Players will be familiar withArkane Studiosfor its unique games under the Bethesda umbrella. Since Microsoft recently acquired the publisher, it was unclear what would happen toArkane’s titles. Past releases are on Xbox Game Pass, and one of the studio’s directors describes the freedom provided by this move.
RELATED:Prey’s FPS Boost is Almost Like a Brand New Game
Heading up the creative development forDeathloop, Dinga Bakaba weighs in on the acquisition.Deathloopis a PlayStation 5 exclusive, so it results in an unique situation where Microsoft has a title releasing solely for another console. He describes how the sale was surprising, but beyond the initial reveal it made a lot of sense. Bakaba also goes on to explain how being part of Game Pass benefits Arkane. Since the studio’s games can always have a place in Xbox Game Pass, the team can continue to focus on projects they want to make.
Based on reception from social media, past Arkane games still receive a lot of acclaim. WithPreyand theDishonoredseries just some of theBethesda titles on Game Pass, Bakaba points towards players online encouraging others to try these games. Without having the higher launch cost of next generation games, Arkane can stick to riskier concepts. The service apparently lets the team be more creative and develop a committed audience simultaneously.
There is little doubt that Xbox Game Pass is a beneficial service in the industry. Currently, it is really the only one of its kind available between Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft. Not only is the collection massive, but players can download the titles to their device without having to stream them. The other upside is that it seems like a boon for game developers too. Arkane Studios is not the only party benefitting from the wide reach Xbox Game Pass has.
Of course, moving Bethesda games to Game Pass does come with a catch. It sounds like future titles, such asThe Elder Scrolls 6may be exclusive to Xboxnow. As seen byDeathloop, Bethesda games typically have a home on PlayStation consoles, but with the acquisition this may not be the case. So whileArkane Studioswill benefit from having more flexibility, it could come at the cost of having a smaller audience. Nevertheless, the freedom to create unique games is a good sign for the studio and should lead to some interesting experiences.
