There’s no Starfield PS5 or PS4 release date. Controversially, Starfield is an Xbox exclusive. Since it’s one of the most highly-anticipated upcoming games, fans are wondering why it’s skipping PlayStation consoles entirely. We’ll take a look at the business decisions behind the console exclusivity below.
Why is there no Starfield PS5 or PS4 release date?
The simple answer to why there is no Starfield PS5 or PS4 release date is because it’s an Xbox exclusive. Microsoft owns the company that’s developing it, Bethesda Game Studios. While Bethesda Softworks has released games on PlayStation since it became a first-party Xbox studio we shouldn’t expect to see that too often going forward.
Why is it a Xbox exclusive?
One might think Microsoft would make more money by selling its games on as many platforms as possible. However, that’s not the case here. Starfield is a system seller, and many will buy an Xbox console just to be able to play it. It’s the same idea behind Sony’s exclusives, and it’s one of the few ways that console makers can distinguish their hardware since the PS5 and Xbox Series X are so close in capabilities.
Fortunately, PC gamers are the big winners this generation. Starfield will be coming to Windows, and many Sony exclusives are eventually making their way to Steam now as well. However, the higher price of entry forces many players to stick with a console.
The big question is whether Starfield will ever come to PS5 or not. We doubt that a first-party Xbox Game Studio exclusive will ever make its way to PlayStation. As we said above, exclusives are the best way for console manufacturers like Sony and Microsoft to build their brands. They want you to associate games like Starfield with their consoles. For example, when you think Halo, you think Xbox. For Microsoft, that’s worth much more than the additional cash they’d make on a multi-console release.
For more on Starfield, check out our guides on base and ship building.
