Microsoft to buy ZeniMax Media for $7.5 billion in major boost for Xbox

[Hanno Labuschagne]

Microsoft to buy ZeniMax Media for $7.5 billion in major boost for Xbox

Microsoft Corp. said Monday it plans to acquire ZeniMax Media Inc., owner of the storied video-game publisher Bethesda Softworks, for $7.5 billion, its biggest video game purchase ever.

Bethesda is the publisher of games like The Elder Scrolls, Doom and Fallout and also has at least two games slated for debut next year.

[Bloomberg]

 

[Fulcrum29]

.

 

[swift412]

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.

Welcoming the Talented Teams and Beloved Game Franchises of Bethesda to Xbox - Xbox Wire

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...

news.xbox.com

 

[Fre3kill]

well there goes gaming, following MS tradition

 

[konfab]

The real question is if Microsoft will keep Todd Howard.

 

[Fulcrum29]

MS as a gaming publisher is controversial, then they go and acquire perhaps the most controversial gaming publisher on planet Earth. They have been acquiring indie devs and now they are acquiring the enterprise devs.

Game Pass peeps will love this news. All I see is ESO and F76 being more ‘incentivised’, the loot box kind.

I won't be surprised that MS will also acquire CIG, but I think Amazon may already be on that hunt.

 

[Solitude]

All I see is ESO and F76 being more ‘incentivised’, the loot box kind.

Why though? Microsoft isn't doing it with their current line-up. That I know of.

 

[Fulcrum29]

Why though? Microsoft isn't doing it with their current line-up. That I know of.

They won't change how things work now, but the business model will be realigned. Generally I think they will integrate their own store into their owned ecosystems. MS already rolled out a rewards program within the Windows Store and I can only see how these gaming titles will contribute to said rewards system. People love to click their money away, and MS is likely to promote these games (and its digital merchandise) within their other ecosystems such as Windows.

 

[Polymathic]

Just a matter of time before we get :
Wolfenstein 3D Definitive Edition
Doom Definitive Edition
Quake Definitive Edition
Quake Arena Definitive Edition
Commander Keen Definitive Edition
Jazz Jack Rabbit Definitive Edition

All coming to Xbox Game Pass

 

[konfab]

MS as a gaming publisher is controversial

Not really as they have been doing it for 40 years.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Xbox_Game_Studios_video_games

then they go and acquire perhaps the most controversial gaming publisher on planet Earth. They have been acquiring indie devs and now they are acquiring the enterprise devs.

$10 USD has been deposited into both your EA Origin Accounts and Uplay Accounts.

Microsoft are actually pretty good as a publisher. They certainly don't have EA's track record of buying fantastic developers and forcing them to churn out garbage.

 

[Beyond.Celsus]

Let's be honest here.
Bethesda of old has been gone for a long time.

The garbage that is Fallout 7tseks is proof of that.

This makes no difference as I have little hope that the new Elder Scrolls will not be more 'live service' trash
So not sure what people are worried about.
Is Microsoft going to make trash trashier?

 

[Fulcrum29]

Not really as they have been doing it for 40 years.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Xbox_Game_Studios_video_games

You don't remember their attempt at monopolising publishers and basically write the laws on DRM? Now they are acquiring those developers, but they have opened themselves up lately as in being more accessible. Ironically it was Tim Sweeney which challenged their practices some time ago and now it is Epic taking on ecosystems they themselves announced together as a monopoly. I know you don’t see it as monopolies, but I tend to agree with Sweeney and co. on this one.

MS backtracked on that one very hard, especially on their Xbox terms some years ago.

 

[Fulcrum29]

Let's be honest here.
Bethesda of old has been gone for a long time.

The garbage that is Fallout 7tseks is proof of that.

This makes no difference as I have little hope that the new Elder Scrolls will not be more 'live service' trash
So not sure what people are worried about.
Is Microsoft going to make trash trashier?

Fallout 76 is only one game. Zenimax have heaps more, Doom Eternal is still a 2020 #1 contender. There aren't many ESO players around the Mybb parts, but it is today a blood game and I only wish that F76 pursued the same game model. ESO also launched controversially with their subscription plans.

Bethesda has a new Elder Scrolls coming and Starfield, continuing to use the Creation Engine, is supposed to be the biggest new IP of all time or so Bethesda wish.

Not to take too much away from Fallout 76, it is starting to find shape and at least they are trying.

Private Division announced last week that they are shutting down Disintegration's servers and multiplayer. That is kind of big deal for PD, they simply don't have the means for rescuing a new title. Compare this with Anthem which was a disaster, but EA is committed at relaunching the game or, so they alluded.

 

[gregmcc]

There goes Doom

 

[Syphonx]

Game Pass peeps will love this news. All I see is ESO and F76 being more ‘incentivised’, the loot box kind.

I don't think so, they are not a gaming only company that needs to generate as much money as possible from each game.
They will probably move Bethesda games to Windows/Xbox exclusive in time (maybe a few years time though) and include those games in GamePass as well. This is a ploy to make xbox more desirable for gamers and essentially have all gamers paying a monthly subscription for GamePass. Same as O365

 

[w1z4rd]

I dont really have a problem with this. They bought Minecraft and the game is bigger than ever.

 

[SeRpEnT]

Sony fans: The PlayStation has many more big name exclusives than your console! Spider-Man BLM DLC and all that!!
Microsoft: Hold my beer...

 

[bokka1]

I don't think so, they are not a gaming only company that needs to generate as much money as possible from each game.
They will probably move Bethesda games to Windows/Xbox exclusive in time (maybe a few years time though) and include those games in GamePass as well. This is a ploy to make xbox more desirable for gamers and essentially have all gamers paying a monthly subscription for GamePass. Same as O365

They have already confirmed that all the Bethesda games will be on Game Pass day one.

 

[Ninja'd]

MS as a gaming publisher is controversial, then they go and acquire perhaps the most controversial gaming publisher on planet Earth. They have been acquiring indie devs and now they are acquiring the enterprise devs.

Game Pass peeps will love this news. All I see is ESO and F76 being more ‘incentivised’, the loot box kind.

I won't be surprised that MS will also acquire CIG, but I think Amazon may already be on that hunt.

I wish Amazon would buy CIG. They'd immediately announce afterwards Star Citizen and SQ42 is available for same/next day delivery.

Someone needs to light a fire under their ass.

 

[Herr der Verboten]

There goes Doom

Post D2016 its already gone knee deep in commander keen. Not necessarily a bad thing, but too much isn't always good either. See if ancient gods is any better.