I know you’re still hoping, but Starfield isn’t on PS4 or PS5. Despite being announced before Microsoft bought Bethesda, and having a large window of ‘nobody knows’, the game is very steadfastly a PC and Xbox exclusive, and we have the receipts – Xbox, Bethesda, and even Todd Howard have been very clear about how Starfield isn’t coming to PS5 or PS4.
Starfield PS5 or PS4 isn’t an option
Starfield crafting and research
For an early primer, read up what we know about Starfield crafting and research!
It’s easy to see where the confusion came from. As we mentioned, Starfield was announced before Microsoft bought up Bethesda and, at that point, probably was aiming for multiple platforms. Post-acquisition though, the the future of the game was obviously unclear, and even PlayStation boss Jim Ryan seemed unsure to begin with, saying that Starfield being on PS4 or PS5 was “a decision that is out of our hands, we’ll wait and see what happens”.
It didn’t help that, while the dust was settling, Bethesda’s Pete Hines was quoted as saying “there are Xbox brands on other platforms. Minecraft didn’t stop existing on anything when Mojang got bought by Microsoft. It’s not a ‘sorry you’re never going to get to play anything on PlayStation again'”. Many took that to suggest that Starfield might still have a chance on PlayStation. However Xbox marketing general manager Aaron Greenberg quickly shut that talk right down, stating that “Starfield will be launching exclusively on Xbox Series X|S and PC”.
While a lot of PS4 and PS5 owners are constantly looking for a hint it might be some sort of timed exclusive, Xbox are clear that it’s never happening. Todd Howard even talked about how limiting the platform would make a better game, stating, “you don’t ever want to leave people out, right? But at the end of the day, your ability to focus and say, this is the game I want to make, these are the platforms I want to make it on, and being able to really lean in on those is going to make for a better product”.
What’s probably going to upset Starfield PS4 and PS5 fans the most though is that Sony were rumoured to be negotiating Starfield exclusivity in the months before Microsoft swooped in and bought the entire company making it. The opportunity is obviously long gone at this point, so if you want to engage in treats like the Starfield ship customization, Xbox and PC are your only options now.
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