Bethesda's Pete Hines to Todd Howard: "CoD on PS5 is the opposite of what we were asked (TOLD) to do with our titles?"

[John Elden Ring]

Feb '22 email from Bethesda exec Pete Hines suggests frustration at Xbox/PC-centric strategy for team's games.

Reacting to public vow to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation: "I'm confused, is the below not the opposite of what we were just asked (told) to do with our own titles?"

"...you don't think a journo might find [Todd Howard] and press him on why the below is ok for COD or any Activision Blizzard game, but not TES6 or Starfield?"

Implication is that Elder Scrolls 6 would skip PlayStation. Hines was asked by the FTC's lawyers in court on Thursday about this and other emails with the same vibe. On the stand, he said the company is maintaining case-by-case decisions about ZeniMax/Bethesda games.

 

[Vertigo]

I’m sure Pete Hines and Todd Howard love having Phil Spencer bankrupt their company

 

[Zzero]

So TES exclusive confirmed then?

 

[Gediminas]

So TES exclusive confirmed then?

whatever it will be left off of xbox in 2032. sure.

 

[Playstation Sucka]

So TES exclusive confirmed then?

CD projekt red and Larian in Sony's crosshair but they would have to agree with day one PC release before they get purchased

 

[flaccidsnake]

I'm starting to think MS is not actually inclined to release flagship native CoD content on Playstation. Paying 70B is a hail mary to take a big fucking bite out of playstation. They're not gonna want to wait 10 years to realize that. And also, I think the PS/Bungie acquisition might be over-emphasizing the independence angle given the politics of the moment. Marathon will come to Xbox, but will the next project? Playstation is obviously going to want more than just devops and gaas consulting out of their 4B new purchase. Everybody's spinning right now to get their preferred legal outcome.

 

[Playstation Sucka]

I'm starting to think MS is not actually inclined to release flagship native CoD content on Playstation. Paying 70B is a hail mary to take a big fucking bite out of playstation. They're not gonna want to wait 10 years to realize that. And also, I think the PS/Bungie acquisition might be over-emphasizing the independence angle given the politics of the moment. Marathon will come to Xbox, but will the next project? Playstation is obviously going to want more than just devops and gaas consulting out of their 4B new purchase. Everybody's spinning right now to get their preferred legal outcome.

Bungie's multi-platform status depends upon the contract whether the contract was an oral affirmation or written on paper
I am not sure you can amend the original contract
Or if Bungie ever decides to a proper single player gane that may be exclusive

 

[Gediminas]

I'm starting to think MS is not actually inclined to release flagship native CoD content on Playstation. Paying 70B is a hail mary to take a big fucking bite out of playstation. They're not gonna want to wait 10 years to realize that. And also, I think the PS/Bungie acquisition might be over-emphasizing the independence angle given the politics of the moment. Marathon will come to Xbox, but will the next project? Playstation is obviously going to want more than just devops and gaas consulting out of their 4B new purchase. Everybody's spinning right now to get their preferred legal outcome.

there is no 10 years contracts which stand as contracts. those were just phony contracts to show to regulators.
there was posted or tweeted that those contracts have many loopholes and escape doors to dodge those contracts whenever they want.

m$ actually tried to seal those contracts.

 

[Nhomnhom]

I’m sure Pete Hines and Todd Howard love having Phil Spencer bankrupt their company

We know from Redfall that when shit hits the fan Phil Spencer wastes no time in throwing others under the bus and if there is any credit to be taken he'll gladly take it himself.

If Starfield disappoints he'll say he just left Bethesda alone and if it's a success he'll say he is glad he was able to lend the support necessary to achieve that success and talk about the conversations he had with Todd to ensure it.

 

[Gediminas]

We know from Redfall that when shit hits the fan Phil Spencer wastes no time in throwing others under the bus and if there is any credit to be taken he'll gladly take it.

that's how ''leaders'' rules

 

[Petekilla]

CD projekt red and Larian in Sony's crosshair but they would have to agree with day one PC release before they get purchased

CDPR is not for sale. How many times do they have to say this? I know money talks, but I think they’re one of those devs that loves their independence.

 

[John Elden Ring]

So TES exclusive confirmed then?

Yes, everything from Bethesda now on will be Xbox exclusive

 

[nongkris]

CDPR is not for sale. How many times do they have to say this? I know money talks, but I think they’re one of those devs that loves their independence.

bungie, insomniac, and probably many more large developers previously also loved their indepence but ended up selling for the right price. Though I also don't think Sony is buying CDPR, but the 'love indepence' schtick only lasts until the checkbooks come out.

 

[Playstation Sucka]

CDPR is not for sale. How many times do they have to say this? I know money talks, but I think they’re one of those devs that loves their independence.

Yes until money is thrown we have seen this with Bungie as well not a big deal lest Amazon one day decide to start a spending spree and buy major publishers

 

[Entropi]

MS will ask Activision to ditch PS as soon as the deal goes through, but before that, they can’t say it out loud. I don’t think Pete is being smart here.

 

[flaccidsnake]

There's so much riding on CoD here, but it's not invulnerable. Many of the best designers left a long time ago. It's currently skating on free to play Battleroyale, which is a well-worn fad by now. Modern Warfare itself is a War on Terror throwback which the US has culturally (if not actually) moved past. With the acquisition process dragging out, a Playstation studio could make a popular realistic online FPS before the PS5 generation ends. They already have like 10 suitable IPs they could revive (personally leaning toward Unit 13 ), or make a new one.

 

[Jim Ryan]

Yes until money is thrown we have seen this with Bungie as well not a big deal lest Amazon one day decide to start a spending spree and buy major publishers

You did indeed.

If cdpr are making any live service games, we will pay top dollar for them.

 

[Yurinka]

Before sending this mail there was a Skype Teams conversation between Pete Hines (Bethesda Marketing & PR VP) and Jamie Leder (Former Executive VP/COO at Zenimax) about it, which also got transcripted:

https://files.cand.uscourts.gov/files/23-cv-02880_FTC_v_Microsoft/PX4408_PUBLIC.pdf

There's a sentence that nobody highlighted but I think it may be super important: "I believe this may be the positioning of GamePass as an app on PS that will allow access to all Xbox titles.

Meaning, MS wanted to continue having "CoD and other popular Activision Blizzard titles available on PlayStation" post ABK+Sony deals yes, but INSIDE A GAMEPASS APP ON PLAYSTATION THAT WOULD ALLOW ACCESS TO ALL XBOX GAMES.

It's understadable to see Hines asking for a clarification and als Jim Ryan considering that MS made them an insulting offer to keep CoD on PS: seems MS wanted to keep it only inside a PS Gamepass app, not as a game sold for PS.