Microsoft Corp. is taking over ZeniMax Media in a $7.5 billion deal which brings video game franchises like Doom, Wolfenstein, Quake and Fallout under the Microsoft banner.
The deal will see all upcoming releases from Bethesda Softworks, which publishes the video games, included in the Xbox Game Pass subscription.
The deal is expected to be finalized around June, according to news releases. The deal includes Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, Arkane, Tango Game Works, Roundhouse and MachineGames and other development studios employing more than 2,300 people worldwide.
In an Xbox Wire blog post, director Phil Spencer said Bethesda's video games had always had "a special place on Xbox as well as in the hearts of millions of gamers worldwide," ESPN e-Sports reported. "This is an awesome time to be an Xbox fan," Spencer said.
For Microsoft chief executive officer Satya Nadella online gaming was the most comprehensive variety in the electronic sports and entertainment market. "People turn to gaming to socialize and play with their friends," he said in a statement.
Founded by chairperson and chief executive Robert Altman in 1999, ZeniMax is headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, and, until the Microsoft acquisition, was a privately held company. With Bethesda's inclusion in the software company's portfolio Microsoft will grow from 15 to 23 studio teams. The contract is the biggest ever for the Redmond, Washington-based company in the games business.
The technology company bought Minecraft developer Mojang for $2.5 billion in 2014. News of the ZeniMax deal comes ahead of Microsoft's launch of its latest Xbox video game consoles later this year. With the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 set to hit stores in the next few weeks, Microsoft's deal could put it in a solid position in terms of game distinctiveness.
