Breaking: PlayStation Chief Reveals Jaw-Dropping Details about Starfield's Xbox Exclusivity

PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan recently shared his view on the Xbox console exclusivity of Starfield, stating that he does not see it as "anti-competitive." This surprising admission came during his testimony in a United States federal trial investigating the legality of Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The trial has been closely examining the potential exclusivity of the Call of Duty franchise. Ryan expressed that the exclusivity of a major release like Starfield could influence opinions on the impact of Call of Duty exclusivity.

Ryan's testimony is part of an ongoing legal battle between Microsoft and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC is seeking a "preliminary injunction," a legal measure that would delay the completion of the acquisition until the completion of an FTC review. If successful, the injunction could effectively halt the entire acquisition, as there is a specific deadline by which it must be finalized unless renegotiated. By surpassing this deadline without obtaining a judge's ruling, the FTC aims to prevent the merger, citing previous challenges in court.

Jim Ryan took the stand on the third day of the trial and faced a range of questions regarding PlayStation, its relationship with Activision and Xbox, and the Call of Duty franchise. Among those inquiries, one question stood out as particularly intriguing. Ryan was asked about his thoughts on Xbox's decision to make Starfield, a game developed by the recently acquired Bethesda Game Studios, exclusive. Is this move anti-competitive? Ryan responded by stating that he personally dislikes it, but he does not view it as anti-competitive.

What makes this comment intriguing is that Bethesda Game Studios' major releases, Fallout 4 and The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, have each sold over 12 million and 30 million copies, respectively. These sales figures are comparable to those of the Call of Duty series. If Ryan is comfortable with Starfield being exclusive, it could be seen as hypocritical to claim that exclusive access to Call of Duty on Xbox would be anti-competitive.

However, it is important to note that the comparison is not entirely fair. Bethesda Game Studios primarily develops single-player games, whereas the Call of Duty franchise not only generates significant game sales, but also fosters extensive online engagement. This, in turn, leads to increased PlayStation Plus subscriptions, microtransactions, and overall higher participation of players on the PlayStation platform.

The situation is much more complex than a single statement from Jim Ryan suggests. The acquisition issue goes beyond Call of Duty. Ryan has expressed his disinterest in a new Call of Duty deal, emphasizing his intention to block the Activision Blizzard merger. The ongoing trial between Microsoft and the FTC will conclude after two more days of testimony, leading to a decision. Starfield is set to be released on September 6 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.

Source: IGN