Microsoft buys ZeniMax Media

[Dark Drakan]

This news seemed to come out of nowhere but Microsoft have just announced that they have acquired Zenimax Media, the parent company of Bethesda, id Software, Arkane Studios, MachineGames, Tango Gameworks and more, for $7.5bn.

They have also announced that all future titles from these studios will come to Game Pass for Xbox & PC on Day 1 of release. These include franchises like The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Wolfenstein, Doom, Dishonored, Prey, Quake, The Evil Within, Starfield and many more.

SOURCE​

 

[ef9dante_oSsshea]

I announced this in general gaming news a while ago, huge acquisition

Really boosts the value of the now 15 million plus gamepass

Which will most likely have substantial growth from this acquisition, aswell as ea play and xcloud

 

[Foxtrot94]

Daaaaaayum that's actually massive. Gotta say, usually people speak doom and gloom about MS, but in this case, with franchises like Doom, Prey, TES, Wolfenstein and Fallout, which traditionally have always had a strong focus on PC, it feels... right... that they're owned by Microsoft now.

I just hope for PS owners that they won't be exclusive to Xbox and PC in the future.

 

[Vergil95]

Daaaaaayum that's actually massive. Gotta say, usually people speak doom and gloom about MS, but in this case, with franchises like Doom, Prey, TES, Wolfenstein and Fallout, which traditionally have always had a strong focus on PC, it feels... right... that they're owned by Microsoft now.

I just hope for PS owners that they won't be exclusive to Xbox and PC in the future.

Game want be exclusive to Xbox and pc, they will also be released on ps console, but tevery game they made will be released on Xbox game pass from day one until the end of time lol

 

[ef9dante_oSsshea]

Well they said on a case by case basis, so some may be exclusive to xbox

Or times or stay exclusive to xbox and pc

But I doubt that goes for all the games

 

[Foxtrot94]

By the way, now that you got Microsoft's money and resources, Bethesda, goddamn change your goddamn engine, Bethesda. Bethesda.

 

[ef9dante_oSsshea]

It says in the Todd Howard article that the engine has had a massive overhaul, for the first time since oblivion @Foxtrot94

 

[Maxman]

I see Uncle Phils been playing around with Company Credit Card again

 

[ef9dante_oSsshea]

There is still talk of them purchasing wb studios too

 

[Foxtrot94]

It says in the Todd Howard article that the engine has had a massive overhaul, for the first time since oblivion @Foxtrot94

Yeah I've heard that song and dance before, with every game they sing the praise of the new "updated engine". I don't trust a single word Howard says nowadays, and that goes double when he talks about the engine. It's always PR talk. They need to scrap it and either make a new one (a young and inexperienced group of devs like CDPR was able to do it and they can't?) or license one. Gamebryo ain't salvageable.

 

[ef9dante_oSsshea]

Well they have ue5 and havoc and Id tech 7 that they can use, so options are there I guess

 

[Demi-fiend]

Sony has Spider-Man.

SRX has FUS DO RAH.

 

[Foxtrot94]

Sony has Spider-Man.

SRX has FUS DO RAH.

You know, this makes me think. Are we entering an era where all these mega franchises are gonna be under exclusivity deals cause their companies are under either Microsoft or Sony? Cause **** me, if that's the case, future's shaping up to be kinda grim.

 

[ef9dante_oSsshea]

I have a feeling some of the major bethesda games will still be on ps5 and pc as that's most profitable

But some may indeed become xbox exclusives

Maybe smaller selling games like wolfenstein or doom or evil within could go exclusive

And fallout and elder scrolls will most likely stay multi platform, but on ps5 you will have to pay 70 dollars etc

But on pc and xbox it will be on gamepass day one at launch

 

[Foxtrot94]

@ef9dante_oSsshea
I'm not worried about PC. Being Microsoft exclusive basically means being on Windows as well. I'm worried about PS users.

 

[Carlos]

There is still talk of them purchasing wb studios too

Nope, dropped off. That's closed. I read somewhere that they're not looking to sell anymore.

I have a feeling some of the major bethesda games will still be on ps5 and pc as that's most profitable

But some may indeed become xbox exclusives

Maybe smaller selling games like wolfenstein or doom or evil within could go exclusive

And fallout and elder scrolls will most likely stay multi platform, but on ps5 you will have to pay 70 dollars etc

But on pc and xbox it will be on gamepass day one at launch

@ef9dante_oSsshea
I'm not worried about PC. Being Microsoft exclusive basically means being on Windows as well. I'm worried about PS users.

Microsoft said they'll honor the previous commitments to Sony-signed exclusivity deals.

 

[ef9dante_oSsshea]

That was only for deathloop and ghost wire Tokyo

Everything in the future will be on a case by case basis they said

 

[Morgan]

Microsoft buying ZeniMax for 7.5B is almost as much as what Disney paid for Marvel Entertainment and Lucasfilms (4B each) and MS drops that cash in one go? Like it's a regular Tuesday? That's just F U money right there.

 

[Carlos]

Microsoft buying ZeniMax for 7.5B is almost as much as what Disney paid for Marvel Entertainment and Lucasfilms (4B each) and MS drops that cash in one go? Like it's a regular Tuesday? That's just F U money right there.

Yeah, and they have enough to buy another Bethesda. But they'll focus on the mid-tier developers/publishers. The thing is, Microsoft is a software company, and wants to focus more on the future like Hololens, or a VR tech. This Bethesda move appears to have been 20 years in the making.

 

[Demi-fiend]

That's just F U money right there.

I expected it to happen -- just not with Bethesda.