‘Elder Scrolls 6’ availability: Microsoft confirms it will not launch on PlayStation

While fans await more information about “Elder Scrolls 6,” there is one thing that Microsoft has already confirmed — and PlayStation fans will not like it. In one of its responses to the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority, the company confirmed the long-awaited game’s console launch would be exclusive on Xbox.

Reports have recently unearthed one of the responses Microsoft submitted to the CMA as part of the regulator's review of its Activision Blizzard acquisition. One of the main concerns that have been raised during the investigation is that “Call of Duty” could become exclusive to Xbox in the future. And the CMA fears this will significantly limit the competition in the gaming market.

However, Microsoft said in its official response that not all decisions it made for existing and upcoming ZeniMax IPs, which include Bethesda games, do not reflect what will happen to “Call of Duty.” The Xbox parent company said in particular, “Decisions regarding mid-sized games are not evidence of Microsoft’s incentives as they relate to ‘Call of Duty.’”

Interestingly, the one specific example of a “mid-size game” that Microsoft cited was “Elder Scrolls 6.” It is unclear what being a mid-size game entails in this context. But Microsoft also argued that the decision for the upcoming game should not be taken as a guide to the future of “Call of Duty,” implying that it will take the same course as “Minecraft” once the acquisition is completed. So, in this context, the mid-sized game categorization likely refers to the player count and not the actual gameplay map.

Microsoft’s response to the CMA also appeared to have mentioned a release window for “Elder Scrolls 6.” But, unsurprisingly, the information was redacted before it was published for the public.

It is very likely, though, that “Elder Scrolls 6” is still a few years away because Bethesda has repeatedly stated that the game will only become a priority once “Starfield” is released. Bethesda’s new space RPG is slated to launch sometime in 2023.

In the same document, Microsoft also defended its decision not to release “Starfield” on PlayStation. The company argued that, technically, it is not disenfranchising PlayStation users because it is an all-new game.