Xbox boss “href =” https://www.videogameschronicle.com/platforms/xbox/ “> Xbox Phil Spencer” href = “https://www.videogameschronicle.com/people/phil-spencer/”> Phil Spencer said he believes that Bethesda’s development teams will be “very, very critical” for the platform holder’s future.
Xbox Game Studios (Microsoft) “href =” https://www.videogameschronicle.com/companies/microsoft/ “> Microsoft has announced its intention to acquire ZeniMax Media and its game publisher Bethesda Softworks for $ 7.5 billion in September, with the deal expected to be completed in early 2021.
Discussing Xbox plans for the year on a new Xbox podcast, Spencer said he was excited to finally complete the acquisition “so that we can start working as a company”.
“I’m excited about 2021 and Bethesda is an important part of that,” he said.
“2021 is when we will have the final approval. I feel very good about it: everything is on track. We will then start to really be part of the planning that we can do with them. At the moment, we are really holding hands with them as they continue to do the work they are doing, because we do not yet own them. “
Reflecting on the surprise announcement of the deal last September, Spencer said he was happy to see the positive reaction from Xbox fans, “and probably the most important thing for me now is the Bethesda teams, because these teams will be very, very critical to our progress going forward, ”he said.
“I can’t wait to close it so we can start working as a single company. I’m incredibly excited about Starfield “href =” https://www.videogameschronicle.com/games/starfield/ “> Starfield and many other things, some announced and some unannounced that are working. I just think they will be an incredible addition to our studios. ”
Microsoft’s acquisition of ZeniMax Media “href =” https://www.videogameschronicle.com/companies/zenimax-media/ “> ZeniMax Media will see Xbox Game Studios grow from 15 to 23 development teams.
Employing approximately 2,300 employees worldwide, Bethesda Softworks “href =” https://www.videogameschronicle.com/companies/zenimax-media/bethesda-softworks/ “> Bethesda Softworks Studios includes Bethesda Game Studios (Fallout, Elder Scrolls ), id Software “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 role-playing ability 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 Playground Games” href = “https://www.videogameschronicle.com/companies/microsoft/playground-games/”> Playground is doing and now out there with Fable, and what Bethesda can do … it’s a huge capacity, ”said Spencer.
“I think about our FPS capability with Id, 343 and the work we can do … it doubles the size of our studios when Bethesda comes in, which is incredible to think about.”
He added: “And geography: I think about where they are, which is an important thing because I want to have teams from different places in the world”.
After the announcement of the acquisition, Spencer said Microsoft would honor existing PS5 exclusivity deals that Bethesda has in place for games like Deathloop “href =” https://www.videogameschronicle.com/games/deathloop/ “> Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo.
However, Xbox chief financial officer Tim Stuart said in November that Microsoft wants future Bethesda games to be “either the first or the best or the best” on Xbox platforms.
“What we will do in the long run is that we have no intention of just removing 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, “said Stuart.
“But what we want is for this content, in the long run, to be the first or the best or the best or choose your different experience on our platforms. We want Bethesda content to appear in the best possible way on our platforms.
“Yes. This is not a question of being exclusive. This is not a question of being – adjusting the timing, content or script. But if you think of something like the Game Pass, if it appears better on the Game Pass, that’s what we want to see, and we want to target our Game Pass subscriber base through the Bethesda pipeline.
“So again, I am not announcing the extraction of content from platforms in one way or another,” continued Stuart. “But I suspect that you will continue to see us move towards a first or better or better approach on our platforms.”