Despite missing out on a TikTok deal earlier this month, Microsoft announced the acquisition of Zenitrak Media, the parent company of Bethesda Softworks, one of the largest privately-held game developers and publishers in the world for $7.5 billion. The deal is expected to close sometime in the second half of 2021.
Bethesda’s impressive list of published games include the Fallout Series, Dishonored, The Evil Within, Prey, Doom, Wolfenstein, DOOM and Elder Scrolls.
As a result of the acquisition, Microsoft will now have first hand ownership of all these titles. Microsoft’s cloud-based Xbox subscription service, Xbox Game Pass, will directly benefit from the acquisition, as now over 15 million subscribers will have access to some of the most popular and critically acclaimed titles over the past 10 years.
Microsoft’s impressive list of acquisitions under current CEO Satya Nadella includes LinkedIn, GitHub, and Minecraft.
Fallout fans around the world will hope the acquisition will allow for a sequel to fan-favourite Fallout New Vegas, released back in 2009. After a rocky release with Fallout 76, fans eagerly await the next chapter in the heralded series.
Microsoft is set to launch its next-gen console plan November 10.
Works Cited:
https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/microsoft-acquire-doom-maker-bethesda-softworks-75-billion