Xbox Ditched Redfall's PS5 Version After Microsoft's Acquisition Of Bethesda: Could This Affect Call of Duty?

Arkane Studios' upcoming vampire shooter, Redfall, will only be available on Xbox and PC when it launches on May 2, 2023.

What Happened: It appears the game was initially being developed for Sony Group Corp.'s (NYSE: SONY) PlayStation 5, before Microsoft Corp.'s (NASDAQ: MSFT)'s acquisition of Bethesda, the parent company of Arkane Studios.

See Also: Microsoft Says 10 Years 'Sufficient' For Sony To Develop Alternatives To Call Of Duty

In a recent interview with IGN France, Redfall director Harvey Smith revealed the development team was working on a version of the game for PlayStation 5 before the acquisition. Now after the buyout, Microsoft reportedly scrapped the port and the game became exclusive to Xbox and PC.

Smith explained Microsoft's purchase of Bethesda was a "huge sea change" for the studio, as it shifted the game's development focus to Game Pass, Xbox and PC. Prior to the acquisition, Arkane Studios had been developing Redfall for all platforms.

Microsoft's decision to make the game exclusive to Xbox and PC has raised some eyebrows, especially considering Xbox boss Phil Spencer's previous statements that the company did not plan to "take games away from another player base."

Moreover, this news contradicts Microsoft's recent efforts to reassure courts and regulators that it will not make Call of Duty an Xbox exclusive, amid its proposed $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard Inc (NASDAQ: ATVI). 

Read Next: Is Xbox Changing Its Tune On The Activision Merger? Find Out What Xbox's Head Phil Spencer Says

Photo: Billy Freeman via Unsplash