It continues and will continue to be discussed Microsoft’s acquisition of ZeniMax Mediarecently also approved by the European Union and now one step away from a happy ending.
When the Redmond giant dropped the bomb last September, an important question immediately arose: what will become of future games by Bethesda and ZeniMax Media?
Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, immediately made it known that the subject was complex, and that Microsoft itself was still on the high seas regarding a final decision. The idea of having Bethesda games on other platforms has not faded, but Spencer clearly stated that the goal was to bring highly anticipated IPs as Starfield and The Elder Scrolls VI now also on Xbox Game Pass.
In short, Microsoft’s goal seems to be to give a considerable advantage to those who are part of the Xbox world, and this does not necessarily mean that other players will be left behind.
Tom Warren, of The Vergeunearthed a short interview with Tim Stuart, CFO of Xbox, which dates back to last fall, in which we talk about this topic and what will be the future of the productions born from the studios of ZeniMax Media.
Stuart, pressed on the subject of Bethesda games and the possibility that will continue to be cross-platform contentin fact, he had expressed a very clear and open thought to this possibility, however suggesting that Xbox players will enjoy special benefits compared to other platforms:
What we want to do with long-term thinking is not take Bethesda games off the Sony and Nintendo platforms. Instead, we want this content to be available sooner or in a better version on Xbox. We don’t necessarily want these games to be exclusive […] but that they are at their best on Xbox Game Pass: Bethesda productions will push subscriptions to the service.
The scenario, in a nutshell, is what many had foreseen in the past. Although Microsoft is preparing to take possession of Bethesda, it therefore seems that the numerous IPs of the giant will not become content exclusively for the Xbox communitybut they will also be offered on other consoles and platforms – naturally in different forms, that is, without being part of the Xbox Game Pass catalog.
We naturally await clearer indications from Microsoft and Xbox, but this could be the philosophy dictated by the company for the near future. An opening of this type is in line with recent market trends, which, for example, have prompted Sony to re-propose on PC some exclusives such as Horizon: Zero Dawn, Death Stranding and even Days Gone, which will arrive later this year.
if you’re wondering how Microsoft will handle Bethesda games and exclusives on Xbox, look at what Xbox CFO Tim Stuart said back in November. A “first or better” approach with Xbox Game Pass. pic.twitter.com/RQ82sfHWdn
– Tom Warren (@tomwarren) March 8, 2021
