There has been a rumour kicking around all week that Microsoft was spending enormous amounts of cash, investors knew it, but nobody knew exactly what it was, until now. Microsoft has “entered into an agreement to acquire ZeniMax Media, the parent company of Bethesda Softworks” and I’m pretty sure someone at Sony just dropped their coffee and jaw in shock.
It’s one of the biggest acquisitions yet, clocking up a staggering $7.5 Billion on the company credit card. So what exactly did Microsoft get for this pricey investment? Well… Everything and then some. Keep in mind, that Starwars franchise was sold for “just” $4.05B and Minecraft, a humble $2.5B. This deal was yet another billion on top, so clearly Microsoft see a lot of value in this deal.
Microsoft now own Zenimax and all of their properties. That includes, but may not be limited to; Bethesda Softworks, id Software, Arkane Studios, Machine Games and Tango Gameworks,
That’s a BIG range of developers, who hold the rights to games like Quake, DOOM, Fallout, Dishonored, Prey and countless others. Plus, my own personal favourite, that I stopped playing just to write this article (don’t worry, the boss never reads these…) The Elder Scrolls Online. Furthermore, Microsoft now has control of future titles, such as Elder Scrolls VI, Starfield, etc.
Does this mean Sony will never see these games? I honestly don’t know. I doubt they’ll start pulling services from consoles like ESO, as they’re making money right now. I expect licencing deals will remain in place.
However, expect BIG privileges to come to Xbox Games Pass and Games Pass PC in the coming days, weeks, months and beyond. Launch day Games Pass for all future Zenimax games? Exclusive content, xCloud streaming of their games, and so much more. You bet. Plus, I bet the back catalogue of content will be unleashed too.
What Microsoft Had to Say
“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.
Please join me in welcoming all of our friends at Bethesda to Team Xbox.” – Microsoft News
Thoughts
Microsoft has invested hard in their gaming services, and it shows. Not only have they scored big with the EA Pass deal recently, but adding Zenimax to their arsenal is a big win for Xbox fans, and Game Pass just went from being incredible value for money, to outrageous value for money.
