The Xbox Series X could be getting a killer exclusive game this year, the long-awaited "Starfield"

At the very least, this is what Xbox tipster and Xbox Two podcast host Rand al Thor 19 claims to have heard from inside sources:

"Microsoft is working hard to get the game out this holiday"

"I have heard from very reliable people that 'Starfield' is 100% Xbox exclusive

"I'm told Microsoft is working hard to get the game released this holiday season

And I'm told that Bethesda, the developer that Microsoft acquired when it bought ZeniMax Media, is pretty much done working on the game

"The game is basically finished Right now it's in bug squashing mode, QA-like like 'Halo Infinite,'" speculates Rand Al Soh, 19: "If we can release both Halo and Starfield this fall, it would be a huge benefit to Game Pass and Xbox"

This is not the first time we have heard that Starfield could be released in 2021 However, if Rand al Soh 19's information is accurate, it further increases the likelihood that Starfield will appear this year and be an Xbox or Xbox Game Pass exclusive

Furthermore, Bethesda has reportedly filed a new copyright reservation for Starfield, with a date that appears to be 2021 However, we cannot rejoice until we receive official confirmation from the studio itself

Since Microsoft's acquisition of ZeniMax Media, there has been much discussion about whether Bethesda's upcoming games will be Xbox/PC exclusive While there is no firm confirmation that Bethesda's new games will be Xbox and PC exclusives, Xbox boss Phil Spencer has strongly hinted that some games will be left for Xbox and Game Pass

In addition, Microsoft Vice President Sarah Bond recently hinted that "Starfield" would be a big exclusive title for the Xbox ecosystem: "One of the things I'm most excited about is the long-awaited new space epic, Starfield, and to see the roadmap of Bethesda's future games coming to Xbox consoles and PC

Given the popularity of Bethesda's games, offering Starfield as an Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S and Windows 10 PC exclusive would give Microsoft an arrow in the game's quiver

And Starfield could be the tip of the iceberg when it becomes a Bethesda exclusive in the future; The Elder Scrolls 6 could also be an Xbox exclusive, and given the popularity of the Elder Scrolls games, for PS5 This would be a tremendous blow to the PS5, given the popularity of the "Elder Scrolls" games

However, time will tell regarding exclusive games Microsoft, in particular, has left "Deathloop," currently in development by Bethesda-owned Arkane Studios, as a timed exclusive game for the PS5 In other words, 2021 could be an interesting year for the future of gaming and the platform exclusivity landscape

Update: A new teaser trailer for "Starfield" suggests that the game will be a cross between "Skyrim" and "The Expanse"