Xbox Email Hints At Exclusivity For All Future Bethesda Games

Expert Verified By

Microsoft May Have Already Made Decision!

The FTC and Microsoft are engaged in the final day of court hearings over the Activision Blizzard merger. Similar to previous days, Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda Softworks was also brought up over the last few hours.

However, the FTC has revealed an interesting document from Microsoft. An internal email between Xbox executives Matt Booty and Tim Stuart reveals that Microsoft has considered full exclusivity for all Bethesda titles.

Why it matters: Phil Spencer has previously stated that exclusivity for Bethesda titles would be decided on a case-by-case basis. However, this email appears to go against Phil Spencer’s statement.

The tweet above shows a rough version of the exchange between the Xbox executives. This email was provided by the FTC during the recent hearing.

Xbox has already scrapped the PlayStation version of Redfall. The hearings have also revealed that Indiana Jones was initially supposed to launch on all platforms, but this changed after Microsoft acquired ZeniMax Media.

However, Phil Spencer continues to maintain his stance on exclusivity for Bethesda games. When asked about exclusivity for The Elder Scrolls 6, he recently claimed that a decision is not made since the game is so far away.

Another email between Tim Stuart and Phil Spencer suggests that Microsoft has already decided to make nearly every Bethesda release exclusive to Xbox.

The email hints Tim Stuart intended to announce exclusivity moving forward, but Phil Spencer was not too fond of this idea.

It is possible that Phil Spencer decided against such an announcement in case Xbox wanted to change plans in the future. Therefore, it is difficult to conclude if Xbox has made a final decision, but recent actions suggest that exclusivity is a strong possibility for major Bethesda titles.

However, Microsoft is promising to keep Call of Duty on multiple platforms. The gaming giant has suggested deals with PlayStation, but regulators and PlayStation have offered stiff competition against the latest merger.

These emails could provide an edge for the FTC, helping the regulator convince the judge that Microsoft may go back on its words for Activision Blizzard titles after the contract expires.

Was our article helpful? 👨‍💻

Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋

How could we improve this post? Please Help us. 😔

Gear Up For Latest News

Get exclusive gaming & tech news before it drops. Sign up today!

Join Our Community

Still having issues? Join the Tech4Gamers Forum for expert help and community support!

Latest News

Join Our Community

104,000FansLike
32,122FollowersFollow

Trending

Nintendo Switch 2 Costs $330 In Japan; Global Model Is $120 More Expensive

Nintendo has confirmed a different price for the Switch 2 in Japan, revealing a much cheaper model for the country.

Nintendo Switch 2 Games To Start At $80; Physical Copies Will Cost Even More

Following the adoption of $70 AAA titles, Nintendo is set to move one step ahead and introduce a $80 MSRP for new games.

Team Group’s T-CREATE CinemaPr P31 Wins iF DESIGN AWARD 2025

Team Group's T-CREATE CinemaPr P31 Portable SSD wins the iF DESIGN AWARD 2025 for its creator focused innovative features.

Elden Ring Announced For Nintendo Switch 2

During the Nintendo Direct, the Elden Ring Tarnished version was announced for the highly anticipated Switch 2.

Nintendo Switch 2 Supports 120FPS Handheld Gameplay; Launches June 5

Nintendo has announced various highly anticipated details about the Switch 2, confirming that it has a 1080p 120Hz screen.