Will Microsoft soon own Doom, Skyrim and Fallout? ZeniMax Media to be sold for $7.5 billion
Microsoft wants to acquire ZeniMax Media for 7.5 billion US dollars. This would not only give the tech giant ownership of large game companies such as Bethesda, but also of brands such as Doom and Wolfenstein.
Microsoft wants to take over ZeniMax Media, Bethesda's parent company, for no less than 7.5 billion US dollars. With the deal nearly complete, the Redmond-based conglomerate won't only acquire game developers and publishing houses, but also well-known franchises such as Quake, Wolfenstein, Fallout, Doom or The Elder Scrolls.
In one fell swoop ZeniMax Online Studios, id Software, Bethesda Softworks, Bethesda Game Studios, Alpha Dog, Arcane, MachineGames, Roundhouse Studios and Tango Gameworks would all go to Microsoft.
According to the tech titan, a total of 23 creative studios part of the group are included in the deal. Microsoft further points out that the games industry is expected to generate sales of over 200 billion dollars in the coming year. Games are an extremely important sector for growth, through them cloud gaming services such as the Xbox Game Pass could be pushed.
What this purchase holds for the future remains to be seen. However, exclusive contracts between ZeniMax Media and, for example, Sony might soon be a thing of the past. Contracts, such as the one-year PlayStation 5 exclusivity deal for the upcoming games «Deathloop» und «GhostWire: Tokyo», would continue to exist despite the takeover. But future big titles, such as a Skyrim successor, will probably soon enjoy PC and Xbox exclusivity.
Nevertheless, things could always change. After all, Satya Nadella, head of Microsoft, told Bloomberg today that Microsoft wants their content to be generally available. But Phil Spencer, head of the Xbox department commented as well, «We'll decide on other consoles on a case-by-case basis.»
I find my muse in everything. When I don’t, I draw inspiration from daydreaming. After all, if you dream, you don’t sleep through life.