News Microsoft aquired ZeniMax Media (Bethesda) for $7.5 billion | deal is done

prudis

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Critically acclaimed creators of The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Wolfenstein, DOOM, Dishonored, Quake, Starfield and more join Team Xbox

Today is a special day, as we welcome some of the most accomplished studios in the games industry to Xbox. We are thrilled to announce Microsoft has entered into an agreement to acquire ZeniMax Media, parent company of Bethesda Softworks.

As one of the largest, most critically acclaimed, privately held game developers and publishers in the world, Bethesda is an incredibly talented group of 2,300 people worldwide who make up some of the most accomplished creative studios in our industry across Bethesda Softworks, Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, ZeniMax Online Studios, Arkane, MachineGames, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog, and Roundhouse Studios. These are the teams responsible for franchises like The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Wolfenstein, DOOM, Dishonored, Prey, Quake, Starfield and many more.

Bethesda’s games have always had a special place on Xbox and in the hearts of millions of gamers around the world. Our teams have a close and storied history working together, from the amazing first DOOM, and its id Tech engine, innovating games on PCs to Bethesda bringing their first console game to the original Xbox, the groundbreaking The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Over the years I’ve had many deep conversations with the creative leaders at Bethesda on the future of gaming and we’ve long shared similar visions for the opportunities for creators and their games to reach more players in more ways.

Just as they took the bold first steps to bring The Elder Scrolls franchise to the original Xbox, Bethesda were early supporters of Xbox Game Pass, bringing their games to new audiences across devices and have been actively investing in new gaming technology like cloud streaming of games. We will be adding Bethesda’s iconic franchises to Xbox Game Pass for console and PC. One of the things that has me most excited is seeing the roadmap with Bethesda’s future games, some announced and many unannounced, to Xbox console and PC including Starfield, the highly anticipated, new space epic currently in development by Bethesda Game Studios.
Like us, Bethesda are passionate believers in building a diverse array of creative experiences, in exploring new game franchises, and in telling stories in bold ways. All of their great work will of course continue and grow and we look forward to empowering them with the resources and support of Microsoft to scale their creative visions to more players in new ways for you.

All of our work, and the foundation of our relationship with you, starts with a commitment to deliver a breadth of amazing games to discover and play on Xbox. Over the last few weeks, we’ve been excited to share more detail on important elements of a plan we’ve been building towards for years. A plan that is the fulfilment of a promise, to you the Xbox player, to deliver the most performant, immersive and compatible next-generation gaming experiences, and the freedom to play blockbuster games with your friends, anytime, anywhere. Today is a landmark step in our journey together and I’m incredibly energized by what this step means for Xbox.

 

ScreamingTrees

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Wtf. That's a bit surprising. I'm glad Microsoft release all their games on PC. Obsidian to do another fallout game? Wonder what'll happen to Bethesda launcher
 
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Durante

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I'll consider this a win if they fund another Prey (or game in a similar vein, I'm not picky).

Prey (2017) is one of the most underappreciated releases of the past 5 years IMHO.
 

warp_

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interesting note from pete hines in his letter

But the key point is we’re still Bethesda. We’re still working on the same games we were yesterday, made by the same studios we’ve worked with for years, and those games will be published by us.

So why the change? Because it allows us to make even better games going forward. Microsoft is an incredible partner and offers access to resources that will make us a better publisher and developer.
seems like good news for multiplat releases. i feel like ms paid what they did specifically because of the multiplat success of all the franchises under bethesda's belt while now being able to advertise "best on xbox" because of series x and game pass.
 
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Ge0force

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Impressive move from Microsoft. Good news is that Bethesda's games will be on Game Pass from now on. Bad news is that they will cost €70 in Europe.

This said, if Microsoft greenlights Dishonored 3, I will buy it at €70 :p
 
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warp_

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damn all cash. on the bright side this really does confirm that multiplat releases will still be a thing, ms spent much less on minecraft (2 bil iirc) and has been releasing on every platform in order to make money back on the purchase.
 
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Durante

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damn all cash. on the bright side this really does confirm that multiplat releases will still be a thing, ms spent much less on minecraft (2 bil iirc) and has been releasing on every platform in order to make money back on the purchase.
I wouldn't be certain about that. I can imagine it's a per-franchise thing.

But it seems unlikely that they would spend 7.5B just to continue to sell games as they would have been sold originally. There has to be a strategic interest.
 
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warp_

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going with the minecraft track record they continued to update and release the game on new and old platforms after the purchase of mojang. not to mention story mode and dungeons releasing on every platform under the sun.

the strategic interest seems pretty obvious to me...making the netflix of games with game pass and increasing their growth on mobile and other platforms with gp+xcloud. advertising the ability to play skyrim or whatever new thing on your phone or tablet or smart tv day one with game pass streaming or on xbox or on windows seems like a great play for ms as a company that loves to push their services.

however this doesn't make them suddenly not want to money that ps/nintendo fans would offer them as well.
 
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PhaZZe

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damn this is huge, still getting the games in steam + gamepass, just please, continue using Vulkan and fix the horrible regional price from bethesda
 
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beep boop

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Phil: put Bloodborne on PC or we’ll buy another one :evilblob:

I have to say I got a degree of very unhealthy schadenfreude out of this after Sony’s and Epic’s shit. Definitely won’t backfire. Nope.
 
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texhnolyze

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This is quite a megaton for the industry, but doesn't really affect us PC gamers.

Also, I can see the real reason why they added modding support to Gamepass/XBox app earlier this year.
 
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warp_

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well, there it is. though it doesn't actually say either of the things he's claiming in the article he links, we'll assume it's true.

i wonder if "case by case" means something like "obviously tes6 won't run on switch" or "the tentpoles stay with us"?
 

NarohDethan

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well, there it is. though it doesn't actually say either of the things he's claiming in the article he links, we'll assume it's true.

i wonder if "case by case" means something like "obviously tes6 won't run on switch" or "the tentpoles stay with us"?
Reading between the lines: if the beg enough
 
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warp_

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Reading between the lines: if the beg enough
yeah could be a hardball thing too. i know minecraft bedrock for ps4 was delayed because of sony not wanting to allow crossplay, so for a while the ps versions were the only non-updated ones as ms just withheld the entire update until sony backed down.
 

Zexen

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Well, that's quite the surprise.

Ray-traced Skyrim on Gamepass when then ?
 

gabbo

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So can the Bethesda Launcher die off now?
Also, who does MS own that could do a proper Commander Keen platformer because Zenimax had no fucking idea
 

BoosterDuck

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I wonder what this means for the Bethesda Launcher
will Microsoft axe it and let users transfer their games to the Microsoft Store
 
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d00d3n

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That is a lot of money.

I guess concurrent Prey and Dishonored relaunches is too much to ask? It will probably be Dishonored then, due to the first one selling quite a lot of copies

I am curious if Microsoft will tolerate the slow release cycles for the core Bethesda Softworks games. Like, wait two more years for Starfield, five more years after that for the elder scrolls sequel, and then five additional years for the fallout sequel (12 years away). Considering how much they paid, it seems like it would be out of the question to wait for that long. It is very alluring to consider the possibility of single-player Fallout being handed off to Obsidian, though ...
 

TheTrain

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I think that MS going on Steam has something to do with the Gamepass itself so I wouldn't rule out Steam from the equation so easily.
Same goes for EA Access, its the first but surely not the last subscription that will be available on Steam. Hell, right now Valve have the only digital platform capable to handle third party subscription services, this is huuuuuuge with how many players Steam handle every day
 

Futaleufu

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Buying directly from the Bethesda launcher seems like a mistake now.

And Microsoft may start using idTech in more than a couple of games.
 
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toxicitizen

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YO what the FUCK! This is insane.

Also I kinda hope this means stuff like Elder Scrolls VI and Starfield are now skipping Playstation entirely because fuck Sony for their deliberately confusing messaging and timed exclusivity bullshit.

Then again, with all these acquisitions, if Microsoft ever decide to get back on their bullshit with regards to PC, things are going to be really bad...
 
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NarohDethan

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Microsoft stiffles creativity says person fan of company most known for Third Person Open World Action games.
 

ISee

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And Microsoft may start using idTech in more than a couple of games.
idTech 7 will become the new go to engine for Microsoft instead of Unreal Engine.
Would make sense after the Apple UE fiasco ;)

nah, it won't
 

Ge0force

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I think that MS going on Steam has something to do with the Gamepass itself so I wouldn't rule out Steam from the equation so easily.
Same goes for EA Access, its the first but surely not the last subscription that will be available on Steam. Hell, right now Valve have the only digital platform capable to handle third party subscription services, this is huuuuuuge with how many players Steam handle every day
I believe that MS supporting Steam happened because most pc gamers refused to use the Windows Store. The introduction of Game Pass on pc changed this, so let's wait and see if MS keeps supporting Steam and/or win32 games. History proves that console manufacturers drop much of their pro-consumer behavior once they're in the lead
 

Pommes

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idTech 7 will become the new go to engine for Microsoft instead of Unreal Engine.
Would make sense after the Apple UE fiasco ;)

nah, it won't
Well that would be a great move by Microsoft to promote the usage of Vulkan :thumbsupblob:
But I fear the opposite:
id Tech 8 as a DirectX engine :grimacing-face:
 

Le Pertti

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If the rumors were true about Sony trying to do one of those shitty exclusivity deals for future Bethesda games then maybe MS realised that they can't be without big Bethesda games and just bought them instead to keep games multi platform. At least coming to pc also.

Better to have MS than either Sony or egs.
 
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Parsnip

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I'm hoping that MS sees most of these studios as devs of simple player campaigns, and doesn't try to turn them into gaas studios.
Premium single player is what MS is missing from their portfolio so it would make sense, it's the one big area Sony is beating them hands down.