Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Doom, Many Others Going to Xbox as Microsoft Buys Bethesda, ZeniMax Media
Owned by the Maryland-based video game company ZeniMax Media, Bethesda Game Studios had spent the last 19 years being responsible for The Elder Scrolls, DOOM, and Fallout series. Now, some of the biggest titles in games are coming under the roof of Microsoft/Xbox. Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, published a letter on Xbox Wire welcoming the popular titles into the fold as Microsoft acquires ZeniMax:
“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.”
According to Variety, with the addition of Bethesda, Microsoft will expand from 15 to 23 creative studio teams. This is a big get for Microsoft and just in time for preorders to begin for the new Xbox system. Now players can see a big helping of content in their future.
Oh, and let’s not forget the price tag for this: $7.5 billion in cash.
*Glances at empty savings account.*
What does that mean for those of us who don’t own an Xbox? Spencer said that while Deathloop and GhostWire: Tokyo would still be PlayStation 5 exclusives, Microsoft will evaluate distribution to non-Xbox consoles on a “case-by-case basis” for future games.
Welp, who knows what will end up meaning, but this means big things for Microsoft, Xbox, and the future of Bethesda games.
For those who were choosing between an Xbox and a PS5, does this change your mind about which new system you will choose? Or are you just going to suck it up and buy both?
(via Polygon, image: ZeniMax Media)
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