After the shock, it is time to move on to the analysis of this event which could well shake up the video game industry and all of its players. Players will also feel the effects of this announcement... no doubt for the better.
A reminder of the facts
It is therefore this Monday, September 21, 2020, 24 hours from the opening of pre-orders for the Xbox Series X | S, that Microsoft has confirmed the acquisition of ZeniMax Media for 7,5 billion dollars. It is neither more nor less than the parent company of a famous publisher in the video game industry: Bethesda Softworks.
Thus, all the teams and licenses of the company now belong to the American manufacturer. In recent months, Microsoft used to buy independent studios like Obsidian, Double Fine or Ninja Theory. This time, it is a large publisher and its nearly 2300 employees around the world who come under the control of the firm headed by Satya Nadella. The difference is therefore significant!
Read also:The Elder Scrolls VI won't be unveiled for several years
A significant impact on the video game industry
From now on, Microsoft owns 23 studios following the acquisition of Bethesda. This week, the Redmond firm has offered the services of the following teams:
- Bethesda Game Studios (The Elder Scrolls, Fallout...)
- Arkane Studios Lyon et Austin (Dishonored, Prey...)
- id Software (DOOM)
- Zenimax Online Studios (The Elder Scrolls Online)
- Tango Gameworks (The Evil Within)
- Machine Games (Wolfenstein)
- Alpha Dog (MonstroCity)
- Roundhouse Studios
Thus, Microsoft will put all its logistical support but also its resources at the disposal of these eight structures which will still remain overseen by Bethesda Softworks. Indeed, the company will not disappear (or even suffer the slightest wave of layoffs) and will even continue to publish the games itself.
This is rather a good thing because in recent months, Bethesda has chained setbacks. If we put aside the success of DOOM Eternal this year, the publisher had had a complicated 2019 with the endless setbacks of Fallout 76 as well as the critical and commercial failure of Rage 2. The takeover by Microsoft could stop this bad series and why not help the studios to better refine their games... Bethesda productions, and in particular those of Bethesda Game Studios, being known for their many bugs.
What future for games?
In his press release, Phil Spencer (the boss of Xbox) and his teams have clarified their ambitions. The primary goal is to bring all Bethesda games (old, new, and upcoming) to Xbox Game Pass the day they are released. As we know, the American manufacturer wants above all to attract players to its ecosystem via its services, rather than doing everything to sell consoles. And this strategy will have another major impact.
In order to reassure players shaken by this announcement, the CEO of Xbox made it clear that all titles published by Bethesda will be released on Xbox machines but also on PC. For other consoles, Phil Spencer said the decision will be made "on a case-by-case basis". In the end, users on PS4 and PS5 shouldn't even feel the difference. If only when they get a title stamped "Bethesda Softworks," the profits will go into Microsoft's pockets. And for the multinational, that is the most important thing!
The operation will be similar to that of Mojang. Acquired in 2014 for $2,5 billion by Microsoft, the creators of Minecraft have continued to release their creations on competing consoles. For example, the very recent Minecraft Dungeons was released on Xbox One, PC, PS4, and Switch simultaneously. If it is not totally excluded to see a few small bonuses for Xbox players, the apps from Bethesda Softworks should continue their deployment on all media.
Best of all, the persistent worlds of The Elder Scrolls Online and Fallout 76 will continue to flourish as normal everywhere. The developers of these titles have confirmed the news. Microsoft goes one step further by saying it will honor temporary PS5 exclusivity contracts for Deathloop (Arkane Lyon) and Ghostwire Tokyo (Tango Gameworks). These deals having been signed with Sony before the takeover.
In conclusion...
In the near future, gamers will hardly feel the weight of this monstrous deal between Microsoft and Bethesda Softworks. The first positive repercussions will be seen above all on the Game Pass (15 million subscribers) which will see its catalog expand once again. But since the American manufacturer wishes to ratify the takeover between January and June 2021, we will have to wait to measure the real impact of this announcement.
What will happen to the fate of The Elder Scrolls VI and Starfield? Again, Bethesda reassures by specifying that the development will continue as if nothing had happened. Thus, at the time of writing these lines, the players and Microsoft seem to be the big winners of this acquisition. It remains to be seen whether the competition, and in particular Sony, will have a response after such an earthquake!
And you, what do you think of this takeover? Could he encourage you to buy an Xbox Series X or S? Do you think such an acquisition will be beneficial for Bethesda? We are waiting for your opinions in the comments.
