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Todd Howard agrees it's 'hard to imagine' The Elder Scrolls 6 as a console exclusive

Bethesda's Executive Producer speaks to the company's next-gen outlook in a new interview.

Donovan Erskine

October 29, 2020 8:16 AM

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Microsoft’s $7.5 billion acquisition of ZeniMax and Bethesda last month completely transformed the way we look at the future of both Xbox and PlayStation. While one of Xbox’s biggest criticisms had long been the console’s lack of exclusive titles, folks were suddenly concerned that they wouldn’t get to play titles like Fallout 5 or Starfield on their PlayStation 5. Todd Howard, one of the biggest names at Bethesda, spoke to the potential of going exclusive in a new interview.

Speaking with GamesIndustry.biz, Todd Howard weighed in on the Microsoft acquisition, and the possibility of new games from the studio being exclusive titles. When the interviewer told Howard that it’s hard to imagine The Elder Scrolls 6 being a console-exclusive game, Todd Howard simply responded "I would agree that is hard to imagine."

This quickly became a hot topic of debate following the $7.5 billion purchase of ZeniMax Media/Bethesda. Many argued that Microsoft’s recent efforts to be all-inclusive and “for the players” meant they would still allow Bethesda games to release on PlayStation, as well as other platforms. Others felt that the company would use this opportunity to keep some of the most high profile gaming franchises exclusively under their own roof. The flames of this debate were stoked when Xbox boss Phil Spencer recently said Microsoft could recoup their investment without going multiplatform. 

Todd Howard doesn’t give any further comment or insight other than the aforementioned quote. As for the fate of upcoming Bethesda releases on PlayStation 5 and other platforms, we’ll simply have to wait and see. The impacts of the deal are already being felt, as Doom Eternal recently landed on Game Pass, soon to be followed by a large chunk of Bethesda’s library.

For more updates on Bethesda and the upcoming Xbox Series X, you’re already in the right place with Shacknews.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a journalist from Maryland. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge film fanatic and will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_