Why Microsoft’s Acquisition of Bethesda is Great for Gamers

It was news that came out of nowhere, turning a lot of heads and shocking many more. As you may know by now, Bethesda has joined Microsoft Studios who have purchased their parent company, Zenimax Media.

[LordoftheCritics]

Oof all those high profile IP's.

Was about to go play ESO and I see this in the news.

[darthv72]

i can already see what the next few GwG freebies will be. New games will come to GP but GwG will get ones like Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim, Fallout 3, New Vegas.... Dishonored was already free before.

[LordoftheCritics]

The entire catalogue will be on Gamepass by Christmas.

Cannot complain. Fun times.

I want all the Fallout 4 dlcs and Doom Eternal DLC

[darthv72]

@dark... SFV says otherwise. Sony rarely does timed exclusives... you should know better.

[P_Bomb]

“Sony rarely does timed exclusives... you should know better.”

Disagree. Hellblade, Nier Automata, Yakuza 0, DQ11, DQ Builders, Crash Remastered, No Man’s Sky, Guacamelee, Edith Finch, Firewatch, Soma, Amnesia, Gang Beasts, Outlast, Rocket League, Ni No Kuni, Death Stranding, Nioh, FFVII, World of FF, Valkyria Chronicles, Warframe, Killing Floor 2, Kingdom Hearts HD, Detroit, Heavy Rain, DCUO. Could even go back to GTA Vice City and San Andreas. I’ve seen lots of console games start here only to end there.

“ SFV says otherwise.”

Dead Rising 3 doesn’t?

[CaptainHenry916]

"Still, we don’t necessarily think Bethesda is going to completely gate off all franchises, and would not be surprised to see them come to Playstation as well."

Why don't the author think that?? That's strange 🤔

[ColdSin]

Because Phil Spencer said so. He said that it will be a basis-on-basis situation. The main deal is now that every Bethesda game will come day 1 to GamePass.

[darthv72]

Unlike other companies, MS wont cut off a sure thing (established multiplat). People are paranoid because they think MS is all bad. When MS buys an exclusive, its usually timed but when Sony buys an exclusive its to screw over MS and Nintendo owners.

[shabz666]

Tod Howard said it in a statement they don’t plan to lock of games to one system or one screen. You can read his statement. I’m sure there’ll be some exclusive stuff too for Xbox.

Publish Bethesda games on PlayStation for $70 and bring it day an date on gamepass that would be a great strategy for ms and healthy for the studios

[xHeavYx]

@Darth
Cute how you try to make MS to be the good guy, when it's obvious that they wouldn't cut big games from PlayStation only because it wouldn't make financial sense.

[UnHoly_One]

@shabz

I think people might be reading way too much into Todd Howard's word choice.

When he was talking about playing however you want I think he just meant PC and Console, not necessarily Xbox and PS.

Those comments followed from the beginning of the message where he was talking about first coming to console with Morrowind.

I'm not sure either way, but I don't think he necessarily meant what people seem to think he meant.

[shabz666]

@unholy

Sigh you might be right, trying to be optimistic about it. I want these games to come out on all systems. And let Microsoft leverage gamepass as the carrot on the stick for consumers.

These studios need to survive and locking out the PlayStation base sounds like a terrible idea.

[ziggurcat]

@shabz:

"Tod Howard said it in a statement they don’t plan to lock of games to one system or one screen"

Spencer said it'd be a case-by-case basis, which tells everyone that they do, in fact, have plans to lock out games to one system/screen.

[Mefdar]

It's good that Microsoft now has exclusives. Exclusives are what drive consoles sales. But having said that, still all Xbox exclusives are on pc so it's still better to play them on pc and have a ps5 only for PlayStations exclusives.

[agent4532]

Unless the author is implying that Xbox Games Pass comes to PlayStation. After this generation, Microsoft will only offer Game Pass

[shabz666]

Ziggur

Indeed indeed, honestly though at this point ms has been so proconsumer that I’d rather they be the one out of the big three to acquire them, since ms has been the only one playing ball and putting their games on other systems.

Either ways it’s great news for gamepass subscribers.

[pwnmaster3000]

“Now, I do understand that this might mean Playstation gamers missing out, which would definitely be undesirable. However, the same could have been said for PC and Xbox gamers having missed out on some of the best games which were locked to Playstation.”

That line is so dumb, those were games that was never gonna come to Xbox, but every game that Bethesda had already came out to PlayStation and was enjoyed by millions of PS fans.
So no not the same.

Also this is not good news for all gamers. You mean Xbox gamers lol. I swear MS can’t do no wrong to these journalist.

But on the topic.
This is exactly what MS needed and huge power move by them. I applaud them for putting in that work for next gen.
Sony has been slacking, while MS been making moves.
Question is, will this wake up Sony to pull more studios?

But at the same time I hope this doesn’t start a trend from both companies to acquire more big publishers and locking out games.
That will be annoying.
MS did it-cool
Sony follow- shit here we go
Nintendo follow- gaming just got more expensive

[NecrumOddBoy]

This ^^^

Sony has almost only purchased second party studios or teams. MS just went right out and bought a half dozen companies who have series that are now not going to be on the highest selling gaming systems/company in the world? It's an asshole move, to be honest. Sony buys Insomniac who has develioped exclusive content for them for years (Ratchet, Spiderman, Resistance, etc). The one non-PS4 game, Sunset Overdrive was poorly handled by MS and failed on Xbox). MS turns around and buys Tomb Raider 2 for a year? That completely breaks up the sales pace of the reboot where it sells like trash on Xbone and then poorly when it's a dumped on PS4 like leftovers. Remember RARE's glory days? MS did them some favors. How good was Fallout 4 or Fallout 76? How is HALO being treated right now? Why is MS putting their games on Switch and why do they not sell on Xbox One? Why are they making a half-tier system (XSS)? The XBone sold how many? Wasn't it pretty much a failure? There is so much here that isn't super clear and it looked like money was thrown out of desperation; this isn't well thought out. I worry about the future of bethesda under MS's watch. I think Bethesda made a mistake; a big mistake here.

[NeoGamer232]

Quite the rant.

Every time Sony gets an exclusive Sony only fans march up and down the streets yelling at the top of their lungs about how XB and PC aren't exclusive and having a PS is the greatest thing a gamer can do.

I own all the current gen consoles but I have to say, that the community I am most embarassed as a gamer to be part of is the PS community. Nintendo gamers just do their thing. XB gamers have patiently waited for MS to "get it". Sony only gamers are the biggest pricks I know and play with.

[pwnmaster3000]

@NeoGamer

Oh shut up with that.
Xbox gamers been quite because they haven’t had anything to brag about all gen.
When the 360 was here they were just as worse.
All them fanboys are The same and you will be lying to yourself if you say other wise

[crazyCoconuts]

MS buying into something vs. building it up themselves is kinda their MO. We'll see how the investment pays off. I have to agree they don't have history on their side here.

[darthv72]

@crazy, sony didnt build ND or IG or even GG. They acquired them and then sunk $$ to build them up. Except for IG, they were already established.

[Donnie81]

Look at what u just wrote. People like u complain about Xbox having no games then they go get the means to make those games and u still find a reason to gripe.

[Sarcasm]

@NeoGamer232

You must be really young, and are just making up stuff to support your own case and bias.

It's not a specific community "PS" or "Xbox" or whatever. It's just people who happened to latch onto a brand that are pricks. Like pwnmaster3000 mentioned, if you were around during the Xbox 360 vs PS3 era, you would know how bad it was from Xbox 360 fanboys screaming at the top of their lungs about how XB360 is the best and PS3 sucks, has no games.

[itsmebryan]

Buying a studio is buying a studio. The thing that gets me are the hypocrites that try to make when their favorite company does it , it's a good thing. But, when the competition does it, That are the devil!
You guys are ridiculous. Smh

[agent4532]

Remember that Xbox Games come to PC. That's how Microsoft convince Bethesda that it's games be on PC and Xbox 😃. As a PC gamer this is great but as a gamer in general this is bad for now there's less competition which will lead to stagnation

[TheEroica]

Can someone pass this guy some kleenex?

[Yppupdam]

regardless of what anybody else says, Microsoft has a history of buying up studios at the beginning of a new console generation and then just shuttering them after 2 years. I sure hope for the sake of gaming that they don't follow suit with their past actions.

[Diver]

this definitely not good. at lest if peeps is honest. look at bethesda games. most bugs on the planet, full of microtrans, an howard is like phils brother when it comes to the truth. fallout 76 not a fallout game, doom was a blip on the radar cause it was a platformer an honestly the doom revival is done an the other games is years awyay now bein made for the series s.

ask yourself this. when did microsft ever buy a studio an that studio got better. this aint looking so good as peeps here gonna puff up their chest an say. an the fact is most gamers wont even know about this for a long time.

[CaptainHenry916]

I was thinking about the microtransactions lol.

[agent4532]

Is not just Bethesda, but Microsoft acquired Zenimedia which is the parent company of:

Arkane Studios
Tango Game works
Bethesda

Along with other several gaming studios both good and bad

[spicelicka]

Although you are right about existing games going exclusive to Xbox/ PC and this not being great news to all gamers, there are some things to consider.

Firstly, this doesn't apply to new upcoming games. There are plenty of studios owned by Zenimax that can work on new franchises.

Secondly, I don't think either Sony or MS has some "moral code" that prevents them from making such acquisitions. We need to stop favouring corporations based on our biased assumptions. When it's pro MS news Sony fans swarm to claim how everyone is supporting Xbox, when it's pro Sony new then Xbox fans do the exact same. MS made a business move based on whatever strategy they have, and Sony would make the same move if it needed to, they just don't need to because their strategy is different. If any people here think Sony wouldn't do something like this because there are some arbitrary honour rules then those people are morons. We had the same b*itching going on from Xbox fans when Sony made Spiderman in Avengers exclusive to PS4, there was no morality BS there, they did what they wanted.

[darthv72]

MS didn't just buy Bethesda... they bought Zenimax and all those studios as well. I didnt even think about Id or Arkane or Tango but those are all part of MS now. They are up to 23 development studios now.

[Father__Merrin]

@NeoGamer232

sounds like youve been hurt very bad. its not sonys fault they came with the games all this generation. its clear you just choose the wrong system....

[sampsonon]

"Sony has been slacking"
Sony owns the top development companies in the world, and MS is trying to catch up.
Welcome to day one cheap Gamepass games Bethesda fans. Enjoy!

Slacking? lol. GAMES GAMES GAMES 3 or more exclusives each yr this gen. Slacking? haha.
Who owns that little company Insomniac? Right. More quality exclusives incoming.

[Bruh]

I mean with Bethesda under their Game Studios arm, Microsoft owns some of the biggest franchises in gaming including Doom, Fallout and the Skyrim IPs

[kneon]

And given Microsoft's excellent track record of ruining previously good studios it's likely they will do the same again. Has a studio ever gotten better under Microsoft?

Not that it matters to me, I think the only games I've played that are affected would be Fallout, and I couldn't even be bothered to finish Fallout 4, so I was already done with that franchise before this announcement.

[WelkinCole]

If Sony is smart. They start hiring and putting together new dev houses to rival their existing ones like ND, IG, SM etc.

Will cost way less but more secure and also fresh

[Godmars290]

" I applaud them for putting in that work for next gen.
Sony has been slacking, while MS been making moves."

Sony's been making games where MS bought a sub-contractor to Bethesda, announced an Elder Scrolls clone, were contractually obligated to put out an already made Fallout clone on the PS4, now have bought Bethesda and are contractually obligated to put out several more titles on a competing system.

That's not a move, that's a mess. One that doesn't have people asking needed questions.

Mainly:
- What happens to that MS Elder Scrolls clone?
- Will MS buying Bethesda cure them of habitually releasing buggy games that get fixed by fans?

[Vanfernal]

I'm sticking to PC/PS5 next gen. You won't miss out on any of those games.

[CaptainHenry916]

It was my plan from the beginning because my PC was getting old lol

[fiveby9]

Yep same. PS5 & PC. I own an X1x but it'll be my final Xbox. I don't have a compelling reason for myself to subscribe to Gamepass. As for Bethesda Game Studios, I think the last game I really enjoyed they developed was Skyrim. If Elder Scrolls VI is great then I'd consider buying it outright for PC but likely not subscribe to GP just for that. Same for Starfield. Too much unknown on that game to date.

[OptimusDK]

So what about DOOM, Quake, Wolfenstein, Fallout, Dishonored, Prey, The Evil Within.
But it is all up to you, but there is no denying that GamePass is the best deal i gaming right. now.
EaPlay plus XBOX and Zenimax games day one.

But you can of course also buy them for 70 USD on PS5.

[crazyCoconuts]

yea, actually if you have a PC, right now this is good news because Game Pass will have all of Bethesda's day 1 titles and as of now you can $1 snipe those games instead of buying them. This can't last forever though lol

[spicelicka]

I'm sticking to Xbox series X/PS5, value-wise it's a better investment imo. For the price of a next-gen PC you can pretty much get both next gen consoles, and never have to worry about optimization. On the other hand if you can afford a gaming PC, then PS5 is the right way to compliment it.

[sampsonon]

Yeah, ps gamers have it made. When i see a game i want to play, which so far none on GP, i will spend $1 for the month, play it and discontinue the sub. people can't do the same the other way around. Not with new games anyway :)

[Bruh]

I don't get why you wouldn't go Series X/ PC if gaming is the only question. Game Pass is also much better on Xbox than it is on PC.

[Vanfernal]

PS exclusives. Series X/PC is redundant.

[ChiefofLoliPolice]

Cuz of the old games but that's not enough for most people to justify buying a whole console just to use Gamepass on that console, when PC is far more open ended in many ways when it comes to legacy titles.

[RonsonPL]

Yeah. Great. Consolidations never ended badly, right?
What could go wrong if the AAA industry gets even more consolidated. After all, RAM and HDD manufacturers did it and everyone was happy about the outcome, right?

This is not good. This is very bad. Good would be if they created new studios aiming to match Sony's best. Now they are just buying out. Not just MS, everyone started doing it. Epic, for example does that too and won't stop. This only means limits. MS owned studio may not want to publish the game for Sony consoles and Sony owned studio won't be eager to release on Xbox or PC (if it's a big and new game, "you can have the old crap" is their attitude)
This is really bad news and people who cheer for it are naive immature idiots.

[sampsonon]

How is what @djplonker said "inappropriate"? I really am trying to figure this out? Anyone?

[Bruh]

I mean this is gonna happen in every single industry, its eventuality in the type of economy and scale we all live in besides North Korea.

[Battlestar23]

I thought exclusivity was anti customer? Now it's pro customer it's funny how the narrative changes so quickly.

[DEEHULK88]

You have PC,Xcloud and Xbox to choose from, so you have many choices.

[asweplay]

Definitely, we even mention at the end that:
"...we don't necessarily think Bethesda is going to completely gate off all franchises, and would not be surprised to see them come to Playstation as well."

we love all platforms, but I guess some love certain ones a lot more !

[DEEHULK88]

That's what you say Asweplay, but that doesn't make it true. I expect this deal to to make the games available for Xbox,PC and Xcloud. Those are many screens of many different sizes which is what Howard talked about. Now, as for the games that were already in development like Ghostwire and Deathloop, i can still see those coming on Ps5 but also Xbox as well now. No one talks like this when Sony locks up exclusives like FF16, but as soon as Microsoft does this, everyone wants the games to stil be on Sony and thats not how it works. With Xcloud available on Android and many other screens you really don't need Sony. I wait for the official release on what is going to be done going forward.

[crazyCoconuts]

You'll have many choices: Microsoft, Microsoft, or Microsoft lol. We'll see, but I don't know the point of doing this unless you made it exclusive to some extent. It's not like MS has a history of making game publishers more profitable by improving their game catalog or anything like that (like - they're not flipping houses).

[DEEHULK88]

CrazyCoconuts All they have to do is make games and drive subscriptions. They don't have to worry about anything else. There games now, so they should be on their platforms. Xcloud, PC and Xbox

[Sayai jin]

Jumping the gun? Who said those games will be exclusive?

[SpeedDemon]

They said they won't go exclusive with the games and that makes sense, Microsoft won't make their money back by keeping these games as exclusives.

[Unknown_Gamer5794]

Apparently it's only pro-consumer when MS does it. The games media is not biased at all. /s

[JEECE]

If you had asked me to come up with worse news, I couldn't have done it.

[crazyCoconuts]

take 2 woulda been worse i think

[neutralgamer1992]

I personally don't like it but more power to Ms. Big publishers shouldn't be acquired but I am glad Phil said all bethesda games will be looked at on case by case basis for their potential release on other platforms

I do wonder how Sony will counter this. Go after capcom and Sega

[crazyCoconuts]

I personally don't care that much for Capcom & Sega. I don't know if they could/would match this level of investment in another studio. If the studio is already successful, you're essentially taking a loss since by definition of exclusivity you'll be reducing the company's income, devaluing it. It's better business to take something that isn't making much money and turn them around, but you know, MS has the $ to do whatever they want i guess.
I'd guess Sony stays the course right now - it'll take time before MS can use this to their advantage, so Sony has time to grab as big of a market share of next gen as possible until then. The bigger the PS share of the market, the more expensive they make MS's choice to make something exclusive, stripping out the incentive for them to do so. They've got to hope that Satya&shareholders will have a limit on how much loss they'll tolerate in this investment phase

[DEEHULK88]

Blah blah blah

[neutralgamer1992]

crazyCoconuts

Resident evil
Street fighter
Megaman
Devil may cry
Monster hunter
Persona
Sonic
Yakuza

Just to name few big IP's owned by Sega and capcom

[darthv72]

you keep saying this but... why does Sony NEED to counter this? They still have the talent when it comes to dedicated cinematic exclusives. MS tends to go after studios who have a history of multiplatform development and they tend to stay multiplatform with a few exclusives sprinkled in for flavor. Stop being so damned paranoid.

[neutralgamer1992]

Darth

I think Ms has raised the stakes that's why I believe and I could be 100% wrong that Sony will counter this. It wouldn't surprise me if we hear something soon

[ziggurcat]

"why does Sony NEED to counter this?"

They don't necessarily need to, but there were rumblings of other acquisitions a while ago, including the ridiculous notion that they'd buy Take 2.

[System_Call]

Very sad to hear this news. I guess the best combination for this new Gen is PS5 and PC combo then.

[crazyCoconuts]

definitely. for just console gamers, i think PS5 will still be the more attractive choice short term. most casuals won't know about this acquisition until later... like when the next Elder Scrolls is announced as an xbox exclusive. By then, Sony will need a plan in place to maintain their lead

[MrNinosan]

MS wouldn’t be that stupid and put ES6 exclusively on Xbox. They can’t afford it. They need the installbase of PS5 which probably will be huge compared to XsX

[waverider]

No it isnt. if all those games will be exclusive, then microsotf will close the door to much more millions gamers on consoles that play those games. The marketshare of Microsoft is low. between 30 and 40 on 3rd party games sales and all those game sold much, much more then on xbox. Thats a fact. This is the power of money. Even more, i think this wll be a huge money pit for microsoft, because they just spent 7.5 billions and i don see them get the money back. Its good to have many studios but they need to make hundreds of millions on sales. Gamepass doesnt make money right now and they dont have new games coming in the next months, because its the start of a new gen. I think creating new studios would be the right path, but microsoft doesnt have time. Update. the games will still be multiplats like minecraft.

[Kiwi66]

So what happened to the narrative that people like to say regularly that xbox needs exclusives as they are what sells consoles

[PS-Gamer-1986]

That's awesome news for xbox and fans. While i love the modern wolfenstein and doom games, the fallout and elder scrolls series and i am sad about the probability that they won't release on playstation anymore, this are the kind of exclusives xbox needs in its lineup to become attractive again to more people than the xbox hardcore community.

Great move MS!

[asweplay]

We actually won't be surprised if they do come to Playstation as well, maybe some time exclusivity, but I think the biggest edge Microsoft wanted was to get more content into their gamepass library for now.

[PS-Gamer-1986]

Nevermind. Another article is stating that these games will remain multiplat.

Still a great move though

[Artemidorus]

They haven't even finished yet...

[sourOG]

Established franchises like fallout and elder scrolls will be multiplat. I have no doubt that was in the terms of conditions. Their new stuff? I dunno.

[waverider]

its already confirmed that.

[sourOG]

Oh ok 👍

[AnotherGamer]

I mean, is the same company who also did Fallout 76. Bethesta quality is hit and miss at times.

[monkey602]

This isn't good news for anyone. Sorry but it isn't!

Its a HUGE acquisition but bad news for millions of fans

[mkis007]

I'm trying to find the silver lining; I've come up with one thing. We may actually get another Fallout developed by Obsidian.

[Ristul]

I have always thought of bethesda as unpurchase-able, but guess I was wrong. This is huge news, but I don't think it's good news even for Xbox fans. I'm just thinking this will effect Bethesda in ways they can't even foresee now, it could be another BioWare on our hands. On the other hand, Microsoft just made a big play here, I wonder how Sony will answer.

[Dark-soul]

Wait does this mean no fallout 5 on ps5?

[Silly gameAr]

Not sure about Fallout, but the games that Bethesda published are still going to be multiplat.

[lonewolfjedi]

this was anti consumer a few weeks ago

[poppatron]

I’m shocked to the core...

If this means Starfield is an Xbox exclusive, or if future main series fallout / the Elder scrolls games are exclusive I will 100% be in the ultimate games pass Xbox on finance crew.

Zenimax are huge!!! 😮

[Elda]

WOW!! This acquisition is something. I wonder if Deathloop will still be a PS5 exclusive & will all Bethesda games now will be exclusive to the XB platform or will MS decide to keep the titles multi-platform which would be more money for them.

[JayRyu]

I think that MS will keep the games multi-plat. However they will charge full price for the games on other platforms PS or PC if you don't have Gamepass.

Want to play the next Doom on PS you'll have to 70 bucks. Want to play it on Series X or PC Gamepass.

[Elda]

Possibly. If games were solely on XB/PC & Gamepass MS would definitely lose money not having Bethesda games muli-plat something I'm quite sure they thought about before the acquisition.

[monkey602]

It has been clarified that Deathloop and Ghostwire Tokyo will keep their current exclusive contracts with PS5

[Elda]

I just saw an article on the exclusivity deal at VG247.

[Petebloodyonion]

I strongly believe that MS will not touch the ecosystem regarding Ps4-ps5 meaning that the game made under the Bethesda's umbrella will probably made on all system but you could expect game pass day1.
If you look on PC MS has no problem releasing their game on Steam.

So if the case, it will be a win for all, if they go with the exclusive to Xbox only then yes it's not a win for the consumer.

[darksky]

This is very bad news if big franchises like Elder Scrolls and Doom become exclusives. Sad times.

[waverider]

they arent. Its just for gamepass.

[shabz666]

Put the games on gamepass day one and sell it for $70 on PlayStation. That would be the best move for them.

[Sophisticated_Chap]

Wow, this is a massive purchase! I've never been into Bethesda's games, but from a pure catalogue standpoint, this is huge.

[Donnie81]

It’s great for gamers because it kept Google from buying them. Do u really wanna buy a stadia to play eso6

[Asuka]

There has been a ton of goal post moving around here lately. Salt levels are through the roof 😂

[WillyC009]

Not sure how this can be construed as positive for gamers? What would have been positive for gamers would have been Microsoft investing that money into creating its own new studios & IP’s. That would have added more to the industry & Microsoft. I’m all for exclusives because it incentivizes people to purchase said products, but not ok with monopolization by just throwing stupid money around. There needs to be some independent studios out there, hopefully CDPR, Take Two among others stay independent.

[Snipelife15]

Microsoft will became a third party

[assassingamer36]

Not going to lie. If they make elder scrolls and fallout exclusive to only xbox then I'm gonna have to dish out some extra dough to get an xbox. This was a big acquisition

[thornh]

Sony has a stable of first party developers and they have added to that stable with, mostly, second party developers. Sony has not purchased an entire videogame publisher. Please do not compare Sony first party exclusives to this.

I do not believe MS will want to make all Zenimax owned IPs exclusive to Xbox/PC. Why? Because MS likes one thing, and one thing only, above all else. Money. They will never make back their 7.5 billion investment by putting these games exclusively on Game Pass. That's not their plan. But they will hold the strings and be able to call first party exclusive on any game they want from that team of studios. Microsoft's entire history has been based on acquiring others. They haven't changed and I don't care if they buy every publisher in the world I will never buy an Xbox console.

It's completely apples and oranges to compare this to what Sony has done over the years.

[Lazarus69]

Agreed , I won't be surprised if they have all the games only available on their platforms at first, which they have every right to do then release them later on PlayStation.

[parkesy78]

These games will still be multiplatform microsoft still has shareholders to answer too and needs to make profit why do you think Minecraft is still being made and updated for everything

[Ratty]

It's not great for those who only own a PS4 and/or Switch. The only silver lining I see is that Microsoft could pressure Bethesda into actually completing their games instead of shipping untested, buggy crap. I love Elder Scrolls and Fallout but that's just a bad practice no matter how you look at it.

[System_Call]

If it was Sony buying Bethesda, the article would say "Why Sony buying Bethesta is anti consumer.

[Gameseeker_Frampt]

One less reason for me to support XBox. Instead of actually investing in new studios (just 1 out of 15) Microsoft instead just cares about buying other people's work so that they can claim it as their own. Microsoft had the chance to buy a publisher in 2012 with the bankruptcy of THQ but passed on every single IP as well as buying the entire publisher like they did here.

[SamTheGamer]

Does this mean the table has turned?

[East76lands]

Xbox are like the Man City of the gaming world, unable to create their own talent so they just buy up everyone else's.

[sampsonon]

Be prepared for mediocre day 1 games on gamepass from Bethesda.
Budget cuts incoming.

[Latex74]

NeoGamer232
I have to agree ps fan boys are the worst by a miles but hay that gaming for you lol lol

[paradigmfellow]

No, it is not.

[yomfweeee]

The reason it is bad is because of Microsoft's track record when it comes to purchasing. The games have always become worse under Microsoft.

[TheOtherMoon]

Huge news and a big win for Xbox users. Amazing games running on the better system.

[Phantom68]

This is why people should stop crying when PS5 exclusives, EVENTUALLY, ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, end up on PC. It is good for business and so it would be if Bethesda games, EVENTUALLY, end up on PS5.

[Father__Merrin]

What's in it for xbox gamers?

[MadLad]

Please. Please ...

An Obsidian developed Fallout.

[masterfox]

Lol great? MS history proves otherwhise and is not so great.

[MrBeatdown]

Xbox fans gloating about having more exclusives now is the equivalent of Trump gloating that he reduced the US rank in covid cases if he figured out how to blow up another country's case count.

Clowns comparing this to Sony buying studios that only found success when working exclusively with Sony are completely oblivious to the criticism of Microsoft's line-up. Naughty Dog and Guerrilla weren't GOTY quality studios before Sony partnered with them.

[dadano]

Everyone always only talks about Sony, don't you guys think the real Strategy is an attack on Epic and Valve/Steam. It would fit their tactics in conquering destroy and then monopolizing markets.

[WelkinCole]

Lets look at which gamers benefit from this

xbox gamers? - No as they were going to get these games regardless

PS and Nin gamers? - Obviously no they will not get these games anymore

Cross multi players that Phil and xbox gamers keep harping about since last gen? - lol Guess that nintendo love affair is over

So what exactly is the benefit to gamers this move makes?

Xbox fans bragging rights for getting games they were always going to get anyways?

Look there is nothing wrong with exclusivity for games that were developed for the console like the Marios, Halo's and Uncharted. The problem I have with exclusivity when is established muti plat franchises are suddenly paid to exclude other gamers that use to play previous games before on their platform of choice.

Same problem I have with time exclusives and DLC's. Its effectively paying to keep content away from other gamers platform that use to buy them.

[MadLad]

As PC guy, who likes the idea of open platforms and nothing being exclusive, I want as many people as possible to have access to as many games as possible.
As someone who has been on N4G for 8 years, knows the demographic here, and has seen people scream to buy virtually every solid developer out there, despite Sony already having a giant amount of award winning studios, I like to see stuff like this happen to, one, humble people, and two, actually create honest competition between the only two console manufacturers actually going head to head with each other.

[VTKC]

I am just thankful EA didn't get their scummy hands on them.

[Xristo]

As a PC gamer who's buying a PS5 and who already has Ultimate Game Pass through June 2022, I just smile.

[Class_Viceroy]

I have two thoughts

1) I have more respect for Sony because they have grown their first party studios more intimately and organically or through valued relationships with other companies. MS is just swinging their big dick around with all the money they have. That does worry me a little bit in their approach.

2) With all the hate that “Games as a service” gets, is nobody at all concerned that they are trying to force people into “Games for a Subscription Service”? I mean are we turning into Apple Arcade?

It’s exciting news for sure, but many of these companies they bought were putting out excellent games before MS. Dishonored, Prey, Senua, Wolfenstein, Doom, Wasteland, Outer Worlds, Evil Within, and of course Elder Scrolls/Fallout. You could argue most of these titles blew most Xbox studio games out of the water this generation on fractions of the budget.

I hope I’m completely wrong (I own PS console and subscribe to Gamepass) so I want both to be good. But some red flags come up with all the talking and throwing money around MS is doing before proving anything

[agent4532]

Less competition = stagnation

[S2Killinit]

For gamers?

[derek]

Lol, These media phonies, they better not say a word if and when Sony does something similar in the future. There were several articles on this site for days bemoaning the fact that Sony bought Spiderman exclusivity for avengers. Now universal praise for a big fat bloated entity like MS buying a independent studio that they inevitably will run right into the ground.

[Godmars290]

Why is it always "Great for Gamers" when MS gets an opportunity to exclude popular IPs, that they had no hand in actually making popular, from another playform?

[IdeasWithJax]

No one see's it but I see it: THE SHADOW

Okay here is the truth from one visionary to another. Msft will lose the console sales by a greater margin this gen. But hold on... Drum Roll: They have a long term cash cow play. MSFT Gamepass will be everywhere in my opinion and on many platforms in the coming years and at that time they will probably stream VR experiences through game pass to wireless VR headsets that are compatible. MSFT long term subscription play is KING with the power of the cloud.

Just look at MSFT Flight Simulator and just look at the tech behind that game. There will always be a console but the play is in subscriptions and how do you get more subscribers. By making deals with studios like EA to include their games in games pass or buying Bethesda, this company looks way beyond a 10 year mark. Where do you think big companies make their money on products or subscriptions?

Open your eyes this is the future of MSFT Games Studios if it wasn't they would have 1st party studios launching their games at launch to sell the system.

They have shifted focus and it will cost them a ton of market share this gen to only recover it later in the future when they decide to buy another big studio and raking in cash flow with 20 million users at 10dollars a month. 200 million a month plus all the other cuts probably like 1 billion a month eventually. MSFT is taking a big risk on this play at the cost of a technology that it's still in it's teen years. Now we wait, just keep an eye open and be aware of how much they are pushing gamepass this gen so you can hear me now and listen to me later.

[DaveZero]

Microsoft buying Bethesda is a statement and half, they will pump money and expand the franchise in all kinds of different ways. MS will also keep its core of the games I feel, they will also take it in different directions.

You dont spend 7 bill or over on buying a massive publisher and dev teams if you dont have ideas on what to do with it.

I'm feeling the McDonalds vibe here *I'm loving it*

[Dutchman141]

Wow, Playstation gamers here never leave an opportunity to bash Xbox about the fact that it doesn't have exclusives.
Now that Elders Scrolls and other games might become Xbox exclusive it's consumer unfriendly all of a sudden.
I bet that if Sony had bought Bethesda it would've been a great move.

One simple solution, buy both consoles, I did/do.

[stefd75]

Being an older gamer I really dont see how anyone can say this is good for gamers, I remember a time when all game came out on all systems and I still believe now that all games should be out for all system. This only seems to be good for xbox and pc gamers but if games like ES6, Doom and Fallout become Xbox only then there are a large amount of gamers who will miss out so it is not good for all gamers. Unless there is one system for everyone then that would be amazing and no more silly console wars or all this exclusive shit.

[C-H-E-F]

"Great for gamers", but if Sony had made the acquisition it would be an anti-sony article LOL. Once again, this is a great time to be a Playstation + PC owner. I don't see the full value of owning an xbox where all of the benefits is passed on to the PC consumer as well. Future first party xbox games are all on PC as well. I understand not everyone has $1200 to build a decent rig, so yes the xbox is in your financial realm, however to those that do. The investment is well worth it. Bethesda hasn't made a game that sparked my interest in some time though, until Death Loop on PS5 that seemed interesting it gave me some dishonored vibes. Hopefully Microsoft does what they did with Minecraft and allow Bethesda to operate outside of the Microsoft umbrella (still remain third party) for those who care for their games. Otherwise this will be a HUGE swing to Microsoft which is something they really needed (Games)

[Master of Unlocking]

"Why Microsoft’s Acquisition of Bethesda is Great for Gamers"

In the grand scheme of things, no, it is not.

After inventing charging gamers a monthly fee to access the online portion of their games (with their console and their internet connection, paid by them, not by Microsoft), Microsoft are at it again, trying this time to push "games as a service" where, much like what they're doing with that credit payment where you pay up to 800$ for a system that is worth (at least according to them) 500$, while giving you the illusion that they're doing you a favor by charging you only 33$/month during a whopping 24 months, you'll be paying what will ultimately amount to big sums of money, to own nothing but thin air in the end. And people (at least some) will buy into that, seeing as, when all is said and done, the games that used to be third-party IPs (like Doom, Fallout, TES, etc.) will be exclusive to MS's system and be accessible, at least for some time, solely via their GamesPass service.

I know I won't be buying into that sort of future of gaming, past maybe some initial try. I like to own my games and to know I'll still be able to play them some 25 years down the line.

[chrono1205]

Does that mean the creation engine bethesda uses will be fixed or nixed for something that "just works?"

[Binarycode]

They are nothing special ip wise. Quite old a lot of them.

And many of them are as buggy as fuk.lol

[JesusBuiltmyHotrod]

A big publisher getting bought and consolidated, less publishers is NEVER good for the consumer, what a ridiculous Shill piece. Never cheer for this.

[ChiefofLoliPolice]

Doesn't affect me, I play on PC anyway. But I understand Sony fans being hurt by this. And it kind of is a kick in the balls.