Microsoft bought ZeniMax Media (Bethesda and iD) for 7.5 billion

[crzdcolombian]

Playstation out sells the xbox by a large amount outside of the US

not letting Fallout or Elder Scrolls can cost MSFT a lot of lost revenue

PS4 (released in 2013): 108.9 million

Nintendo Switch (released in 2017): 52.48 million

Xbox One (released in 2013): 46.9 million (estimated)

* Wii U sold 13.56 million copies from 2012-2017....

these numbers are from Forbes not I'm right.com

PS4 outsold almost 3 systems combined. But yea... Sony loves to talk about exclusives but nothing is as cool as Fall out other than GTA

 

[TopherMan12]

Bethesda says they will continue to publish their games so I suspect that means their biggest franchises such as Elder Scrolls, Doom, and Fallout will continue to come to PlayStation. And I wouldn't expect these games to come to Game Pass right away either. Game Pass is not very lucrative for Microsoft according to Aaron Greenberg. Microsoft's return on their $7.5 billion investment isn't going to come from that subscription. It will require real game sales on all the platforms Bethesda depends on. It isn't like Microsoft yanked Minecraft off of PlayStation.

It's funny you say that, when it's been Sony who keeps shooting for more exclusivity and paying companies for timed releases.

MS has very much moved into "If your a gamer, great, enjoy your games. We hope you choose us, but even if you don't, play all the same."

Not really. Microsoft showed plenty of timed exclusives at their events this year. Both companies fully engage in this.

 

[maflynn]

Elder Scrolls. Specifically offline, single player with heavy modding ability. I have zero interest in MMO

There's no guarantee that Bethesda was going to keep it offline single player prior to the purchase.

 

[iMi]

Microsoft just shelled out almost $8 billion to buy ZeniMax, and with it, every studio it owns. That's Bethesda and others. We're talking about some of the most successful gaming franchises of all time.

Fallout
Doom
The Elder Scrolls
Wolfenstein
Rage

...and so much more. They agreed to honor any exclusives currently in the works for Playstation (Xbox people are nice like that ?) but moving forward, who knows!

We could see new Wolfenstein as an exclusive! Or we could see brand new franchises that will come to Xbox/PC that will leverage the talent that has now been acquired as part of the Microsoft Studio's portfolio.

In my opinion, this alone makes the Xbox a must buy and could re-shape the console gaming as we know it. Microsoft is knocking it out of the ballpark. Can't wait to see what they do next. Very exciting times to be an Xbox fan.

 

[russell_314]

Microsoft just shelled out almost $8 billion to buy ZeniMax, and with it, every studio it owns. That's Bethesda and others. We're talking about some of the most successful gaming franchises of all time.

Fallout
Doom
The Elder Scrolls
Wolfenstein
Rage

...and so much more. They agreed to honor any exclusives currently in the works for Playstation (Xbox people are nice like that ?) but moving forward, who knows!

We could see new Wolfenstein as an exclusive! Or we could see brand new franchises that will come to Xbox/PC that will leverage the talent that has now been acquired as part of the Microsoft Studio's portfolio.

In my opinion, this alone makes the Xbox a must buy and could re-shape the console gaming as we know it. Microsoft is knocking it out of the ballpark. Can't wait to see what they do next. Very exciting times to be an Xbox fan.

The new Xbox series S looks really nice IMO. I'm not much of a console gamer but I'm really thinking about getting one.

 

[iMi]

Well, pre-order is thus far a complete nightmare. Best Buy is dead in the water and so is Target and even Sam's Club. But I snatched one on Microsoft after 20 minutes of watching the page loading progress torturing me.

 

[mollyc]

Well, pre-order is thus far a complete nightmare. Best Buy is dead in the water and so is Target and even Sam's Club. But I snatched one on Microsoft after 20 minutes of watching the page loading progress torturing me.

I got one from Target

 

[iMi]

I got one from Target

Awesome. Target wasn't working for me. It would go to checkout and when I tried to progress to place order it would say my cart is empty.

 

[TopherMan12]

MS may have a hard time getting a return on their investment without PS customers. They paid over 3 times as much than what they paid for Minecraft which is still supported and gets new content on PlayStation. I wouldn't be surprise if this is the beginning of Microsoft becoming a publisher first and foremost. MS has said Bethesda games in the future will be evaluated for exclusivity to Xbox/PC on a case by case basis.

 

[mollyc]

Awesome. Target wasn't working for me. It would go to checkout and when I tried to progress to place order it would say my cart is empty.

Mine did that too and I had a hard time getting my credit card to update in the system but ultimately it seemed to go through. We’ll see on November 10.

 

[iMi]

MS may have a hard time getting a return on their investment without PS customers. They paid over 3 times as much than what they paid for Minecraft which is still supported and gets new content on PlayStation. I wouldn't be surprise if this is the beginning of Microsoft becoming a publisher first and foremost. MS has said Bethesda games in the future will be evaluated for exclusivity to Xbox/PC on a case by case basis.

Yup. I could totally see them release say new Fallout game across all platforms, but make an exclusive DLC for Xbox or include bonus items. That would be perfect. Die hard fans of Playstation would still get the game and little reason to switch, while Xbox owners will get something extra. Those on the fence, may choose Xbox. They would be unwise not to leverage ownership of the studios to strengthen the Xbox platform. It will be interesting to see how things go.

 

[thisismyusername]

Those on the fence, may choose Xbox.

That's pretty much me. I never really had a strong preference for XBox or PS but xbox having the "definitive version", if not exclusive version, of Fallout/Elder Scrolls/etc means xbox wins for me. I don't really like the idea of Microsoft owning such a studio but it sounds like a good business move for them.

I think this plus the option of the Series S makes xbox a very compelling console for next gen.

 

[tegranjeet]

I hope this means we get more Fallout titles quicker, Fallout 5 specifically, or 3/New Vegas remastered

 

[Khalanad75]

Latest rumors are that there is going to be a MS announcement tomorrow regarding Sega.

 

[Plutonius]

Bethesda says

Many companies like to make claims after they are bought out.

In my experience, the initial claims usually turn out to be false.

I think that the only thing we can count on is that Microsoft will try to maximize their earnings from ZeniMax media to get back that 7.5 billion.

Whatever form that takes is rarely good for consumers.

but then again, we have Apple Arcade .

 

[JagdTiger]

I agree and it didn't for many reasons one of which was the original founders eventually left, leaving Rare a shell of itself. But it did produce a few real good games for the Xbox 360 and Sea of Thieves has received good reviews and the critics love that it was a fresh idea.

Game Pass though is a different monster and there are no negatives with the Bethesda's founder saying he is 100% aligned with Microsoft. Hell I would be too if I was given $7.5 billion. It appears Microsoft is leaving Bethesda alone just moving the developers and games houses under the Microsoft umbrella to make Game Pass Ultimate essential.

And again, Microsoft has not closed the door to Bethesda's games going to the Nintendo Switch and the PS4 and PS5. Phil Spencer says they will be treated on a case by case basis. I see that as nothing more than a timed exclusive and gamers will probably have to cough up $70 to play the game on the PS5.

Btw, I am an agnostic gamer who buys every system since 1996. I like what Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo brings to the table but I don't for a minute see this as a terrible day for gamers. Because in today's entertainment environment it's all about gobbling up IP's to lure people to buy into your subscription service.


They are now part of the Game Pass umbrella.

Bethesda will go where the money goes.
[automerge]1600868250[/automerge]

Latest rumors are that there is going to be a MS announcement tomorrow regarding Sega.

Lol, that would be absolutely terrible.

 

[JagdTiger]

And you are 100% wrong. This is all about Game Pass and making it essential.

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020 ... -game-pass

Also Microsoft has not said they are shutting out other platforms. Phil Spencer said it will be on a case by case basis. Minecraft is playable on all current platforms and Halo, and a few other IP's are now available on Steam including Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Microsoft seized on a niche which is where TV, News and playing games going....via subscriptions. Microsoft is doing what Apple, Amazon, Netfilx, Disney and others are doing, selling subscriptions. Microsoft just decided to commit to making sure gamers buy their Game Pass subscription.

In the beginning I was skeptical about Game Pass even with a sweetheart deal 3 yrs of Game Pass and XBOX Live for a $1. Now i'm sold and will gladly spend $180 year to get Game Pass Ultimate. Now EA Play is also part of Game Pass which makes a Game Pass subscription even better.

They destroyed rare which made great Nintendo games perhaps same thing here however they most likely know they have a good thing going so 50/50 split on what will happen...not good for Sony nor Nintendo if Microsoft stops production for both systems.

Not buying any Microsoft product and they helped to destroy the Sega Dreamcast by getting involved with it.

 

[the8thark]

And you are 100% wrong. This is all about Game Pass and making it essential.

Game Pass and xCloud. I agree with you 100%.

Sure the occassional game from this lot in the future may come to the PS4 or Switch. Microsoft like money after all. However you can guarantee these games will be removed from the Playstation online games subscription. Also they will not be on competing streaming services like Stadia.
The other positive for Microsoft is they no longer have to pay royalties for these games to be streamed or on game pass.

Microsoft is betting the farm on game pass blowing up huge in the next few years, to the point that millions more sub in and the whole thing finally becomes profitable for them. It's a sizable risk.

Will the straight versions of the games digital or disc become times Xbox exclusives now? Maybe. We will have to wait and see. It all depends on if Mocrosoft will let the studios do their own thing or if they'll micromanage them.

 

[JagdTiger]

Why?

Because it always turns out horrible when Microsoft buys out or is involved with other companies.

 

[the8thark]

They destroyed rare

Actually that's only part of the story.

RARE asked to be bought out by Nintendo. Nintendo said no. But people need to realise why Nintendo said no. Nintendo didn't want the brand or the IPs. Nintendo wanted the creative geniuses behind it all. Those people were leaving RARE around that time. So whoever bought RARE got a company devoid of everyone who made the great games in the past.

Nintendo realised that shell of RARE was not worth it. Microsoft on the other hand only cared about the IPs so they bought RARE to own the IPs. Then they could use everyone under the Microsoft umbrella to make more games using those IPs. History has shown us that the RARE under Microsoft games were mostly bad because no one was left there of any talent to make them.

Bethesda and the other studios are a different story. There's still a decent number of good people at those studios so Microsoft can use them. Sure none of them are geniuses. The old iD legends (as one example) are long gone. However the collective talent of what is there now is still good enough to make a decent game. DOOM Eternal is proof of this.

 

[garnerx]

They destroyed rare which made great Nintendo games perhaps same thing here however they most likely know they have a good thing going so 50/50 split on what will happen...not good for Sony nor Nintendo if Microsoft stops production for both systems.

Not buying any Microsoft product and they helped to destroy the Sega Dreamcast by getting involved with it.

Not strictly to do with this topic, but you're very wrong on this one. Microsoft didn't destroy Rare - Rare's glory years were behind them, and the company was in decline. The majority of their output was basically slick but uninspired rip-offs of Nintendo games (Diddy Kong Racing, Mickey's Tedious Racing, Star Fox Adventures).

Rare always took years to make anything. They might be making even fewer games than they once did, but the quality is similar and the concepts are arguably more original (Viva Pinata, Banjo Nuts & Bolts, Sea of Thieves).

Sony destroyed the Sega Dreamcast by launching the PS2, just like they obliterated the Saturn with the PS1. If anything, Microsoft's stewardship of Rare, Mojang and Obsidian shows they're a safe pair of hands rather than a short-termist company that will immediately start closing studios when they don't get immediate results, like EA or Activision do.

 

[JagdTiger]

Not strictly to do with this topic, but you're very wrong on this one. Microsoft didn't destroy Rare - Rare's glory years were behind them, and the company was in decline. The majority of their output was basically slick but uninspired rip-offs of Nintendo games (Diddy Kong Racing, Mickey's Tedious Racing, Star Fox Adventures).

Rare always took years to make anything. They might be making even fewer games than they once did, but the quality is similar and the concepts are arguably more original (Viva Pinata, Banjo Nuts & Bolts, Sea of Thieves).

Sony destroyed the Sega Dreamcast by launching the PS2, just like they obliterated the Saturn with the PS1. If anything, Microsoft's stewardship of Rare, Mojang and Obsidian shows they're a safe pair of hands rather than a short-termist company that will immediately start closing studios when they don't get immediate results, like EA or Activision do.

Sega should have never dealed with Microsoft at all, they really did nothing for the Dreamcast, they're creativeness was terrible, the company could not even suggest putting a DVD drive in the Dreamcast, Sega also got sued by a graphics chip manufacturer which they had stock in (excellent chip manufacturer) called 3Dfx because they went with Microsofts varient...was not a great choice to make a deal with that corporation.

 

[maflynn]

Because it always turns out horrible when Microsoft buys out or is involved with other companies.

They have other gaming studios and they seem to be doing well ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

As for mergers, you're saying the 225 companies being acquired MS has failed or messed up on all of them

 

[JagdTiger]

Not

They have other gaming studios and they seem to be doing well ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

As for mergers, you're saying the 225 companies being acquired MS has failed or messed up on all of them
View attachment 958148

Not all because they need those companies to sell they're Xbox brand, Microsoft except the flight simulator games and the discontinued train simulator does not by itself produce great franchises.

 

[maflynn]

Not all because

LOL, you're moving the goal posts, you literally said " always turns out horrible " So now its some of the time.

I think the purchase of Obsidian was a good move and I think this could also be a good one. One of the Obsidian folks already said lets get Fallout New Vegas 2 rolling and that's what is great with the purchase.

I'm looking forward to what could be a brighter future for the franchises.