Microsoft is acquiring Bethesda Softworks parent company ZeniMax – The Verge

Microsoft has agreed to obtain ZeniMax Media, the parent business of Doom and Fallout studio Bethesda Softworks, for $7.5 billion in cash. The acquisition follows earlier Bethesda video games pertaining to Xbox Game Pass on console and PC, and it offers Microsoft control of upcoming games like the area legendary Starfield. Microsoft states future Bethesda video games, consisting of Starfield, will introduce on Xbox Game Pass the day they pertain to Xbox or PC.

The news shows up simply as Microsoft is preparing to release 2 brand-new consoles, the Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S. The business havent validated how this might impact the launch of specific future Bethesda games across different platforms, including the Bethesda-published Arkane video game Deathloop, which was previously announced as a timed PlayStation 5 and PC exclusive.

Microsoft will introduce its next-generation consoles on November 10th, and preorders open tomorrow. This acquisition likewise brings the companys total list of internal studios to 23, following the addition of Bethesda sub-studios like Dishonored designer Arkane, Wolfenstein studio MachineGames, Doom maker id Software, and The Evil Within studio Tango Gameworks. Microsoft states Bethesda will retain its existing leadership.

“Were still dealing with the exact same video games we were the other day, made by the very same studios weve dealt with for many years, and those games will be released by us,” wrote Bethesda marketing head Pete Hines in a declaration.