is not something you do between your lunch breaks.

"Speaking at the Jefferies Interactive Entertainment conference last week, Xbox chief financial officer Tim Stuart discussed how Microsoft intends to handle the release of Bethesda Softworks games once the Elder Scrolls, Fallout and Doom publisher becomes a first-party company.

Microsoft announced in September that it intends to acquire ZeniMax Media and its game publisher Bethesda Softworks for $7.5 billion, with the deal expected to be completed in early 2021.

“What we’ll do in the long run is we don’t have intentions of just pulling all of Bethesda content out of Sony or Nintendo or otherwise,” Stuart said (transcribed by Seeking Alpha).

“But what we want is we want that content, in the long run, to be either first or better or best or pick your differentiated experience, on our platforms. We will want Bethesda content to show up the best as — on our platforms.

“Yes. That’s not a point about being exclusive. That’s not a point about we’re being — adjusting timing or content or road map. But if you think about something like Game Pass, if it shows up best in Game Pass, that’s what we want to see, and we want to drive our Game Pass subscriber base through that Bethesda pipeline"

@Videogameschronicle.com

Didn’t they already say case by case basis.

Because they're all not. If you watch any of the interviews since they started dealing with Bethesda you'll learn 2 things. 1. The games that Bethesda has sony deals with will remain intact. 2. Exclusivity is a game by game basis beyond that.

@RazzerRedux: you don't have to buy what people are saying, but it is 100% true.

@Atom666: two thumbs up. As someone who has been part of an acquisition of a startup, you are 100% correct.

@Atom666

Looks like the N4G lawyers have turned up to weigh in. They absolutely should talk about it, they need the positive PR, if people knew these games were exclusive it would encourage people who might be on the fence to purchase a new xbox its smart marketing and there's no legal reason why they couldn't be more clear about it.

@green

And yet no one, including you, can explain Tim Stuart's comments? lol...ok. I find it incredibly suspicious when the people you say are correct are making assertions that talking about this would range from a matter of increasing further oversight to outright criminal acts. You do understand there is a grand canyon of a difference between Atom666 saying they "shouldn't talk about it" and others saying it is flatly illegal to do so?

"And yet no one, including you, can explain Tim Stuart's comments?"

The difference is Tim Stuart's comments weren't announcing anything. He was simply saying what could happen.

Its like when Disney bought Marvel. Kevin Feige talked about the acquisition, and even made comments about acquiring all these Marvel characters they didn't previously have movie rights to, but they never once made official announcements of what characters were getting movies until the deal was 100% complete.

This is no different. They've made comments, but haven't made any official announcements.

You can buy whatever you want Razzer, just telling you facts. There are easy to digest guidelines and rule notations available from FTC and DOJ with layman terms to help understand.

@SmokinAces

You couldn't afford me, kid.

Just Google some shit if you think I'm stating something wrong. I don't give a shit how you FEEL they should do things. Facts and the law say they absolutely should not talk about foreclosing a competitor from access to a product.

And I'm showing where Microsoft themselves don't agree with your facts as their actual words don't jive with what you are saying.

You say they shouldn't talk about it. I'm saying they already have. It is what it is.

@witchcraft

You going to cite the law or regulation or any kind of reference where it differentiates between vague intentions and announcements during acquisitions?

Frankly, outside of Atom666, I think the vast majority of what has been said here has been either made up or simply copying and pasting what someone else has said.

And if you want to take it up with Microsoft about bragging about being transparent, have at it.

***Buying out Zenimax is subject to regulatory review. MS was obligated to announce that kind of sizable acquisition to shareholders, but what follows is an (often) slow process of review from the FTC/DOJ, state regulatory agencies, and foreign agencies.***

I hope you don't think that every company buy out involves this because it happened one time at a company you worked at.

Let alone that people involved in the deal have already discussed exclusivity plans with their IPs.

@Raz You're talking about internal speculation amongst MS. They're not announcing anythinv or claiming anything just discussions on what they would like to do once it's officially purchased. They can talk about what they would like to do, but can't announce anything.

If I were MS, I would make Starfield (I think it'll be timed exclusive), E6, Indiana Jones (if it's a serious AAA) and other Big AAA from Bethesda exclusive.

Case by case basis should be F76 (expansions or revisions on the game), Zenimax Elder scrolls game or new IP mmorpg online.

It's like I said if MS wants to be actually competitive make those games only on Xbox/PC. MS needs to understand that PS5 is already running ahead of this race but that gap will undoubtedly widen just like last gen all over again. It would be very wise to keep those games exclusive.

Doom being on gamepass was most likely already planned.

Doom was on PSNow, so it going to GamePass is nothing noteworthy. Same with the Wolfenstein games.

I'd also note, the one year "to buy Bethesda" likely has more to do with getting other exclusive/marketing deals out of the way before a final purchase. Things like Deathloop. Likely has nothing to do with "finalizing" the deal. They wouldn't be so public about it if there was a good chance it wouldn't happen. Let alone the deal seems to be more of a we own you, you only market for us, but you decide where to public deal.

@Atom666

"You couldn't afford me, kid."

Wouldn't bother to waste the money. I'll take your failed attempt at an insult by calling me kid as a compliment so thank you.

"Just Google some shit if you think I'm stating something wrong. I don't give a shit how you FEEL they should do things. Facts and the law say they absolutely should not talk about foreclosing a competitor from access to a product."

Wow bud calm down you're getting a bit too worked up there, lol. Guess you cared how I felt since you took the time to respond with that very angry reply.