Microsoft announced a massive, $7.5 billion cash acquisition of Zenimax Media and its game publishing arm, Bethesda Softworks. The closure of the deal will also putt Bethesda Game Studios, id, Arkane, Zenimax Onlone, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog and Roundhouse Studios under the Microsoft and Xbox umbrellas, reported Bloomberg.
Xbox head Phil Spencer wrote that this will add 2,300 developers to Microsoft, as well as major PC and console franchises, including The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Wolfenstein, Doom, Dishonored, Prey, Quake and Starfield.
In a press release, Bethesda Game Studios vice president Pete Hines wrote that “Microsoft expects the acquisition to close in the second half of fiscal year 2021.” He also said that Bethesda’s games will be “made by the same studios we’ve worked with for years, and those games will be published by us.” That suggests some independence, and even the possibility of games being placed on other platforms.
At the moment, Bethesda is lined up to publish a few upcoming semi-exclusives on PlayStation 5, including Arkane Studios’ Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo from Tango Gameworks.
Featured News
UK Probes Lindab’s Acquisition of HAS-Vent Amid Fears of Market Monopoly
Apr 28, 2024 by
CPI
Shein Faces EU Regulations Over User Data
Apr 28, 2024 by
CPI
Google Fights Back Against US Antitrust Lawsuit
Apr 28, 2024 by
CPI
US Homeland Security Establishes Blue-Ribbon Board with Tech CEOs to Advise on AI
Apr 28, 2024 by
CPI
FTC Accuses Amazon Executives of Using Disappearing Messaging Apps to Conceal Evidence
Apr 28, 2024 by
CPI
Antitrust Mix by CPI
Antitrust Chronicle® – Economics of Criminal Antitrust
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Navigating Economic Expert Work in Criminal Antitrust Litigation
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
The Increased Importance of Economics in Cartel Cases
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
A Law and Economics Analysis of the Antitrust Treatment of Physician Collective Price Agreements
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Information Exchange In Criminal Antitrust Cases: How Economic Testimony Can Tip The Scales
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI