Is Starfield on PS5? Explained

Is Starfield on PS5 or PS4? Fans of the PlayStation have likely been wondering this question since it was announced, with hype for Bethesda’s upcoming space-adventure RPG only bubbling.

Here, we’ll answer whether you can expect Starfield on PS5 or PS4 at launch or later down the line, and why or why not. While we probably have a definitive answer already, it’s not impossible for something to change between now and the Starfield release date. If you’re hoping to play the game with friends, too, make sure to check out our is Starfield multiplayer guide, too. With that, let’s take a look at whether Starfield will make it to PlayStation.

Will Starfield be coming to PS5 or PS4?

Unfortunately for PlayStation fans, Starfield will not be coming to PS5 or PS4. While previous Bethesda Studios games such as Skyrim and the Fallout games have made it to PlayStation, Microsoft’s acquisition of the studio’s parent company ZeniMax Media changes things significantly. As the creator of the Xbox brand, and of course, it’s Xbox Series X/S consoles, the company are keen to make sure they are the place to be able to play Starfield.

Given that Starfield looks set to be one of the biggest games of the year, it’s unlikely that Microsoft and Bethesda are going to have much interest in sharing the game with competitors like Sony any time soon. Most sources suggest that it’s highly unlikely fans will be seeing the game come to PlayStation consoles, and that it will remain an Xbox exclusive.

Why is Starfield not available on PS5?

Ironically, it seems the Bethesda takeover took place partly as a result of Sony’s plans to make Starfield a PlayStation exclusive, following exclusive PlayStation releases of Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo. At an FTC hearing regarding Microsoft’s takeover of Activision-Blizzard, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said “when we heard that Starfield was potentially also going to end up skipping Xbox, we [couldn’t] be in a position as a third place console where we [fell] further behind on our content ownership.”

Further to this, it even seems like the developers are on board with this, as it will help make Starfield a better game. Game Director Todd Howard spoke on this, saying “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.”

Will there be a Starfield PS5 release?

In spite of this, PlayStation fans can still hold out some hope. Pete Hines from Bethesda has been quoted as saying “there are Xbox brands on other platforms. Minecraft didn’t stop existing on anything when Mojang got bought by Microsoft. It’s no a ‘sorry you’re never going to get to play anything on PlayStation again'”. While Xbox’s marketing General Manager Aaron Greenberg was quick to make it clear that the game was launching exclusively on Xbox and PC, Hines’ quote certainly leaves the door open for a potential PlayStation port in future.

As well as this, should the game turn out to be an unmitigated disaster, it’s possible that the game might get a PlayStation release if the company seeks to recoup losses through licensing. But in such a scenario, it’s questionable how many people would be left wanting to play the game anyway, and based on the success of previous mainline Bethesda games, we think that a Starfield disaster is somewhat unlikely.

Starfield PS5 release date predictions

For now, it looks like Starfield on PC, on Xbox consoles, and on Xbox Game Pass will be the main route for fans to enjoy this game, and that PlayStation fans will be left glancing at the other side. At some point, far down the line, we could see Starfield release on PlayStation, though we’d only imagine this would happen years down the pipeline. One day, the Starfield hype will dwindle and sales will begin to settle, and Bethesda and Microsoft might take this opportunity to reignite the flames with a launch on a new platform. PlayStation fans will be licking their lips at the thought of this Starfield and PS5 release.

At the rate things are going, making a Starfield PS5 release date prediction would see slightly inauthentic, especially as the game has seen nothing of a confirmation that it’s coming to the platform.

That’s everything we’ve got regarding Starfield on PS5 or PS4. While unfortunate news for some, the game will be coming on PC platforms too, so you don’t necessarily have to miss out. If you still want to enjoy the hype, check out our Starfield factions list to learn about all the major players you’ll be able to join or fight against in-game. Or have a look at some of the amazing planets like Jemison, Gagarin and Mars that you’ll be able to visit.