Starfield on PS5 could still happen, but not soon [Update]

Update 02/16/2024: Starfield on PS5 could happen in the future as Xbox hasn't ruled out the possibility of bringing more exclusives to non-Xbox platforms, but it doesn't sound like anything is in the works right now. After a series of rumours about a major shakeup to Xbox's exclusives strategy ran rampant online earlier in February, Xbox executives Phil Spencer, Sarah Bond, and Matt Booty got together in a special Xbox Podcast to explain the future of Xbox. This included revealing that four currently unnamed Xbox exclusives will be heading to other consoles but that Starfield and the upcoming Indiana Jones and the Great Circle are not making the jump.

The original viewpoint on Starfield coming to PlayStation was that, as an Xbox exclusive, the game would be playable only on PC and Xbox (even though the game was announced when a PS5 or PS4 version was almost certainly in development). Closer to Starfield's launch, Xbox, Bethesda, and even Todd Howard, were very clear that Starfield would be exclusive to Xbox and PC, and that it wouldn't release on PS5 or PS4.

So, Starfield went from being multiplatform to an Xbox console exclusive and remains so... for now. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has also said in an interview with The Verge that a game going to any other platform shouldn't ever be ruled out. He goes on to say that the Xbox team is using these first four games as a learning experience. Spencer also said in the podcast that he believes exclusive games "are going to be a smaller and smaller part of the game industry".

In short, it's all a bit of mess, really, but there are currently no clear plans from Xbox to bring Starfield over to PS5.

Starfield on PS5 might have been in development, then wasn't, but could be in the future

The talk of what would and wouldn't be coming to PlayStation following the Bethesda acquisition was basically a mess when the first deal went though. It's highly likely that Starfield's single player adventure probably was aiming for multiple platforms originally - Sony were rumoured to be negotiating Starfield exclusivity in the months before Microsoft swooped in which, ironically, might have been one of the triggering factors for the acquisition. It's also since been revealed that Redfall was in production for PlayStation and that Microsoft allegedly canned it. 

Even PlayStation boss Jim Ryan seemed unsure when Bethesda was acquired, saying that Starfield being on PS4 or PS5 was "a decision that is out of our hands, we’ll wait and see what happens". At the time Bethesda's Pete Hines was quoted as saying "there are Xbox brands on other platforms. Minecraft didn't stop existing on anything when Mojang was bought by Microsoft. It's not a 'sorry you're never going to get to play anything on PlayStation again'". 

As positive as that sounds, Todd Howard talked about how limiting the platform would make a better game, stating, "you don’t ever want to leave people out but at the end of the day, your ability to focus and say, 'this is the game I want to make, these are the platforms I want to make it on', and being able to really lean in on those is going to make for a better product". Xbox marketing general manager Aaron Greenberg also stated that "Starfield will be launching exclusively on Xbox Series X , S and PC". 

Over time all this confusing talk eventually solidified into Starfield being an Xbox exclusive, but now after plenty of rumors and Xbox having to clarify some things in an emergency podcast, we're currently back at Starfield maybe releasing on PS5, but almost certainly not anytime soon. Which is a big step back from the absolutely hard 'no' Xbox and Bethesda eventually reached in the past. 

If you want to start looking into Starfield backgrounds and starting skills for your character, or sketch out ideas for Starfield ship customization, Xbox and PC are your only options.