Xbox confirms the purchase of ZeniMax Media the parent company of Bethesda Studios for a reported $7.5 billion.
Bethesda are the creators and publishers The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Wolfenstein, Doom, Dishonored, Quake, Starfield and more. 2021 will be the year when the purchase is completely formalized. The deal also includes the purchase of Bethesda Softworks, Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, ZeniMax Online Studios, Arkane, MachineGames, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog, and Roundhouse Studios.
In a blog post Xbox head, Phil Spencer confirmed the news and welcomed the “talented Teams and Beloved Game Franchises of Bethesda to Xbox.”
What did Bethesda Softworks say about the deal –
Bethesda SVP of global marketing Pete Hines said, “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.” The move, Hines explains, is because Microsoft “access to resources that will make us a better publisher and developer.”
Game titles now owned by Microsoft –
Microsoft added six new game titles to its already burgeoning arsenal. They include the following –
- Doom
- Fallout
- Elder Scrolls
- Skyrim
- Starfield
- Wolfenstein
Fans will be thrilled with the opportunity of playing the games when they get added in the Xbox Game pass. There are reports that some of the titles will be available from day one for users.
What does the deal mean for the industry? –
Some are labelling this as the biggest news for the gaming industry in 2020. Looking at the finances and popularity of Bethesda this is indeed a landmark deal. There are also whispers that Microsoft will honor the PS5 exclusivity agreed for Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo. Whether Bethesda games will become Xbox exclusives or appear on other consoles and PC, it remains to be seen. With around 15 million sales of the Xbox Games pass this purchase will boost them even further.
Eyebrows were also raised as the announcement comes the day before Xbox Series X and S preorders open.
