Microsoft purchases Bethesda Softworks in industry-changing acquisition
Major game franchises like Doom, Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, and more will soon be Microsoft properties. That's because the Xbox and Windows maker announced Monday morning it is buying the corporate parent of Bethesda Softworks, ZeniMax Media.
"Like us, Bethesda are passionate believers in building a diverse array of creative experiences, in exploring new game franchises, and in telling stories in bold ways," Microsoft wrote in its announcement. "All of their great work will of course continue and grow and we look forward to empowering them with the resources and support of Microsoft to scale their creative visions to more players in new ways for you."
Also at Wccftech.
See also: Microsoft's ZeniMax Media Acquisition Was A "Surprisingly Low Price," Claims Analyst
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For months now, Microsoft has sworn up and down that it has no interest in making Call of Duty exclusive to the Xbox if and when its proposed $69 billion Activision acquisition is approved. But as the FTC's request for an injunction stopping that acquisition heads toward opening arguments this week, the federal regulator cites one piece of what it calls "powerful evidence" that it can't trust Microsoft's assurances. In short, as the FTC puts it, "Microsoft's actions following its 2021 acquisition of ZeniMax speak louder than Defendants' words."
[...]
Rather than focusing on what it calls a "strained analogy" to ZeniMax, Microsoft would prefer the court look at Microsoft's purchase of Minecraft-maker Mojang, which has continued to publish the game on a variety of platforms after becoming part of Microsoft. This is a better analogy for Call of Duty, Microsoft writes, because Minecraft was similarly "an existing, multi-player, cross-platform franchise like COD."
[...]
Call of Duty is unlike Minecraft, the FTC argues, in part because Minecraft is available in largely the same form on mobile phones, tablets, and the Switch. "Even if Microsoft took Minecraft off of rival consoles and subscription and cloud gaming services, it would still be available for play on many other devices. The context for Call of Duty is very different."Regardless, the FTC also argues that this manufactured categorization doesn't matter, because Microsoft's exclusivity decision applied to "all future ZeniMax games." While Microsoft said in 2021 that "some" future Bethesda games would be Xbox exclusives, no Bethesda non-exclusives have been announced since then.
Previously:
US Moves to Block Microsoft's Activision Takeover - 20230613
Microsoft and Activision Will Miss Their Contractual Merger Deadline - 20230115
FTC Moves to Block Microsoft's Activision Acquisition - 20221209
The Biggest Deal in Gaming is Under Fire From U.S. Senators - 20220403
Related:
Microsoft Acquires ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks for $7.5 Billion - 20200921
(Score: 5, Funny) by MrGuy on Tuesday September 22 2020, @12:51AM (1 child)
FTFY
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 22 2020, @01:03AM
True, dat.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 22 2020, @01:21AM (2 children)
Expect open source release of id Tech 5 never.
(Score: 3, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 22 2020, @01:42AM (1 child)
I believe the hellscapes of DOOM pale by comparison with Microsoft's
OSadvertising platform. Will our resident hell expert confirm?(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 22 2020, @02:06AM
DOOMed.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by requerdanos on Tuesday September 22 2020, @03:22AM (3 children)
Sounds like MS is really embracing Bethesda and what they do.
And it further sounds like MS is keen to extend what Bethesda does.
Wonder what's next! Exciting times.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Gaaark on Tuesday September 22 2020, @03:29PM (2 children)
I'm pretty sure they said the same about Nokia: look how THAT worked out.....
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. I have always been here. ---Gaaark 2.0 --
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 23 2020, @10:09PM (1 child)
Just sayin'.
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Wednesday September 23 2020, @10:31PM
I'm pretty sure they said the same about Corel Linux: look how THAT worked out.....
I know, I KNOW.... the buggery just goes ON AND ON AND ON....
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. I have always been here. ---Gaaark 2.0 --
(Score: 2) by Mojibake Tengu on Tuesday September 22 2020, @03:40AM
Microsoft Assaultron Seeker Aspirant replaces Clippy in Windows 13 next year.
Rust programming language offends both my Intelligence and my Spirit.
(Score: 2) by drussell on Tuesday September 22 2020, @09:58AM
As much as I dislike Microsoft and all they've done to harm everyone under the sun over the past couple decades...
I really couldn't care less about some shitty game company being bought up by another shitty software company.
Hopefully they both somehow die a fiery death in a pit of molten lava, but I'm not holding my breath...
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Tuesday September 22 2020, @04:14PM (1 child)
They were beating that Fallout horse to death with Fallout 76. Otherwise known as the best way to kill off a classic games franchise. Insert money for power up, insert money for virtual money, insert money for extra virtual space, etc. A multiplayer Fallout was a very interesting concept, a microtransaction riddled multiplayer experience is the kind of experience I try to avoid, like poison ivy, fire ants, and chiggers.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 22 2020, @04:42PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjyeCdd-dl8 [youtube.com]