Yesterday Microsoft managed to get its planned acquisition of ZeniMax Media approved by the likes of the FCC in the US and the European Commission on this side of the pond. Shortly after those regulatory hurdles were successfully overcome the firm announced that it had officially completed the acquisition under scrutiny. Microsoft's Phil Spencer commented that it was an "exciting day for Xbox," as it meant that "eight incredibly talented development studios" and their communities would be joining the Xbox family.
Microsoft's $7.5 billion deal has netted it the following iconic and well known games development studios; Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, ZeniMax Online Studios, Arkane, MachineGames, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog, and Roundhouse Studios. Now the deal is done and dusted, Microsoft's goal is to "give these teams the best foundation for doing their greatest work and to learn from them as we continue to build Xbox into an inclusive platform for all players," wrote Spencer on the Xbox Wire news blog.
With regard to the daily operation of the acquired games studios, Microsoft says it will be doing its best to empower the adopted creative teams. Of course, it hopes to more than maintain the quality and rate of output that made these studios what they are today.
Xbox and PC exclusive titles
Going forward the best place to experience new Bethesda games will be on Xbox consoles, PC, and Game Pass, says Microsoft. Moreover, Microsoft's gaming platforms will be the only place for such fun as "some new titles in the future that will be exclusive to Xbox and PC players," Microsoft reveals.
Spencer signed off his Xbox Wire blog post by looking forward to existing Microsoft development teams and newly arrived ones from ZeniMax working together. It sounds like Microsoft wants to get up to speed quickly with the newly adopted studios' plans and thus later this year it intends to share with the gaming community on what the joint plans will be. Perhaps we will see a roadmap of sorts.
In the meantime Microsoft will celebrate the acquisition by adding more Bethesda games titles to the Xbox Games Pass later this week.
