Microsoft has announced that Bethesda Softworks, the publishers of franchises such as The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and Dishonored, will be joining Team Xbox.
This is a result of Microsoft entering an agreement to acquire Bethesda’s parent company ZeniMax Media.
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Popular franchises and games published by Bethesda include The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Wolfenstein, DOOM, Dishonored, Prey, Quake, Starfield, and more.
Microsoft made the acquisition announcement on the Xbox blog.
So what does this mean for Bethesda’s future games?
This likely result in a cash injection for current projects. But the acquisition may result in more PC and Xbox exclusives for Microsoft.
Even with the next-gen Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles set to launch in November, Microsoft doesn’t have a whole lot of exclusive titles lined up.
This contrasts with the PlayStation 5 launch, with numerous exclusive titles already announced for the console.
Microsoft’s acquisition shouldn’t result in existing titles becoming exclusives. However, it leaves room for future installments of these popular titles to become flagship exclusives for the Microsoft Store and Xbox.
But only time will tell exactly what Microsoft has in store for the publisher.
Xbox fans reacted with joy on social media at news of the acquisition. Both companies trended on Twitter following the announcement.
Some see the deal as an interesting development in the so-called console wars.
Meanwhile, others wondered if Sony would respond with a similar acquisition of a major publisher.
Feature image: Microsoft
