With this deal, Microsoft gets control over ZeniMax’s worldwide operations as well as all of Bethesda’s popular franchises like Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, and Doom.
In one of the biggest gaming acquisitions in its history, the technology giant Microsoft has finally sealed the $7.5 billion acquisition deal of Bethesda. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) had initially proposed the acquisition last year in September 2020.
The deal actually consists of acquiring ZeniMax’s worldwide operations, the parent company of Bethesda. Before this, Microsoft’s second-biggest acquisition is the $2.5-billion buyout of Minecraft developer Mojan in 2014. Microsoft’s latest acquisition closure of Bethesda comes days after the European Union and the US SEC gave their approval.
As a formidable giant in the gaming industry, Bethesda has a number of hit franchises under its belt. This includes popular names like the Fallout series, the Doom shooter franchise, and The Elder Scrolls. In the official announcement, Microsoft’s head of Xbox division – Phil Spencer – confirmed that Bethesda games shall be exclusive to Xbox consoles and Windows PCs. Spencer said:
“With the addition of the Bethesda creative teams, gamers should know that Xbox consoles, PC, and Game Pass will be the best place to experience new Bethesda games, including some new titles in the future that will be exclusive to Xbox and PC players. Xbox and Bethesda have long shared a common vision for the future of gaming. Both as fans and as creators, Bethesda understands the potential of Xbox Game Pass.
With Bethesda, Microsoft Is Taking the Competition Head-On with Sony
Spencer also said that the company’s biggest goal has been making Xbox an inclusive platform for all players. With the latest acquisitions, Microsoft seems to take up Sony in a head-on competition in the future.
Microsoft expects the gaming industry to be more than $200 billion in annual revenue by 2021. Thus, with its already active market presence with its Xbox Gaming consoles, the tech giant looks to expand its footprint further.
The gaming industry has evolved at a rapid pace over the last many decades. It will continue to evolve further with big tech giants raising the bar. Speaking about its next line of action, Spencer said:
“The next step in building an industry-leading first-party studios team, a commitment we have to our Xbox community”.
“At every step building toward this moment, I’ve been inspired and motivated by the creativity, insight, and community-first approach of the talented people at Bethesda,” he added.
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