This morning Microsoft shocked the entire industry with announcement that Microsoft has acquired ZeniMax for 7.5 Billion USD. ZeniMax is a publishing label better known as the parent company for Bethesda Softworks, the game division side that develops critically acclaimed games such as Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Doom, and much more. The purchase now adds eight game studios to Microsoft's first party, including
Bethesda Game Studios - Creators of the Elder Scrolls and Fallout franchise
ZeniMax Online Studios - Developer behind Elder Scrolls Online
id Software - Developer of Doom, Quake, and Wolfenstein
Arkane Studios - Developer of Dishonored, Prey, and Death Loop
Machine Games - Developer of the recent Wolfenstein games
Tango Gameworks - Developer of The Evil Within Franchise and Ghost Wire Tokyo
Alpha Dog Games - Mobile Developer behind Fallout Shelter and Elder Scrolls: Blades
Roadhouse Studios - Brand New Developer founded in 2019, no announced project
The acquisition does not change Bethesda's current line up of games, such as Arkane Studios's Death Loop or Tango Gameworks's Ghost Wire Tokyo. Both are set to publish exclusively on PlayStation 5 for a limited time before appearing on other consoles, and Microsoft has committed to honoring this deal. With the announcement, all Bethesda games will now be added to Xbox Game Pass. Additionally, all future Bethesda titles will now appear day one on Game Pass along with other Microsoft first party studio games.
This acquisition now brings Xbox Game Studios from 15 studios to 23 studios, making Microsoft the largest first party when it comes to number of studios, and Xbox Series X as the console with the most first party studios support. This acquisition is followed by the recent acquisition quest Phil Spencer spoke of earlier in 2019, adding more game studios to the Xbox portfolio and allowing them to have a wide range of different games and experiences.
For more on Microsoft's future acquisitions, be sure to come back to My Xbox And Me.
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