Xbox CEO Plays Coy on Elder Scrolls 6 Exclusivity While Confirming Two Other Titles Stay on Xbox
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma declined to say whether The Elder Scrolls 6 will skip PlayStation, deflecting the question with a smile during a BBC interview at Gamescom on 27 August 2026. Her reply: "It's a beautiful game." GameSpot
That non-answer carries weight. Court documents from the Microsoft vs. FTC case — the US regulator's challenge to Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard — previously stated that The Elder Scrolls 6 was not planned for the PS5. Sharma's predecessor, Phil Spencer, said in 2021 that making games exclusive to Xbox is "not about punishing any other platform" and alluded to the possibility that the next Elder Scrolls would not appear on PlayStation. Spencer left Xbox in 2026, and Sharma took the top job.
She was clearer about two other titles. Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution will be exclusive on console to Xbox, she confirmed in the same interview. Sharma had already announced both exclusivity decisions on her official X account in June 2026, writing that Microsoft wants people to choose Xbox because of great games and experiences. Her first Xbox Games Showcase that same month centred on a return to console exclusives, showing off Gears of War, Halo, and Spyro. GeekWire
The specifics around Gears of War: E-Day add a wrinkle. The game was reportedly planned for PS5 before Microsoft opted to make it exclusive on console to Xbox — a decision that shifts one of the platform's biggest upcoming releases entirely off a rival console. E-Day is scheduled to launch in October 2026.
Sharma argued that exclusives remain part of the gaming landscape. Every platform needs some form of exclusive experiences and content, she said, and Microsoft would do its best to continue offering them within the context of a healthy business.
For Bethesda, the studio behind The Elder Scrolls 6, the exclusivity question unfolds against a difficult backdrop. During Sharma's visit to Bethesda's offices, protestors gathered to demonstrate against her decision to lay off thousands of Xbox developers, including people working on The Elder Scrolls 6. Bethesda staffers on the project faced what was described as "crushing morale" and fears of further delays following the layoffs and other cuts.
The Elder Scrolls 6 was first announced in 2018. No release date has been confirmed. For PlayStation owners hoping to play it, Sharma's deflection — and the court filings behind it — points in one direction, even if she will not say so herself.
