Head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, has expressed concern over the possibility of losing Starfield to PlayStation. Starfield holds immense significance as Xbox's flagship game set to launch later this year, and its loss could have had dire consequences for the company.
In a groundbreaking move, Xbox announced the acquisition of Bethesda in September 2020, including its parent company ZeniMax. This strategic move granted Xbox exclusive rights to Bethesda's extensive collection of past games and upcoming releases, including Starfield. Building on this success, Microsoft set its sights even higher by pursuing a purchase of Activision Blizzard. However, this endeavor has faced obstacles, with Microsoft currently engaged in a legal dispute with the US Federal Trade Commission. This legal battle poses a threat to the proposed $68.7 billion acquisition.
During the trial between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard, Xbox's head, Phil Spencer, took the witness stand. He revealed that Xbox had engaged in extensive collaboration with various companies to counter the dominance of the market leader, widely assumed to be PlayStation. Spencer acknowledged the necessity of securing the Bethesda deal to ensure Xbox's continued relevance in the industry. He expressed concerns about losing the rights to two Bethesda titles, Ghostwire: Tokyo and Deathloop, to PlayStation and feared that the same fate awaited their highly anticipated game, Starfield.
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As fans debate whether Xbox can match PlayStation's release schedule, Phil Spencer seems to share the same concerns. PlayStation consistently delivers two to three major titles each year, including God of War: Ragnarok, Horizon Forbidden West, Final Fantasy 16, and Marvel's Spider-Man 2. In contrast, Xbox's recent disappointment, Redfall, suggests that Spencer is banking heavily on the success of Starfield this year. The outcome of this gamble remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: this situation intensifies the ongoing "console wars."
Starfield launches September 6 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: IGN
