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Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks for $7.5B

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Re: Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks for $7.5B

#251

Post by masklinn »

gambiting wrote: post #178
actuator wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would never want it to happen because of how much I love Nintendo. But I have always thought if there is any gaming property Apple can really benefit from buying, it is Nintendo.

If I'm doing the maths correctly - Nintendo's current worth is somewhere around $40BN? Like, that's a lot of money, even for Apple, and then I'm not sure Nintendo would want to sell?

> I'm not sure Nintendo would want to sell?

Nintendo definitely wouldn't want to sell but it's publicly traded so a hostile takeover is always in the cards

Re: Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks for $7.5B

#252

Post by moomin »

staticman2 wrote: post #163
Andrex wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nintendo is just two bad generations of hardware from being vulnerable enough to sell itself (IMO.) They had only $4.3 billion cash on hand as of 2018 (surely more by now thanks to the success and maturation of the Switch.) But Microsoft just dropped a little less than double that on ZeniMax. I wish Nintendo were in such a rock-solid place where I'd feel confident about them existing forever like Disney but I don't t…

Worst case scenario for Nintendo would likely be making Xbox and PS5 games and PC games. I don't think they will ever be for sale.

Yeah, I mean, Sega don't have the mindshare they used to when they owned hardware, but they're very much still a thing.

Re: Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks for $7.5B

#253

Post by screye »

I genuinely think this is an amazing acquisition.

Bethesda/Zenimax has arguably the longest lineup of critically acclaimed franchises in the video game world. Additionally, almost every franchise still feels fresh and has pulling power, unlike ones like Halo and Assassins creed which have slowly lost their thunder.

Additionally, Bethesda had no idea what they were doing with their 2 biggest properties - Fallout and Elder scrolls. Hopefully with the MSFT acquisition, both will get some direction.

For those that work at Obsidian and MSFT owned game studios, is the Work-life-balance still terrible like most video-game studios or is it more in line with the 'family frendly' pace at proper MSFT ? Am I too naive to think that this might be a good thing for the employees and their sanity.

Re: Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks for $7.5B

#254

Post by masklinn »

the_duke wrote: post #229
Firebrand wrote: post #84

Bethesda Games are not going not be exclusive to Xbox -- Confirmed by Todd Howard: >Like our original partnership, this one is about more than one system or one screen. We share a deep belief in the fundamental power of games, in their ability to connect, empower, and bring joy. And a belief we should bring that to everyone - regardless of who you are, where you live, or what you play on. Regardless of the screen siz…

This is a typical, vague PR statement that can mean anything and nothing at all. Microsoft has decided that all their exclusives will also come to PC anyway. So Windows, Xbox consoles and Xcloud (streaming service) are a given. This doesn't promise in any way that games will come to PlayStation.

And even if it weren't a bullshit vague PR statement, once the company is sold the original owners have no say over its management.

Re: Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks for $7.5B

#256

Post by the_duke »

QuixoticQuibit wrote: post #194
curiousllama wrote: post #172

Microsoft is just trying to recreate console lock-in without having to subsidize hardware so much. (1) Microsoft is trying to expand their gaming division, but struggle with first-party games. This acquisition is an acknowledgement that MSFT needs Bethesda creatives. (2) Microsoft's big strategy right now is to build their Xbox ecosystem - they're pushing GamePass, Xcloud, etc. heavily, and trying to become Netflix f…

I don’t see how $10/mo is at all profitable with them adding all these AAA games to it.

Microsoft has hinted that it's a financial success already.

It's probably the gym membership model. Developers get money for actual time played. The market of users that just play from time to time and don't really care about the 10$s is probably substantial.

I fall into this category. I only really get an urge to play every few months. And unless there is some specific game I'm interested in, I just pick something from the Gamepass catalogue, which is already pretty substantial. (it has/had great games like RDR2, GTAV, Witcher 3, Subnautica, No Mans Sky, ...)

While cancelling the subscription and then re-subscribing when needed is actually pretty smooth (re-subscribing takes just 2 button presses), I don't care enough to do it.

And all the "idle" revenue probably allows Microsoft to play decent rates to publishers, so they actually incentivized enough to put their games on the service.

Re: Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks for $7.5B

#257

Post by maxsilver »

tormeh wrote: post #200
fendy3002 wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are more: - paradox interactive - rockstar, which is strong from gta v online and rdr - cd projeckt red, which also get income from gog and hyped cyberpunk - valve won't exit software devs in short time, their investment in vr is big. I won't be surprised if they release vanity knives with lootbox though IMO Bethesda decided to sell to MS because their recent games cannot generate enough popularity. They can on…

> IMO Bethesda decided to sell to MS because their recent games cannot generate enough popularity Truly mystifying why they'd want to create an MMO. It's as if they hadn't been following the news. The success of WoW is incredibly hard to repeat, and most studios who try fail, no matter how much money they throw at it. The MMO space has been, WoW aside, a money bonfire for one and a half decade at this point.

That, and also, Bethesda already owns the (3rd largest? ish?) MMORPG on the planet, with Elder Scrolls Online.

Re: Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks for $7.5B

#258

Post by wsc981 »

SSLy wrote: post #52
francis_t_catte wrote: post #22

Soon we'll just have Microsoft, Epic, and a conglomeration of EA, Activision, and Ubisoft after Bobby Kotick forces them all to merge. Facebook will bungle up any chance they have of capturing the gaming market after writing a cryptic paragraph about their legal right to request blood samples from all Oculous users in the TOS. Valve will quietly exit software development altogether, and pivot to building custom vanit…

Nintendo is self-sustainable, Apple is exerting a lot of influence among smaller studios with Arcade. Like Annapurna Interactive (which is nota bene funded by Oracle).

> Nintendo is self-sustainable, Apple is exerting a lot of influence among smaller studios with Arcade. Like Annapurna Interactive (which is nota bene funded by Oracle).

I feel Apple Arcade sucks. I recently subscribed, cause I thought maybe my daughter would enjoy it. But most of the games are still too hard for her. So then I tried to play some games on Arcade for myself, but can't say I enjoyed it. Played a few games for 15 - 30 minutes then got bored. There just seems to be very few -if any- really quality games on Apple Arcade, at least from my point of view.

A few days ago I ordered the Retroid Pocket 2 [0], I hope this device will help me get my gaming fix.

If the Retroid Pocket 2 provides me and my daughter with a fun experience, then later I'll order a 2nd one for my daughter. I believe old NES/SNES games are probably easier to play for a 3.5 year old child compared to most of Apple Arcade's offerings. My daughter can already handle a simple gamepad, so as long as the game doesn't use too many buttons (4 directions + A/B/X/Y), a game should be playable for her.

---

[0]: https://www.goretroid.com/products/retroid-pocket-2-handheld...

Re: Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks for $7.5B

#259

Post by mattmanser »

fendy3002 wrote: post #68
francis_t_catte wrote: post #22

Soon we'll just have Microsoft, Epic, and a conglomeration of EA, Activision, and Ubisoft after Bobby Kotick forces them all to merge. Facebook will bungle up any chance they have of capturing the gaming market after writing a cryptic paragraph about their legal right to request blood samples from all Oculous users in the TOS. Valve will quietly exit software development altogether, and pivot to building custom vanit…

There are more: - paradox interactive - rockstar, which is strong from gta v online and rdr - cd projeckt red, which also get income from gog and hyped cyberpunk - valve won't exit software devs in short time, their investment in vr is big. I won't be surprised if they release vanity knives with lootbox though IMO Bethesda decided to sell to MS because their recent games cannot generate enough popularity. They can on…

Fallout 4 was a massive hit and they've got a new franchise about to come out (Starfield). Wolfenstein + Dishonored have consistently sold well.

In May 2016, 5 years after Skyrim was released, it was valued at $2.5 billion, now it's being bought 4 years later for $7.5 billion.

I appreciate some Bethesda fans have a weird agenda, but you are wrong. Also, Starfield has been written in an overhauled engine, so again, wrong[1]. Although to be honest, it's probably the same engine with updates and they're just saying that to try and stop the small minority of rabid fans that keep on harping about their imagined deficiencies of the creation engine with every new Bethesda game. That's then always a massive hit.

[1]https://bethesda.net/en/article/4IwKWIj174Cb2QNTTtBAEb/todd-... - paragraph 9 "[The new console cycle has] led to our largest engine overhaul since Oblivion, with all new technologies powering our first new IP in 25 years, Starfield"

Re: Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks for $7.5B

#260

Post by masklinn »

zeroonetwothree wrote: post #169
bstar77 wrote: post #159

This just further confirms that my energy and money is going to the indie space. The level of enjoyment I get out of Factorio, Cuphead, Cogmind, Crusader Kings III, Curious Expedition 2, EXA Punks, Elite Dangerous, Kenshi, etc is so much greater than any AAA title I've touched in the past 5 years, yet these games are cheaper and most can run on a potato. I want to play games, not interactive movies.

Paradox isn’t exactly an indie

Yeah Paradox is a publisher so there are indie paradox games (e.g. cities skyline) but CKIII is from one of their internal studios so… not indie.
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