When Microsoft and Bethesda announced their tie-up, the gaming world knew then and there that the next-gen console struggles were already well underway. But what this means exactly for Bethesda’s games moving forward remains somewhat murky.
What we do know is that know the house of The Elder Scrolls, DOOM, and Fallout belongs to the company behind Xbox.
In a press release about the purchase, Microsoft said that Bethesda has a noteworthy place in the gaming community.
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. Over the years I’ve had many deep conversations with the creative leaders at Bethesda on the future of gaming and we’ve long shared similar visions for the opportunities for creators and their games to reach more players in more ways.
Microsoft
And it isn’t just Bethesda’s past work that caught Redmond’s eye but also future properties like Starfield, among others.
In a blog post explaining the move, Bethesda wrote, “So why the change? Because it allows us to make even better games going forward. Microsoft is an incredible partner and offers access to resources that will make us a better publisher and developer. We believe that means better games for you to play. Simply put – we believe that change is an important part of getting better. We believe in pushing ourselves to be better. To innovate. To grow.”
Bethesda also cited the long history of collaboration between the two companies, stating they share similar principles and philosophies.
And, we have a long history of working with Microsoft. Our companies share many of the same basic principles. We believe in a culture that values passion, quality, collaboration, and innovation. When I think back to the first time we decided to shift from being a PC-only developer and make Morrowind for the original Xbox, it was a move that countless people said would never work…nobody on consoles wanted a game that big and complex. But Microsoft believed in us and so did you. And now RPGs of all shapes and sizes are hugely successful on consoles.
Bethesda
So far, Microsoft plans on honoring Bethesda’s exclusivity agreements with the PlayStation 5. However, platform exclusivity moving forward remains a question. Some point to Microsoft’s treatment of Minecraft as a potential harbinger for the future of seeing Bethesda’s games on other systems.
What do you think of Microsoft’s purchase of Bethesda? Will this mean exclusivity for games like The Elder Scrolls and Fallout moving forward? Let us know your thoughts on this in the comments section below.
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