Head of Xbox “href =” https://www.videogameschronicle.com/platforms/xbox/ “> Xbox Phil Spencer” href = “https://www.videogameschronicle.com/people/phil-spencer/”> Phil Spencer said he believes Bethesda’s development teams will be “very, very critical” of the platform’s future.
Xbox Game Studios (Microsoft) “href =” https://www.videogameschronicle.com/companies/microsoft/ “> Microsoft announced plans to launch ZeniMax Media and its game publisher Bethesda Softworks for $ 7.5 billion in September to be obtained, with the agreement expected to be completed in early 2021.
Spencer discussed Xbox’s plans for the year in a new Xbox podcast, saying he’s excited to finally complete the acquisition “so we can start working as one company.”
“I’m excited about 2021 and Bethesda is an important part of it,” he said.
‘In 2021 we will get final approval. I feel really good about it: everything is on course. We then really start to do some of the planning that we can do with it. At the moment we are really practical with them as they continue the work they are doing because we do not own it yet. ”
“Spencer said he was pleased to see the positive response from Xbox fans, and it’s probably the most important thing for me to be the Bethesda team, because these teams are going to be very, very critical of our progress going forward,” he said. said.
‘I can not wait to close it so we can start working as one company. I’m incredibly excited about Starfield “href =” https://www.videogameschronicle.com/games/starfield/ “> Starfield and many other things, some have announced and others have not announced that they are working on it. I was just thinking they are going to be an incredible addition to our studios. ”
Microsoft’s acquisition of ZeniMax Media “href =” https://www.videogameschronicle.com/companies/zenimax-media/ “> ZeniMax Media will grow Xbox Game Studios from 15 to 23 development teams.
Bethesda Softworks “href =” https://www.videogameschronicle.com/companies/zenimax-media/bethesda-softworks/ “> Bethesda Softworks Studios has Bethesda Game Studios (Fallout, Elder Scrolls), ID Software Studios Worldwide is employed. “href =” https://www.videogameschronicle.com/companies/zenimax-media/id-software/ “> id Software (Doom), ZeniMax Online Studios (Elder Scrolls Online), Arkane (Dishonored, Prey ), MachineGames “href =” https://www.videogameschronicle.com/companies/zenimax-media/machinegames/ “> MachineGames (Wolfenstein), Tango Gameworks” href = “https://www.videogameschronicle.com/companies/ zenimax-media / tango-gameworks / “> Tango Gameworks (The Evil Within), Alpha Dog and Roundhouse Studios.
When I think of our RPG capability with Obsidian Entertainment “href =” https://www.videogameschronicle.com/companies/microsoft/obsidian-entertainment/ “> Obsidian, InXile Entertainment” href = “https: // www. videogameschronicle .com / companies / microsoft / inxile-entertainment / “> inXile, the work that Playground Games” href = “https://www.videogameschronicle.com/companies/microsoft/playground-games/”> Playground does what it does now “Get out there with Fable, and what Bethesda can do … that’s a great ability,” Spencer said.
“I think of our FPS capability with Id, 343 and the work we can do … it doubles the size of our first party studios when Bethesda joins, which is great to think about.”
He added: “And geography: I think about where they are, which is important because I want teams from different parts of the world.”
Following the announcement of the acquisition, Spencer said Microsoft will abide by existing PS5 exclusivity agreements that Bethesda will offer for games such as Deathloop “href =” https://www.videogameschronicle.com/games/deathloop/ “> Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo. nakom.
However, Xbox chief financial officer Tim Stuart claimed in November that Microsoft wanted future Bethesda games to be ‘first or better or best’ on Xbox platforms.
‘What we will do in the long run is that we do not intend to simply extract all Bethesda content from Sony Interactive Entertainment’ href = “https://www.videogameschronicle.com/companies/sony/ ‘> Sony or Nintendo “href =” https://www.videogameschronicle.com/platforms/nintendo/ “> Nintendo or otherwise,” Stuart said.
‘But what we want is that we want the content to be first or better or the best in the long run or to choose your differentiated experience on our platforms. We want Bethesda content to appear best on our platforms.
‘Yes. This is not a point to be exclusive. This is not a point where we are adjusting timing, content or roadmap. But if you think of something like Game Pass, when it’s best featured in Game Pass, that’s what we want to see, and we want to drive our Game Pass subscriber management through the Bethesda pipeline.
“Again, I’m not announcing that the content is going to fetch platforms from any form,” Stuart continued. “But I suspect you will see that we will move to a first or better or best approach on our platforms.”