Microsoft is buying Bethesda, id, Arkane and more studios

guest · Sep 21, 2020

Microsoft is buying Bethesda, id, Arkane and more studios
It now owns Doom, Quake, Fallout and The Elder Scrolls
September 21, 2020
https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-buys-zenimax-bethesda-id-arkane-131006192.html

In a year dominated by new console releases, Microsoft’s announcement today may be the biggest gaming news of 2020.

The Xbox maker has signed a deal to buy ZeniMax Media, one of the largest independent games publishers in operation. Its name may not ring a bell, but the studios it owns certainly will, since they are behind some of the biggest franchises in gaming’s history. That includes id Software (Doom, Quake), Arkane Studios (Dishonored, Prey) and Bethesda Softworks (The Elder Scrolls, Fallout).

Microsoft is paying $7.5 billion in an all-cash deal, which is expected to complete in the second half of 2021, subject to regulatory approval.
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Xbox head Phil Spencer said that the relationship between Microsoft and ZeniMax’s studios has always been cordial. After all, id Software was behind the original Wolfenstein and Doom, giving them hallowed status in the history of PC gaming. Spencer added that the deal will see a number of Bethesda titles being added to Xbox Game Pass for both console and PC players in the coming months.

Still, being able to throw engrossing titles like a new Elder Scrolls onto Xbox Game Pass might be just the thing to get everyone buying new Xboxes.
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Microsoft: Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and its game publisher, Bethesda Softworks, for $7.5 billion

As the gaming industry transforms from a device-centric to player-centric form of entertainment, Microsoft announced plans today to acquire ZeniMax Media, the parent company of Bethesda Softworks, one of the largest privately held game developers and publishers in the world.
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xxJackxx · Sep 21, 2020

At least it wasn't Apple. I still don't like seeing these trillion dollar tech giants owning everything.

guest · Sep 21, 2020

Why Microsoft bought Bethesda for $7.5 billion
Hint: it’s not about having more Xbox exclusives
September 21, 2020
https://www.theverge.com/21449178/microsoft-xbox-bethesda-zenimax-media-acquisition-xbox-game-pass

Microsoft’s priciest video game acquisition, a $7.5 billion purchase of Bethesda Softworks parent company ZeniMax Media, shocked the industry on Monday. The deal puts Bethesda, one of the industry’s biggest publishers and owners of some of the most successful gaming series, under the Xbox brand. It also raises a simple but powerful question: how does buying Bethesda fit into Microsoft’s overall Xbox strategy?

Every major publishing decision Microsoft has taken in the last three years, since the launch of its Xbox Game Pass subscription service, indicates it no longer sees much value in exclusivity — or even in selling full-price games, for that matter.
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Microsoft may not necessarily care about exclusivity anymore, but it still needs studios. First-party developers are the lifeblood of game publishers because they allow them to control the cadence of major releases and better manage budgets and cross-franchise resources like game engines and creative talent. Most important to Microsoft right now, however, is having the final say on distribution.
By owning a studio, Microsoft gets to decide where and for how much the game is sold, including giving it away for free as part of a subscription service.

As of today’s announcement, Microsoft says it has 15 million Game Pass subscribers.
At an average of $10 per user, accounting for some $5 and $1 limited time signups and subscribers of the $15 premium Ultimate subscription, that’s more than $1 billion in annual subscription revenue.

But far and away the most important part of that equation — the part that can continue to grow enormously — is Game Pass. Microsoft could double its Game Pass revenues with 20 million subscribers. At 50 million, Game Pass is generating $6 billion a year [...]
The more Xbox devices in living rooms, the more potential Game Pass subscribers Microsoft can sign up.
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If all goes according to Microsoft’s plan, consumers won’t be talking so much about which company has the better exclusive lineup or which brand “won” the next-gen race. Instead, chances are you may own both consoles and maybe even a PC. Microsoft may not really care — so long as you keep giving it $10 a month for Game Pass.
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guest · Sep 23, 2020

John Carmack and Todd Howard react to Microsoft buying Bethesda
The co-creator of Doom could "re engage" with some of his old titles
September 22, 2020
https://www.techspot.com/news/86838-john-carmack-todd-howard-react-microsoft-buying-bethesda.html

A hot potato: News that Microsoft will buy ZeniMax for $7.5 billion, giving the Windows-maker control over massive IPs such as The Elder Scrolls, Doom, and Fallout, rocked the gaming industry. Opinions seem split as to whether this is a good or bad thing, but two people firmly in the former camp are John Carmack and Todd Howard.

By purchasing ZeniMax Media, Microsoft will bring Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, Arkane, Machine Games, Tango Gameworks, and more into its stable.
John Carmack, the co-founder of id Software and the lead programmer of Doom, Quake, Wolfenstein 3D, and more, has welcomed Microsoft's move.

"I think Microsoft has been a good parent company for gaming IPs, and they don't have a grudge against me, so maybe I will be able to re engage with some of my old titles," tweeted Carmack.
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Giving Microsoft so much power over the gaming landscape is a concern, but the good news for PC owners who subscribe to Xbox Game Pass for PC is they'll be able to play titles from ZeniMax's subsidiaries on launch day, which is another good reason to sign up.
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xxJackxx · Sep 23, 2020

mood said: ↑

John Carmack and Todd Howard react to Microsoft buying Bethesda
The co-creator of Doom could "re engage" with some of his old titles
September 22, 2020
https://www.techspot.com/news/86838-john-carmack-todd-howard-react-microsoft-buying-bethesda.html
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That could actually be a good thing. At least in my opinion.

guest · Oct 19, 2020

Microsoft: We can recoup $7.5bn Bethesda purchase without putting games on PlayStation
October 17, 2020
https://www.neowin.net/news/microso...purchase-without-putting-games-on-playstation

Microsoft made quite some waves in the gaming industry last month when it announced that it is acquiring ZeniMax Media for a staggering $7.5 billion. ZeniMax Media owns several high profile game development studios Bethesda Softworks, Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, ZeniMax Online Studios, Arkane, MachineGames, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog, and Roundhouse Studios.
[...] which led to questions about whether future games from them would also be launching on PlayStation platforms.

Now, the executive has shed some more light on this matter.
In an interview with Kotaku, Spencer clearly stated that Microsoft does not need to release Bethesda's upcoming The Elder Scrolls VI on PlayStation platforms to recoup its $7.5 billion purchase.
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While Spencer's wording is vague enough to not be considered as a flat-out refusal of bringing upcoming ZeniMax games to PlayStation, it does indicate that Microsoft is under no such pressure. Clearly, with its success with Game Pass and xCloud, the company has a huge market of players to tap into.

All in all, it won't be surprising if Microsoft decides not to release future ZeniMax Media games on PlayStation platforms. It might even be able to attract more gamers to its cloud streaming solutions if buying an Xbox console is out of the question for hardcore Sony fans.
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guest · Oct 29, 2020

Bethesda exec says an Xbox-exclusive Elder Scrolls is “hard to imagine”
But Bethesda and Microsoft are still dodging direct answers on the issue
October 29, 2020
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020...x-exclusive-elder-scrolls-is-hard-to-imagine/

It has been over a month now since Microsoft announced it was spending $7.5 billion to purchase Bethesda Softworks via its parent company, Zenimax Media. But gamers and industry-watchers are still left with one burning question: what does this mean for the prospect of multi-console (i.e. non-Xbox) releases for future Bethesda games?

Bethesda's Todd Howard, known for his directing and producing work on The Elder Scrolls and Fallout series, isn't quite ready to answer that question directly. But in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, he broadly hinted that he expects Bethesda's major franchises to appear on non-Xbox consoles going forward.

"I would agree that is hard to imagine" The Elder Scrolls VI restricted to Microsoft platforms, Howard said in response to a direct question on the matter.
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Elsewhere in the interview, Howard admits that the parties haven't fully discussed the details of multiplatform publishing as part of the purchase deal, which won't be finalized until next year. "We haven't gone through all of that, to be honest," he said.

But the fact that neither party wants to directly commit to continued multi-console support for Bethesda's games also suggests they're holding the possibility open, just in case they change their minds. For now, we're all left reading the tea leaves and waiting for more concrete plans to be announced, likely next year.
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guest · Oct 20, 2021

Xbox chief Phil Spencer: Microsoft's game studio acquisition spree to continue
The more the merrier.
October 19, 2021
https://www.windowscentral.com/xbox...osofts-game-studio-acquisition-spree-continue

It's no secret that Microsoft is in buying mode right now.
Xbox has been growing too, with Microsoft purchasing well over a dozen studios in the past few years, from Obsidian Entertainment to Bethesda's ZeniMax stable, spending billions in the process.

Speculation about who, or what, Microsoft may purchase for Xbox next never abates, although the acquisitions have slowed down a bit in recent years, despite rumors to the contrary. Xbox lead Phil Spencer recently spoke to the WSJ to reiterate that they are indeed, still on the lookout.

"We're always out there looking for people who we think would be a good match and teams that would be a good match with our strategy, so we're definitely not done."
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Microsoft's portfolio of game studios is huge, but there's probably a future where Xbox guns for 1 big desirable Xbox Game Pass release at least every quarter to keep subscription figures rolling. To achieve that, more studios have to be on the menu. Right now, we can only guess and speculate on exactly what those studios might be.
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