Microsoft is expanding its position in the gaming industry with a blockbuster deal to acquire Bethesda Softworks parent company ZeniMax Media for $7.5 billion in cash.
Rockville, Maryland-based ZeniMax Media is one of the largest, privately held game developers and publishers in the world. Its best-selling game franchises include “Doom,” 鈥淭he Elder Scrolls鈥� and 鈥淔allout.鈥�
It is expected to soon release a new, space epic game called 鈥淪tarfield.鈥�
The acquisition will bring Bethesda Softworks鈥� portfolio of games, technology and talent to Xbox.
Microsoft鈥檚 cloud-gaming service Xbox Game Pass has 15 million subscribers.
鈥淎s a proven developer and publisher, Bethesda has seen success across every category of games, and together, we will further our ambition to empower the more than three billion gamers worldwide,鈥� said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in a statement.
ZeniMax Media was founded in 1999 by chairman and CEO Robert Altman. The company鈥檚 management and employees will remain in place following the acquisition.
鈥淲e have enjoyed a close partnership with Microsoft for decades, and this deal is a natural progression of those years working together,鈥� said Altman.
Pending regulatory approval, the acquisition is expected to close in the second half of 2021.
