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Microsoft and Bethesda will reportedly have a joint conference at E3 2021

The Director of Xbox Game Studios has shared new details about Microsoft and Bethesda's presence at E3.

Donovan Erskine

May 20, 2021 8:15 AM

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Ever since Microsoft closed its deal to acquire Bethesda, fans have been wondering when we can expect to start seeing the big implications of said results. Though a slew of Bethesda titles are now on Game Pass and there’s rumors about Starfield being Xbox/Windows exclusive, that time hasn’t quite come yet. However, that may be changing soon. According to a new interview with the Director of Xbox Game Studios, Microsoft and Bethesda are planning to have a joint conference at E3 2021.

This comes from an interview conducted with Matt Booty, Director of Xbox Game Studios by French publication Le Figaro. In the article, it’s stated that “Microsoft and Bethesda will host a joint conference this summer to introduce players to their upcoming projects. Bethesda typically holds its own independent conference at E3, but it isn’t surprising that Microsoft will want to combine them and have one major event. Microsoft has already confirmed that it will be participating in E3 this June.

This interview also reveals that Microsoft plans to have all future Bethesda releases launch on Xbox Game Pass day one. This isn’t much of a surprise, because it’s a model that Microsoft has been following with all of its first-party releases for a couple of years now. Lastly, Microsoft expresses that it doesn’t want to interfere with Bethesda’s day-to-day business as a publisher, and that most of its operation will remain the same.

Now that we know that Microsoft and Bethesda will have a joint conference at E3 this year, speculation is sure to run rampant in the weeks leading up to the event. Could we potentially see Starfield, getting confirmation on recent rumors surrounding its release date and exclusivity? Whatever Microsoft and Bethesda have up their sleeves, you can expect to read about it right here on 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_