Microsoft Has Purchased Bethesda

WOW. Well played, Mr. Gates. 

Microsoft has purchased the gaming company Bethesda Softworks, the developers behind The Elder Scrolls Series, Fallout, and Doom.

This means all of Bethesda's companies will fall under the Microsoft umbrella, such as Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, ZeniMax Online Studios, Arkane, MachineGames, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog, and Roundhouse Studios.

Ahead of the next-generation consoles being released, this could mean that hugely popular games such as Skyrim could become exclusive to Xbox players, swaying gamers in the direction of Microsoft instead of Sony and PlayStation.

Xbox announced on Twitter that "We are THRILLED to welcome the talented teams and beloved game franchises of Bethesda to Team Xbox!".

Phil Spencer, head of Xbox also stated: "Just as they took the bold first steps to bring The Elder Scrolls franchise to the original Xbox, Bethesda were early supporters of Xbox Game Pass, bringing their games to new audiences across devices and have been actively investing in new gaming technology like cloud streaming of games.

"Bethesda’s games have always had a special place on Xbox and in the hearts of millions of gamers around the world. Our teams have a close and storied history working together, from the amazing first DOOM, and its id Tech engine, innovating games on PCs to Bethesda bringing their first console game to the original Xbox, the groundbreaking The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind".

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He also added: "We will be adding Bethesda’s iconic franchises to Xbox Game Pass for console and PC. One of the things that has me most excited is seeing the roadmap with Bethesda’s future games, some announced and many unannounced, to Xbox console and PC including Starfield, the highly anticipated, new space epic currently in development by Bethesda Game Studios.”

With not long to go before the next-generation of consoles are released, this is a huge move by Microsoft. Time to play your cards, Sony.

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Image via Bethesda (& Microsoft, I guess)