During the ongoing legal battle between Microsoft and the Federal Trade Commission, details have emerged regarding Sony’s attempts to secure exclusive rights for the highly anticipated space action RPG Starfield. These revelations, confirmed by Phil Spencer, the CEO of Xbox Game Studios, substantiate earlier reports from 2020 that indicated Sony Interactive Entertainment was in negotiations to make Starfield a PS5 timed exclusive. However, these plans were prevented when Microsoft acquired Bethesda in a $7.5bn deal in the same year.
Phil Spencer took the stand on the second day of the hearing and faced probing questions from an FTC lawyer regarding the benefits of owning content and having control over the platforms on which games are released. In response, he shed light on the competitive landscape, revealing that Sony had been paying third-party developers to skip the Xbox platform. Faced with this challenge, Xbox deemed it necessary to secure more content for their games and subscriptions to prevent falling further behind their rival.
Spencer emphasized that the acquisition of Bethesda by Microsoft in 2020 was driven by the potential prospect of Sony making Starfield a PlayStation exclusive through a third-party deal. Xbox recognized the urgency to intervene and change the course of events.
Phil Spencer’s revelation during the courtroom proceedings intensifies the already heated rivalry between Xbox and PlayStation in securing exclusive titles. With Starfield now firmly in Microsoft’s grasp, the game’s fate as a multi-platform release is sealed, cementing Xbox’s determination to maintain a competitive edge in the gaming industry.
As the legal battle between Microsoft and the Federal Trade Commission continues, these revelations shed light on the high-stakes maneuvers and strategic considerations undertaken by industry giants in the ongoing console war. With the hearing ongoing, further insights into previous deals, negotiations, strategies, and more are expected to surface.
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