Microsoft this morning announced plans to acquire ZeniMax Media Inc. for $7.5 billion. The gaming holding company is the parent to a number of high profile publishers, including Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, ZeniMax Online Studios, Arkane, MachineGames, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog and Roundhouse Studios.
Once approved, the deal would bring some of the industry’s highest profile franchises under the Microsoft banner, including Elder Scrolls, Doom, Fallout, Qyuake, Wolfenstein, Dishonored, Prey and Starfield.
“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,” Xbox head Phil Spencer said in a blog post announcing the news.
Bethesda SVP Pete Hines addressed the acquisition on the publisher’s own blog, writing, “The world, our industry, and our company has changed a lot in the 34 years since Bethesda Softworks was first founded. Today, it changed again. And I know that brings up questions. But the key point is we’re still Bethesda. We’re still working on the same games we were yesterday, made by the same studios we’ve worked with for years, and those games will be published by us.”
With both a new a Xbox and Playstation due on in the coming months, the closing of such a deal could put Microsoft in a key position in terms of title exclusivity. The parties have yet to discuss how such a move will ultimately impact how big franchises like Elder Scrolls and Doom will be approached on competing systems.
In 2014, Zenimax sued Facebook, following Id Software cofounder John Carmack’s move to Oculus. The suit sought $4 billion in damages, alleging stolen trade secrets. A court found in Zenimax’s favor over copyright infringement and breach of contract, but not trade secrets. The parties settled out of court.
from Microsoft – TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com/2020/09/21/microsoft-set-to-acquire-bethesda-parent-zenimax-for-7-5b/
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