Microsoft Acquires ZeniMax, Making Indiana Jones Game an Xbox Exclusive
The impact of Microsoft’s acquisition of ZeniMax on cross-platform releases was expected, but recent developments suggest that gamers may be deprived of some significant releases. During an inquiry by a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) attorney who was seeking an injunction against the Microsoft-Activision Blizzard deal, Bethesda VP Pete Hines disclosed that Disney had an agreement with ZeniMax to release MachineGames’ Indiana Jones game on various consoles. However, after Microsoft acquired ZeniMax, the agreement was revised to make it exclusive to Xbox consoles.
The FTC also believes that Bethesda’s sci-fi epic Starfield was targeted for the PlayStation 5 before Microsoft bought it. Bloomberg previously reported that Bethesda scrapped the PlayStation version of Redfall , though that’s not too concerning considering the vampire shooter’s lackluster reception.
Indiana Jones was made exclusive because of the nature of the Disney license, Hines claims. Disney had “tons of feedback” on the project that limited development time, and Xbox exclusivity kept the game on track and provided “clarity,” a Bethesda executive says. Games like Starfield and Redfall are original.
We’ve reached out to Bethesda for comment. In 2021, Xbox chief Phil Spencer said that Microsoft’s control of ZeniMax would produce “awesome exclusive games”. Some games that were still unfinished at the time, such as Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo, were still on their way to PlayStation due to contractual obligations.
The revelations may not strengthen the FTC’s efforts to block Microsoft’s purchase of Activision Blizzard. However, they don’t look good – they suggest that some gamers are missing out on high-profile games that were previously intended for their console of choice. Microsoft has promised to release Call of Duty on multiple platforms in the coming years to get regulatory approval, but that might not help if the authorities are still worried about other exclusivity issues.
