[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Cho] Microsoft (MS), which failed to acquire TikTok, is acquiring Bethesda Softworks, the developer of popular games 'The Elder Scrolls' and 'Fallout,' for $7.5 billion.
On the 21st (local time), MS announced that it had signed an acquisition agreement with ZeniMax Media, the parent company of Bethesda Softworks.
This is the largest acquisition in MS history. Previously, in 2014, MS acquired Mojang, the maker of Minecraft, for $2.5 billion. Minecraft is a best-selling game with over 200 million copies sold. MS expects this M&A to be completed in the second half of the 2021 fiscal year.
Through this M&A, MS will be able to showcase Bethesda's popular games on its own game brand, Xbox. Phil Spencer, MS Vice President of Gaming, said, "It's a great time to become a fan of Xbox," adding, "Following the reveal of details about the next-generation Xbox console, we are now investing in our key strategy: gaming."
MS plans to expand Xbox's influence by offering Bethesda's The Elder Scrolls series, Fallout series, and more. MS's monthly subscription gaming service, Xbox Game Pass, allows subscribers to access high-quality games at up to 20% discounted prices for a monthly fee, and currently has 15 million subscribers.
Satya Nadella, MS CEO, said, "From Minecraft to Flight Simulator, differentiated quality content is the engine that supports the growth and value of Xbox Game Pass," adding, "Bethesda is a proven game developer that has succeeded in all game categories."
However, major foreign media added that not all Bethesda games will be released exclusively on Xbox. Previously, Bethesda announced that some new titles, such as Deathloop, would be released as timed exclusives on Sony PlayStation 5.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
