Microsoft acquires ZeniMax Media (Bethesda, id Software, Arkane + 5 more) [2020-09-21, 2021-03-09]

[Cyan]

daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn

 

[BRiT]

what is the official name for the conglomerate of studios under zenimax?

edit: nvm, zenimax studios

I'm not sure it was named that, still trying to find something more definitive that ZeniMax Media's game studios.

 

[Deleted member 7537]

They don't plan to buy Zenimax. The deal is done. Zenimax is privately held, this is not like if the company was public.

It may have to get approval from regulators.

https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/SNE/sony/cash-on-hand

Sony cash on hand for the quarter ending June 30, 2020 was $33.058B, a 39.25% increase year-over-year.

They can afford a major play if they wish. That is a significant chunk of the ready reserve though


You guys are killing me (us).

It does have a huge chunk of money, but FB, Google, Apple and MSFT play on different league in terms of cash flow generation. Moving to full digital with PS5DE plus the steady cash coming from PS+ it's what's allowing them to become a more typical tech company. If they maintain console supremacy this gen, they are going to be generating a lot of cash, quite a lot.

 

[Ike Turner]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1308069857913720832

 

[Shortbread]

You guys are killing me (us).

Lol

 

[Shortbread]

Sony doesn't have the cash for these kind of operations. They need to grow IPs, cannot buy them out.

You do know companies use stock options/trade and other company financial assets/means on securing deals -right? Nvidia's purchase of ARM wasn't completely cash, a great chunk of it was stock options.

 

[iroboto]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1308069857913720832

Lol John; is this is reference to leaving for Oculus?

 

[BRiT]

Here's ZeniMax Media's studios page - https://www.zenimax.com/studios , this count matches the news reports of Microsoft growing their studio count from 15 to 23, acquiring 8 studios.

• Bethesda Game Studios
• id Software
• Aarkane Studios
• Machine Games
• Tango Gameworks
• Alpha Dog Games
• Roundhouse Studios
• ZeniMax Online Studios

From the BizIndustry link -

The deal cost $7.5 billion and expands the number of development studios Microsoft owns from 15 to 23.

It also adds 2,300 employees and some significant games IP to Xbox's portfolio.

Among Bethesda's internal development teams were Bethesda Game Studios -- responsible for Elder Scrolls and Fallout -- as well as Doom developer id Software, Dishonored creator Arkane, Wolfenstein dev Machine Games, The Evil Within team Tango Gameworks, ZeniMax Online Studios, Alpha Dog and Roundhouse Studios.

Other IP now under Microsoft's ownership includes Prey, Rage, and upcoming new properties such as Deathloop and Starfield.​

 

[Deleted member 7537]

You do know companies use stock options/trade and other company financial assets/means on securing deals -right? Nvidia's purchase of ARM wasn't completely cash, a great chunk of it was stock options.

That is completely true. You don't need to pay all in cash, LBOs are mostly debt-financed (as the name implies xD).

edit: well not the best example as LBOs are though for companies in very special situations.

 

[Malo]

This is also perfect planned timing for the announcement by MS as the GamePass PC subscription comes out of beta and goes to full price.

 

[Scott_Arm]

Lol John; is this is reference to leaving for Oculus?

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2018-10-15-john-carmack-vs-zenimax-media-lawsuit-is-over

 

[Deleted member 13524]

Lol John; is this is reference to leaving for Oculus?

It's a reference to Zenimax putting him on trial.

 

[Cyan]

You guys don't understand. This is a game pass and game engine move pure and simple. MS needs a lot of content they own on game pass and the easiest way to do it is to buy it. Now MS gets a large back catalog of games and a bunch of studios that will keep making games. People laugh when i said MS wants to put out a new big title every other month or so. But this is how they accomplish it. I suspect we will see games come to multiple platforms for a while but slowly they will start to become xbox platform only .

I expect another big studio purchase like this announced early next year most likely. I also expect a few smaller purchases over the next year

those engines are as good as some of the games, 'cos of scalability. On Doom you add a parameter to use the frametime you want and the game alone upscale/downscale the graphics in order to play at that framerate.

 

[Shortbread]

​

• Bethesda Game Studios
• id Software
• Aarkane Studios
• Machine Games
• Tango Gameworks
• Alpha Dog Games
• Roundhouse Studios
• ZeniMax Online Studios

From the BizIndustry link -

The deal cost $7.5 billion and expands the number of development studios Microsoft owns from 15 to 23.

It also adds 2,300 employees and some significant games IP to Xbox's portfolio.

Among Bethesda's internal development teams were Bethesda Game Studios -- responsible for Elder Scrolls and Fallout -- as well as Doom developer id Software, Dishonored creator Arkane, Wolfenstein dev Machine Games, The Evil Within team Tango Gameworks, ZeniMax Online Studios, Alpha Dog and Roundhouse Studios.

Other IP now under Microsoft's ownership includes Prey, Rage, and upcoming new properties such as Deathloop and Starfield.​

There is no denying, Microsoft is killing it lately with messaging, hardware and services.

 

[Jay]

Hopefully they at least mandate that xbox be lead platform.

They've not done it up until now, but they should at least put some exclusive content (even timed) or features into the cross console games instead of them just going into gamepass.

 

[PSman1700]

Wonder how much Rockstar would go for? Dont think even MS can afford that.

 

[cheapchips]

For anyone who's not read up on it, Roundhouse studios is ex-Human Head Studios. When they folded, Bethesda bought them and they continued with a new name. Wonder what they're working on?

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20...-reform-under-bethesda-as-roundhouse-studios/

 

[Deleted member 13524]

I think you reacted to the word indie and assumed I meant the 'pixel art rogue-likes and visual novels'.

Because it's what most indies end up being. Or some other type of side scrollers.
$7B on indies is a ridiculous amount of money on indies, Microsoft would never see their money back.

Remember all those rumors of Sony trying to acquire ZeniMax - that was true. However, something changed during negotiations. From my understanding, Sony started looking at other potential deals (sidelining ZeniMax talks) surrounding Warner Bros. game studios being potentially sold-off by AT&T, which Microsoft was also pursuing as well. But... we know how that ended. Anyhow, ZeniMax wasn't too pleased and here we are today... Microsoft completely grinning from ear to ear.

But, Sony executives are still talking to AT&T behind the scenes from what I hear... so there maybe some hope for Sony fanboys wanting ammo in the never ending console wars.

So Warner Bros is.. Everything DC (Arkham, Injustice, Suicide Squad, etc.), everything Jurassic Park, everything Lego (TT Games), everything Harry Potter, everything Lord of the Rings, Mortal Kombat... What else?
It's still not nearly enough to cover for Elder Scrolls, Doom and Fallout IMO.

 

[RDGoodla]

Blocking Elder Scrolls, Fallout and Doom from the PS5 would indeed be a substantial blow to Sony, even if these are typically favored on the PC.

It won’t affect PS5 before 2023 H2. This announcement can’t compensate for the delay of Halo for launch .

 

[Shortbread]

Wonder how much Rockstar would go for? Dont think even MS can afford that.

It's not about affording it. It's much more about "how much you're willing to pay for it."