Deathloop is an upcoming Groundhog Day-style action-adventure game from Dishonored developer Arkane Studios. While Deathloop appears to share a number of similarities with its studio counterpart, its time loop gimmick has set it apart and contributed to making it one of the most highly anticipated games of 2021. But gamers who are eagerly awaiting the next big thing from Arkane Studios may be left disappointed by a recent Microsoft announcement.
Following Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda, many gamers were left wondering what this meant for the future of Bethesda titles, with plenty of speculation surrounding the potential exclusivity of Bethesda games going forward. However, barring talk of future console exclusives, very little has come to fruition as yet. That is until a Microsoft and Bethesda joint E3 conference was announced a few days ago. It's unclear what this will mean for PlayStation-based Bethesda fans, but the obvious assumption is that the conference will solely center around titles available to Xbox owners. This leaves titles like Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo in an awkward position as their timed PlayStation exclusivity could exempt them from taking a starring role, or indeed, even making an appearance at all.
Deathloop Might Not Be At E3
Much is still up in the air in regards to the content that will be featured at Microsoft and Bethesda's E3 press conference. While games like Starfield will almost definitely make an appearance due to their appeal to Microsoft's core audience, Bethesda games destined for other platforms may not. Showing off these games will still be in Microsoft's personal interest, but it may also harm Microsoft in terms of console sales as well as potentially distracting from the Xbox titles that will be showcased alongside them. Of course, with the likes of Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6 yet to be talked about in a serious capacity, it was always unlikely Deathloop would be the main event of this press conference, but there are now questions surfacing around whether it will even make an appearance.
Microsoft may not want a PlayStation exclusive at its E3 conference, however, it's hard to imagine Arkane Studios would be happy to see its newest title dropped from the lineup entirely. Instead, it's likely that the emphasis will be placed on the titles available to Xbox users, while the PlayStation exclusives will take up a much smaller role. Something that Deathloop may have in its favor is that it will launch day one on PC. This leaves open the possibility for Deathloop to feature on Game Pass for PC, thus placing its showcase firmly within Microsoft's best interests. Nothing has been confirmed regarding Deathloop's potential Game Pass appearance, but it presents the perfect opportunity for Microsoft to benefit from its Bethesda acquisition while honoring PlayStation's exclusivity agreement.
What Games Will Be At E3
While the likes of Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo may not make an appearance, in exciting news for Xbox fans, Microsoft has reportedly begun making use of its new subsidiary, Bethesda, by making Starfield exclusive to Xbox and PC. More Xbox exclusives in Fable and Halo Infinite should be on full display with the latter set to release this year following a lengthy setback, while the inclusion of Forza, STALKER 2, and State of Decay 3 would all make for an interesting conference.
If Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo are shown at E3, they will be some of the only PlayStation exclusives on display, as PlayStation will not be at E3 this year. This perhaps doesn't come as much of a surprise to many as this will be the third year running that Sony hasn't been at E3, although, to be fair in 2020 there was no E3. For now, it seems Sony is forging its own path with its State of Play conferences, the latest of which featured Horizon Forbidden West gameplay. Despite Sony's absence, there are plenty of exciting games set to feature at this year's E3 as the gaming world returns to some form of normal.
Deathloop launches on September 14 for PC and PlayStation 5.
