Microsoft’s promise it would keep Call of Duty on rival console platforms after buying Activision Blizzard prompted concern within Bethesda at its highest levels, a newly-published email now shows.
Bethesda marketing exec Pete Hines emailed bosses, including Todd Howard, to highlight the approach Microsoft was taking with Activision in order to court regulatory approval and note that it was “the opposite” of what Bethesda itself had just been “asked (told) to do” with its own games.
The email, dated 2nd October last year, expresses concern that Bethesda would be publicly questioned on why games like Starfield are Xbox-only following Microsoft’s acquisition, as opposed to future incarnations of Call of Duty after Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
“I’m confused,” Hines wrote. “Is the below not the opposite of what we were just asked (told) to do with our own titles? What’s the difference?”
Hines then quoted a public blog post from Xbox boss Phil Spencer in which it was stated Microsoft had committed to still releasing Call of Duty and other Activision Blizzard games through any existing agreements between the companies and beyond.