Starfield on PS5 and PS4 is unlikely to ever be a thing despite the game being revealed before Microsoft bought Bethesda. That acquisition means that the game, while not an exclusive when first revealed, is absolutely exclusive to its PC and Xbox.
The confusion at first though has led to people still looking for information/hope on a PlayStation release. Deathloop was still a PS5 exclusive after the acquisition was announced and with the Starfield originally announced while Bethesda was still a multiformat publisher, it potentially meant some as yet unseen deals could have been done with PlayStation.
There were also a lot of unclear quotes post acquisition and occasions where Microsoft amd Bethesda tiptoed around the question. However, since then, Xbox, Bethesda, and even Todd Howard, have been very clear that this is an Xbox and PC exclusive, and that Starfield isn't coming to PS5 or PS4. If you've missed it all though we've got a timeline and breakdown of everything that's lead to this.
Starfield isn't on PS5 or PS4, but it might have been once...
For an early primer, read up what we know about Starfield crafting and research!
As we mentioned, Starfield was announced before Bethesda was acquired and, at that point, Starfield's single player adventure probably was aiming for multiple platforms. We've since learned that Redfall was in production for PlayStation and that Microsoft allegedly canned it. Sony were rumoured to be negotiating Starfield exclusivity as well in the months before Microsoft swooped in.
Despite how things have played out immediately post-acquisition, the future of the game was unclear. Even PlayStation boss Jim Ryan seemed unsure to begin with, saying that Starfield being on PS4 or PS5 was "a decision that is out of our hands, we’ll wait and see what happens". It didn't help that, while the dust was settling, Bethesda's Pete Hines was 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 not a 'sorry you're never going to get to play anything on PlayStation again'".
Many took that to suggest that Starfield might still have a chance on PlayStation. However Xbox marketing general manager Aaron Greenberg quickly shut that talk right down, stating that "Starfield will be launching exclusively on Xbox Series X , S and PC".
While a lot of PS4 and PS5 owners are still looking for a hint it might be some sort of timed exclusive, Xbox is clear that's never happening. Todd Howard even 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".
The opportunity to play Starfield on PS5 or PS4 is obviously long gone at this point, so 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.
