This confirmation comes from Microsoft themselves after their formal acquisition of ZeniMax Media. ZeniMax Media owns multiple well-known video game development studios. Eight, to be exact. This includes marquee names in the industry such as id Software (Doom and Wolfenstein), Bethesda Game Studios (The Elder Scrolls and Fallout), and Arkane (Dishonored). The buyout was set at $7.5 billion. This is a hefty price all things considered. However, it could be an investment that ends up paying off quite well for Microsoft. This is especially if they are able to successfully integrate the new IPs that they now have into the Xbox ecosystem and keep them off the PlayStation.
What Games Will Be Exclusive to Microsoft Now?
Unfortunately, while Xbox head Phil Spencer did clarify that some titles will be exclusive to the Xbox ecosystem going forward, he failed to mention which titles will be the first to receive exclusivity. However, we wouldn’t be surprised if Microsoft starts off with something big. We already know that Deathloop is out of the question. It’s already signed to be a timed-exclusive to the PlayStation. But, even if this is true, Microsoft still has a handful of titles at its disposal. This includes highly-anticipated releases like Starfield with the next The Elder Scrolls title possibly being unavailable to play for PlayStation owners. It’s also worth noting that it makes sense for Microsoft to work with Bethesda first and make their games exclusive. The two have had a fruitful partnership in recent years. This includes Bethesda helping out with the Xbox Series X, as well as the Skyrim Special Edition and Fallout 4. With that said, Microsoft’s guidance could prove to be useful for Bethesda. Although they’re still one of the more popular gaming companies around, their reputation was marred by the way they handled Fallout 76. But, now that they seem to be getting priority from Microsoft over other ZeniMax Media studios, they might be able to get their ducks in a row, or so to speak. On the other hand, it’s also a big win for Microsoft. Bethesda’s titles have proven to be a big draw over the years, even the botched titles such as the aforementioned Fallout 76. By making Bethesda games exclusive to the Xbox ecosystem, they can also make future Bethesda titles part of the Xbox Game Pass. As a result, Microsoft might be tempted to raise the price for the subscription and that’s if they haven’t considered doing that already.
