Bethesda and Machine Games’ upcoming Indiana Jones will be an Xbox and PC exclusive, it’s been revealed.
It’s not often that video game news emerges from a court of law, but here we are: Bethesda’s upcoming Indiana Jones game will be a PC and Xbox exclusive.
The information emerged during the ongoing legal battle between the Federal Trade Commission and Microsoft over the latter’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard. In a court hearing currently underway in the United States, it was revealed that the Indiana Jones game, once billed as a multiplatform release, is now going to be a day-one Game Pass exclusive.
As reported by IGN, Bethesda boss Pete Hines told the court that, while Disney initially had an agreement with ZeniMax (Bethesda’s parent company) to make an Indy game for multiple platforms, the deal was changed once Bethesda was acquired by Microsoft in 2021. (Said deal was reportedly worth some $7.5 billion.)
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An email between Hines and several bosses at Xbox was also shared with the court, which also referenced the Indiana Jones game, and the agreement signed Bethesda signed with movie studio (and Indy rights holder) Lucasfilm.
“I think it is important to highlight that Lucasfilm brought up the issue of platforms because we have a signed agreement with them to develop the game for multiple consoles,” the email read. Although the emails suggest that Lucasfilm could be a demanding business partner (“You’re dealing with a licensor who is giving a ton of feedback on what you’re making, Hines wrote), it evidently came around to the idea of making the Indy game an Xbox exclusive.
The Indiana Jones game was originally announced in 2021, with Machine Games – the studio behind Wolfenstein: The New Order – handling development. A release designed to coincide with the latest Indy film, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny – out on 28 June – might have been a logical move, but to date, there’s been no word about a launch date or even an official title.
More news on this one as we get it.
