A new perspective on Microsoft
A recently revealed email from Bethesda executive Pete Hines provides valuable insight into the company's relationship with Microsoft. The email, shared on Twitter by Axios reporter Stephen Totilo, sheds light on both frustration and confusion surrounding Microsoft's treatment of exclusivity for different games, particularly the upcoming Call of Duty (COD) game and its impact on the exclusivity deal for Starfield.
In the email, Hines shares a link to a blog post by Microsoft vice chair and president Brad Smith, which addresses concerns about COD remaining on PlayStation after Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Smith's post assures that COD will indeed be available on PlayStation. Hines then questions the inconsistency between COD's treatment and the exclusivity plans for Bethesda's own titles, stating, 'Call of Duty is on PlayStation 4, and yet not only are we making it exclusive but we're making it even more exclusive.' He further poses a hypothetical scenario involving Bethesda's games, asking how the reaction would be if titles like Elder Scrolls or Fallout were made exclusive to Xbox, going beyond the existing exclusivity deal.
This confusion highlights the inconsistency in Microsoft's approach to exclusivity within its acquired studios. While Microsoft has argued that mid-sized games like those from Bethesda make sense as exclusives, Hines suspects that Starfield's Xbox exclusivity is driven by regulatory considerations.
Alignment issues
Hines expresses frustration at the lack of alignment between Bethesda and Microsoft regarding their approach to exclusivity. He also voices concerns about not being informed about Microsoft's non-exclusivity policy for COD, especially before Bethesda's Todd Howard attended the Game Developers Conference (GDC) where such questions could potentially arise.
'I have no idea if this is true for all Activision Blizzard games,' Hines laments. 'We're about to make a game exclusive, and it's a pretty big deal, and I have no idea if Todd is going to go to an Activision Blizzard event and they'll say, 'Oh, by the way, don't worry, you won't have to make it exclusive.' I mean, how do you not know that? I'm not asking for the strategy behind it, but if you're in a position where you're going to have to answer for it, I'd rather know ahead of time.'
Insights from the ongoing trial
The ongoing trial between the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Microsoft offers a fascinating glimpse into the inner workings of major corporations and how legal proceedings can reveal internal discussions. It provides valuable insights into the relationship dynamics and decision-making processes within the gaming industry.
For more details, you can check out the full trial here.
