Microsoft_ZeniMax
Microsoft has made a major move in the gaming industry following the acquisition of ZeniMax Media, the parent company of gaming giants, Bethesda Studios. This acquisition could shift the generational console battle between the Xbox and the PlayStation in Microsoft’s favor. Bethesda is one of the industries leading gaming studios producing high-quality AAA games like Fallout, and The Elder Scrolls, two of the most popular gaming franchises in history. On top of this, they have acquired Arkane Studios, creators of the Dishonored franchise, and the highly anticipated Deathloop, as well as id Software, creators of Doom. This a stellar lineup of games coming to the Xbox and possibly turning into exclusives for Microsoft’s systems.
This is huge news, especially with the release of the newest generation of consoles just around the corner. Gamers now are left wondering if buying a PlayStation will mean an absence of great RPG games in the future. The Elder Scrolls VI and Starfield are two upcoming games from Bethesda and the release of these games on the Xbox exclusively means that many gamers may want to follow Microsoft into the new console generation.
Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo are two games that were slated to be PlayStation 5 launch exclusives, meaning that PlayStation 5 players get access to these games before they are released on other platforms. Microsoft has agreed to respect this contract and Bethesda has stated that game releases will be handled on a “case to case basis.”
So, what does this really mean for Sony and Microsoft? Well, for starters, expect many more gamers to favor the Xbox this year. Bethesda is one of those gaming companies that rarely put out a bad game. Moreover, following the Fallout 76 debacle, they are out to prove to the world that they are still one of the best game studios around. So, Sony might have to make some quick moves of their own if they want to go up against a now bolstered Xbox.
ZeniMax games, with games like Skyrim, Doom eternal, Dishonored, and Prey, will also be featured on the Xbox Game Pass on the release of the new generation, allowing players to get their hands on these games right from the start, as long as they have an Xbox Game Pass subscription. However, the more exciting news is that companies like Bethesda will now have more capabilities in making their games better and more powerful. They announced that due to the acquisition they will be able to design games on better engines allowing for the entire experience to be much better than what they expected. However, do not lose hope PlayStation fans, as the likelihood of AAA franchises like The Elder Scrolls becoming Xbox exclusives is pretty slim.
Currently, Bethesda’s MMO game, The Elder Scrolls Online, is still part of the PlayStation 4 library and Bethesda does not plan on taking it down anytime soon. This, along with the fact that Microsoft will allow Bethesda to function as they always have, means that the bigger titles coming from the studio are most likely going to release on all platforms. However, newer games, like Starfield, may become exclusive to Microsoft consoles.
Sony is now in a peculiar position. They are at a disadvantage following Microsoft’s acquisition of ZeniMax Media and may need to make some quick moves of their own or else they may be left behind in the wake of the upcoming generational console wars.