Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Well this is huge...

https://news.microsoft.com/2020/09/21/microsoft-to-acquire-zenimax-media-and-its-game-publisher-bethesda-softworks/

Guess I'll be playing Elder Scrolls on my PC next gen. Assuming it's any good of course...

Yeah, big news, though not really unexpected that one of the power houses would pick them up eventually.

I’ve never been the biggest fan of Bethesda, I feel that others do what they do better. I especially find their story telling skills lacking. It will be interesting to see how being owned by MS changes things.

Microsoft might be wanting to push the next Elder Scrolls game out soon, something that Bethesda don’t currently seem to be in a rush to do.

Not a huge Bethesda fan either. I think Fallout 3 is the only game I've completed (and I'm still kind of mad about it). That said, its honestly a good fit and will hopefully help turn them around.

Morrowind was the high point for the company, imo. I really disliked Oblivion. The other RPGs were good, but I still enjoyed Morrowind more. I javen't played any of the new ID games.

I'm curious what Microsoft plans to do with the company. This gives them a couple of long-running RPG franchises, ID Software, and an MMORPG.

Eumerin wrote:
Morrowind was the high point for the company, imo. I really disliked Oblivion. The other RPGs were good, but I still enjoyed Morrowind more. I javen't played any of the new ID games.

I'm curious what Microsoft plans to do with the company. This gives them a couple of long-running RPG franchises, ID Software, and an MMORPG.

Hopefully teach them how to improve their quality control. Not that Microsoft is great at that, but they're still far more competent at it than Bethesda...

Bethesda games as first party games for X-Box is a good thing, overall.

Yes, PS5 owners may miss out, but 1st party games are meant to be system sellers, not DLC/season pass/battle pass/microtransaction grind fests.

Given that you know Todd Howard would be unable to stop himself from monetising everything in TES6, hopefully this puts an end to that.

MY GODS this might mean TES6 isn't a train wreck of monetizing!

El Torro wrote:
Yeah, big news, though not really unexpected that one of the power houses would pick them up eventually.

I’ve never been the biggest fan of Bethesda, I feel that others do what they do better. I especially find their story telling skills lacking. It will be interesting to see how being owned by MS changes things.

Well, what's interesting about it is MS already acquired Obsidian (which consists of refugees from Troika which consisted of refugees from Black Isle) so theoretically they could put the Fallout license back with some of the original team.
Expect people to start ranting about the possibility of a New Vegas sequel.

Of course, Obsidian is already doing Avowed for MS, which is the Skyrim-like game Feargus has been talking about wanting to do for the last 10 years. (20 if you count the cancelled 'Torn' that Black Isle didn't manage to get out the door)

---
I'm honestly a little surprised by this sale. I was under the impression that the egos were too big for this, though honestly this deal isn't done and could still collapse.
Though the studios will probably still stay with their current organization and locations, barring a few shakeups.

----

Overread wrote:MY GODS this might mean TES6 isn't a train wreck of monetizing!

We'll see. Considering that Obsidian's first offer under their MS ownership is Grounded, a crafting survival 'Honey I Shrunk the Kids' insect and child murder simulator (in Early Access now!), I wouldn't be so sure. Crafting survival is a genre made for monetizing.

Depending on if people stay/leave or reassigned, it could also potentially throw the infant TES6 development into chaos, so beware of that kind of thing too.

Voss wrote:
]
---
I'm honestly a little surprised by this sale. I was under the impression that the egos were too big for this, though honestly this deal isn't done and could still collapse.

Egos can be big, then when someone offers you a vast sum of money suddenly you rethink your ego for a few moments. Those at the top of the firms in deals like this are likely to make an absolute fortune. Sometimes you see CEO's agree to this and a few years/months later they retire. Even if the firm was profitable before, this is a big no-risk lump sum in one go.

Chances are it'll just be Skyrim again, right?

I mean all the rumors we know about TES6 is that its taking place in Hammerfall and Highrock.

So it's not going to be Skyrim again, it's going to be Daggerfall.

I'm cautiously optimistic about what this means for a fair chunk of Bethesda's properties - Elder Scrolls included.
However, I'm very concerned about what this could mean for two of my favourite developers of all time, who I believe at this point in time are better left without outside interference... that is, id software, and Arkane.

I'm reminded of the sad, sad decline of the dried-out husk that used to be Bioware, before EA picked them up. Now, Microsoft is no EA, but they have made some big mis-steps in the past. I just hope my fears are unfounded.

Based on the likelihood of it being Hammerfell and how enjoyable the questing was in ESO in that area, I'm fairly optimistic about it. Morrowind remains the best game that Bethesda ever put out but I really hope with this custom built engine they have for it that we will get something really 'epic'.

 Super Ready wrote:
I'm cautiously optimistic about what this means for a fair chunk of Bethesda's properties - Elder Scrolls included.
However, I'm very concerned about what this could mean for two of my favourite developers of all time, who I believe at this point in time are better left without outside interference... that is, id software, and Arkane.

I'm reminded of the sad, sad decline of the dried-out husk that used to be Bioware, before EA picked them up. Now, Microsoft is no EA, but they have made some big mis-steps in the past. I just hope my fears are unfounded.

Poor Rare......

While I don't want to rant... New Vegas is my favorite game, ever. If the same people made a sequel?

*spah-loosh*

Maybee they now will have quality controlls in place

Voss wrote:
Well, what's interesting about it is MS already acquired Obsidian (which consists of refugees from Troika which consisted of refugees from Black Isle) so theoretically they could put the Fallout license back with some of the original team.
Expect people to start ranting about the possibility of a New Vegas sequel.

Of course, Obsidian is already doing Avowed for MS, which is the Skyrim-like game Feargus has been talking about wanting to do for the last 10 years. (20 if you count the cancelled 'Torn' that Black Isle didn't manage to get out the door)

---
I'm honestly a little surprised by this sale. I was under the impression that the egos were too big for this, though honestly this deal isn't done and could still collapse.
Though the studios will probably still stay with their current organization and locations, barring a few shakeups.

My first thought when I heard that Microsoft (already owning Obsidian) had bought Bethesda was "there are gonna be some awkward meetings at HQ".
Because the Obsidian people surely aren't still sore about that "New Vegas needed 85% on Metacritic to get a bonus from Bethesda" thing, right?

 LunarSol wrote:

 Super Ready wrote:
I'm cautiously optimistic about what this means for a fair chunk of Bethesda's properties - Elder Scrolls included.
However, I'm very concerned about what this could mean for two of my favourite developers of all time, who I believe at this point in time are better left without outside interference... that is, id software, and Arkane.

I'm reminded of the sad, sad decline of the dried-out husk that used to be Bioware, before EA picked them up. Now, Microsoft is no EA, but they have made some big mis-steps in the past. I just hope my fears are unfounded.

Poor Rare......

I was thinking the same. Difference between Rare and Bethesda however (if I understand correctly), is that it could be argued that Rare focussed on mostly one-off titles, while Bethesda/id have multiple ongoing IPs under their belt. Then again, DKC and Banjo Kazooie were series themselves.

I’m cautiously optimistic MS will try to use these IPs, instead of locking them away for a decade or so.

 SkavenLord wrote:
I’m cautiously optimistic MS will try to use these IPs, instead of locking them away for a decade or so.

MS are not EA.

Also EA typically swooped in when companies were at a low point and about to fall apart. It was hoovering up IPs and companies and assets from firms that were in dangerous positions.

MS is buying Bethesda in what should be a very healthy condition. They are thus spending an absolute fortune doing so. You don't spend over $7.5billion just to sit on those assets and let them go to waste.

I mean some firms might in some sectors, but in video games that's a vast amount of money that you want to recoup its investment not waste it.

 Overread wrote:
They are thus spending an absolute fortune doing so. You don't spend over $7.5billion just to sit on those assets and let them go to waste.

Comparatively speaking, they're not. MS are a trillion dollar company. $7.5b is a lot of money... but it's not that much when you have over one thousand billion.

I mean having the ability to immediately throw all Bethesda games up on Gamepass to help to continue to boost subs is a benefit all on its own. Even ignoring getting to have exclusives for Xbox.

Also the possibility of a New Vegas 2 has every Fallout fan I know salivating.