The FTC v. Microsoft court hearings are the gift that keeps on giving. According to new emails and notes submitted through the courts, Microsoft and Xbox not only understandably kept a close eye on the release of the PS5, but they continue to keep tabs on Sony’s moves.
Most recently, PlayStation Plus subscriptions went way up in price. The price jump was received with mixed results for gamers. The court documents don’t show that particular reaction from Xbox, but they were keeping tabs on the PS5’s price increase last year. One particular email shows CEO Phil Spencer commenting on how the Horizon Forbidden bundle was available when he purchased the competitor’s hardware.
As reported by The Verge, Spencer notes that the extra $50 for the bundle could be one example of why Xbox may have held back on their console price increase until several months later, giving them a slight advantage on store shelves.
Go back a few years, and here’s a redacted version of what was relayed back to the Xbox team about the PS5’s specs and how they compare to the Xbox Series X:
Liz Hamren, former head of platform engineering and hardware at Xbox, points out some of the tech differences, like the teraflops and that Sony spent quite a bit of time speaking to them about audio performance and innovations.
And last but certainly not least, a potential confirmation that what could be Bethesda’s next big title will be an Xbox and Windows PC exclusive.
This graph from communication within Microsoft shows several big-name releases and where and when they are released on PlayStation, PS5, and PC. These Bethesda games like Deathloop and Fallout 76 are available on other platforms, but interestingly enough, The Elder Scrolls VI has a big red X alongside the “Released on PlayStation” row.
Now, is this a massive surprise? Not really. Starfield is also a Microsoft exclusive at the moment, and they do own Bethesda. But, despite rumblings about this being a possibility, it looks like this is another piece of evidence to tell us the next Elder Scrolls adventure will only be available on an Xbox or PC.
