PlayStation boss Jim Ryan has said he's unsure whether Bethesda's upcoming titles, Elder Scrolls 6 and Starfield, will come to PS5, following Microsoft's acquisition of the publisher's parent company ZeniMax.
In an interview with Russian publication TASS (via our friends at GamesRadar), Ryan said that it's still uncertain as to whether the upcoming titles will come to PlayStation - or whether both will be Microsoft exclusives.
"That’s a decision that is out of our hands," Ryan said. "We’ll wait and see what happens. I look forward to learning about that."
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Slow and steady
Ryan also explained that Sony has a different approach to Microsoft when it comes to acquiring studios. In recent years we've seen Microsoft buying a plethora or studios including Ninja Theory, Double FIne and Playground Games. The purchase of ZeniMax, the parent company of Bethesda, is arguably the company's biggest gaming acquisition in recent years.
"We just take a different approach," Ryan said. "Our emphasis has been to focus on really steady, slow, but constant organic growth of our studios, selectively bolstered by acquisitions. We respect the steps taken by our competition, they seem logical and sensible. But we’re equally happy and confident, we’ve got a better launch lineup than we’ve ever had at any of our console launches."
That's not to say Sony hasn't been acquiring some studios of its own. Back in 2019, we saw the company acquire Insomniac Games - developer of PlayStation exclusives Marvel's Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Miles Morales. In addition, there are rumors the company is planning to purchase BluePoint Games in the future, the developer behind Demon's Souls.
So the ball is firmly in Microsoft's court as to whether PlayStation players will get their hands on Elder Scrolls 6 and Starfield.
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An award-winning games journalist, with seven years of experience in games journalism and a degree in journalism from City University, London, Vic brings experience from IGN, Eurogamer, The Telegraph, VG247, Dot Esports and more to the TechRadar table. You may have even heard her on the radio or speaking on a panel, as she’s previously appeared on BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5, BBC Radio Ulster and more. Not only is Vic passionate about games, but she's appeared on both panels and podcasts to discuss mental health awareness. Make sure to follow her on Twitter for more.