In what may be the biggest gaming deal ever, Microsoft has purchased Zenimax for $7.5 Billion. That's almost twice what Disney paid for Star Wars, just to put that in perspective.
This means they now own Bethesda Softworks, Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, ZeniMax Online Studios, Arkane, MachineGames, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog, and Roundhouse Studios.
This gives Microsoft a huge swath of exclusives going forward. While they've said they're excited to bring these games to Xbox and PC, they haven't specifically said that new games from these studios won't come to PS5, but it's very doubtful they'd pay $7.5 billion and keep making games for their competitors. While they're now ironically publishing a few timed Sony exclusives, it's a fairly safe assumption that when the Elder Scrolls 6 finally releases, for example, it'll be Xbox and PC exclusive. In, y'know, 2035.
I really only want to play most of the games that this acquisition affects on PC, so this isn't a huge hit for me, but this definitely cuts into the argument that Sony has the best exclusives. Right now, they definitely do, but give it a couple years and things will change.
What's most surprising about all of this honestly, is that it didn't leak. Nobody was talking about this at all.
https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2020/09/21/welcoming-bethesda-to-the-xbox-family/?ocid=Parterships_soc_omc_xbo_tw_Video_buy_9.21.1
This means they now own Bethesda Softworks, Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, ZeniMax Online Studios, Arkane, MachineGames, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog, and Roundhouse Studios.
This gives Microsoft a huge swath of exclusives going forward. While they've said they're excited to bring these games to Xbox and PC, they haven't specifically said that new games from these studios won't come to PS5, but it's very doubtful they'd pay $7.5 billion and keep making games for their competitors. While they're now ironically publishing a few timed Sony exclusives, it's a fairly safe assumption that when the Elder Scrolls 6 finally releases, for example, it'll be Xbox and PC exclusive. In, y'know, 2035.
I really only want to play most of the games that this acquisition affects on PC, so this isn't a huge hit for me, but this definitely cuts into the argument that Sony has the best exclusives. Right now, they definitely do, but give it a couple years and things will change.
What's most surprising about all of this honestly, is that it didn't leak. Nobody was talking about this at all.
https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2020/09/21/welcoming-bethesda-to-the-xbox-family/?ocid=Parterships_soc_omc_xbo_tw_Video_buy_9.21.1
https://i.imgur.com/3IaBXRa.gif
Thoughts:
* Everyone with Game Pass should be elated by this news. So much more value here.
* Microsoft still could release games in a standard way on Playstation and if they kept Beth games to Game Pass streaming/sub exclusively that might be worth this deal entirely. This seems like a Game Pass play to me but I could be wrong.
* If Bethesda _NEEDED_ to be purchased, and I'm not sure it did, I'd prefer Microsoft due to it's focus on PC games and Steam lately. At some point new Beth games might be exclusives but at least they will come out on PC? I'm not sure how exclusive they will be given what Microsoft has done with Mojang as an example.
* Microsoft bought Beth for 7.5 billion in cash. Just you know, had it in the couch cushions. Dear Euclid that's some couch!
Questions:
* Does this mean John Carmack might be allowed to engage with iD Software again? I certainly hope so, he needs to be around in some form to talk about the classics.
https://twitter.com/ID_AA_Carmack/status/1308069857913720832
* Will Microsoft focus on existing games IP or have Beth push for some new stuff? I love Beth but one note is they haven't dropped a ton of new IP lately and I think that might be good while they keep the hit train rolling.
* What's going to happen to the Beth.net launcher in the mid/long term? Will all our purchases transfer to the Microsoft store or something? I think Mojang still has it's launcher but didn't we all get Minecraft on the Microsoft store?
Prediction: Microsoft will purchase Epic Games in one year or less.
"Does this mean John Carmack might be allowed to engage with iD Software again?"
Isn't Carmack owned by Facebook?
(In)sane wish: Microsoft focuses iD Software and releases a Doom II.5 that is a follow up to Doom II in the old engine with some new modifications releasing an entirely new 3 chapter game Mega WAD.
> Isn't Carmack owned by Facebook?
Employed, yes. With that, he had a beef(suit) with Beth/Zenmax over VR. It's caused a rift and hasn't allowed him to be involved with classic iD games such as the recent Quake soundtrack re-release.
https://kotaku.com/quake-soundtrack-features-shenanigans-between-bethesda-1845084718
Another question for folks WITH Game Pass. Will you buy Beth games moving forward now that they are coming date and day to Game Pass?
"Future Bethesda games will be on Xbox, PC, and "other consoles on a case by case basis.""
https://twitter.com/jasonschreier/status/1308062702905044993