Microsoft left Bethesda confused with its Call of Duty exclusivity

His query highlights the conundrum: why should Call of Duty be a special case, while Starfield and The Elder Scrolls VI are corralled into the Xbox pen?

Microsoft's argument that big, multiplayer games with established communities should stay multiplatform while single-player games don't need such consideration is, to say the least, unconvincing. The Elder Scrolls franchise boasts a dedicated fan base, many of whom are PlayStation gamers. If Microsoft's reasoning stands, it doesn't quite account for the vast Elder Scrolls community potentially left out in the cold.

Moreover, the element of surprise has added salt to Bethesda's wounds. Hines expressed his annoyance at the lack of forewarning about Microsoft's non-exclusivity policy for Call of Duty. Todd Howard, renowned game designer and director, was due to attend the DICE Summit, where he would undoubtedly face pressing questions about the disparate treatment of Bethesda and Activision Blizzard's titles.

Microsoft's duplicity is telling in how it handles acquisitions. On the one hand, it assured Bethesda that game exclusivity is decided on a case-by-case basis. On the other, it promised Call of Duty's multiplatform future without giving Bethesda the courtesy of a heads-up. This seemingly double standard approach has rattled Bethesda, stirring doubts about the parent company's transparency and fairness.

While these courtroom revelations don't directly contribute to the ongoing FTC trial, they poke holes in Microsoft's public image. Both Sony and Microsoft, through separate instances, have seen their polished public veneers scratched, revealing the realities of strategic corporate maneuvering behind the scenes.

In this high-stakes game of chess, it is clear that some pawns are deemed more valuable than others. As the giants clash in court, some are left as "collateral" damage. If Bethesda, as big as it is, doesn't get a say about which platforms its games will come out on, we're pretty sure Microsoft's other "smaller" acquisitions won't have as much authority either.

Of course, there's a benefit to all of this - Starfield is coming out in September, thanks, in part, because it's exclusive to the Xbox Series S/X.

Unfortunately, exclusivity, especially to a platform that has traditionally struggled to sell compared to its contemporaries, is not a recipe for a best-selling launch. But, who knows? Maybe, with a renewed slate of upcoming exclusives like Avowed, Fable, and Forza Motorsport, on top of Starfield, the Xbox Series S/X will start selling better.

For now, we can sympathize with Bethesda for feeling confused about why its games are supposed to be exclusive when a game like Call of Duty isn't.