Microsoft’s Bethesda Acquisition Doesn’t Necessarily Mean More Xbox Exclusives
Deconstructing the surprise no one saw coming
Microsoft dropped a bombshell this Monday when it announced that it would be taking over ZeniMax Media, the parent company behind one of gaming’s biggest juggernauts, Bethesda Softworks. Doom, Wolfenstein, Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, Quake, Dishonoured, I could keep going. Iconic franchises that command an incredible technical pedigree in the gaming space. It’s certainly a big win for Team Xbox, but would Microsoft really skimp out on selling games to PlayStation and Nintendo fans? Losing potentially millions in game sales in order to shore up their exclusive lineup?
I don’t think so.
Microsoft’s $7.5 billion nets them eight studios, a talented group of over 2300 developers known for creating acclaimed masterpieces. This bumps Xbox’s list of internal studies to 23 and fills a Bethesda-shaped hole against Sony’s onslaught of exclusive titles. Bethesda already has a history with Xbox, with its first console game The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind showing up on the original Xbox. In addition to future Bethesda games like Starfield hitting Xbox Game Pass on day one, it wouldn’t be much of a stretch for an exclusive game to show up on Microsoft’s platform of choice. As for Arkane’s Deathloop and Tango Gameworks’ Ghostwire: Tokyo, games announced as timed exclusives for Sony’s PlayStation 5 and PC, Microsoft stated that it will honor these deals.
Microsoft publishing games exclusively for the PS5? 2020 sure is one for the books.
Future games will come to non-Xbox platforms on a “case-by-case basis.” While this sounds like there’s room for discussion, here’s why there’s a good chance Microsoft will continue to support rival systems in the near future. Console wars have always been about little to no hardware margins and recouping losses with videogame sales. But with Microsoft’s focus on getting Xbox Game Pass to as many people as possible, they just might have the chance to have their cake and eat it too. A 50% jump in subscriber count over the past few months means that they’re already on the right track. Videogame sales would only deepen Microsoft’s wallet.
While Bethesda joining the Microsoft bandwagon might seem like a big win in the exclusives department, here’s why Microsoft stands to gain more from releasing upcoming Bethesda titles across platforms.
Strength in numbers
With over 30 million copies sold as of 2016, Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is among the top 20 best-selling videogames of all time. A good chunk of those sales came from the PC version, enabling it to have perhaps the best modding scene in the business. You know Skyrim’s modders are second to none when blogs have a top 100 list for its mods. From graphical showcases to new narratives, it opened a portal for fans to build on an already critically acclaimed game. You can thank them for keeping the game alive 9 years after its release.
Bethesda’s foothold in the PC space is undeniable. Their connection to the rise of PC gaming grants them an enviable position in the minds of players. Just looking at the titles developed by Bethesda could give anyone a dose of nostalgia. While Fallout’s earlier iterations and The Elder Scrolls offered a hardcore role-playing experience, Doom and Wolfenstein pioneered the mechanics that would spawn the first-person shooter genre. A formula that still reaps success with games like Wolfenstein: Youngblood and Doom Eternal. Add to that the subscription-based format that The Elder Scrolls Online offers as well as successful mobile games like Fallout Shelter, Bethesda’s creations are solid bets for Microsoft. And Xbox Game Pass.
Versatility is the name of the game here. Be it Dishonoured’s masterful stealth elements or Prey’s haunting tale aboard a space station, Bethesda knows how to double down on effective mechanics, no matter how exotic the setting. Microsoft promises that Bethesda will retain its existing hierarchy of leadership, which means that they will continue working on ongoing projects destined for all leading platforms. Considering the fact that most of these projects have been in the making for years, it makes little sense for them to pull a 180 and abandon Sony and Nintendo versions of said games.
And with the deal closing only by the second quarter of 2021, there isn’t a lot Microsoft can do to stop gears that have already been set in motion.
Microsoft has a decision to make
Bethesda is no silver bullet. It isn’t magically going to solve the exclusives problem without gamers raising their pitchforks. Dropping support for platforms that Bethesda has worked with for years isn’t something that will go well with fans. Instead of going the route it did with Rare, it makes more sense for Microsoft to handle things the way they worked with Mojang on Minecraft: across every conceivable platform. They continue to rake in a fortune by holding on to its userbase of over 200 million players. It’s a recipe for success that Microsoft could replicate with Bethesda. After all, they’ve been moving in this consumer-friendly direction for years by cozying up with behemoths like Google.
While Bethesda has had its share of fame and bountiful sales, their games are notorious when it comes to bugs. Case in point, Fallout 76.
It took Bethesda an embarrassing amount of time to fix a game that was beyond broken at launch. Even Skyrim is plagued with a glitchfest for a past. Whether this changes under Microsoft is something that remains to be seen. Nonetheless, they’ve still got the potential to raise the stakes when it comes to Microsoft’s lackluster first-party lineup. A game or two could help bolster its defenses, but I believe these will be brand-new efforts instead of entries into existing franchises, along the veins of Deathloop. This ensures that they maximize the sales from the current fanbase, padding Microsoft’s deep pockets for more bold experiments and purchases.
Bethesda’s statement seems to indicate the same, despite the “case-by-case” clause:
“We’re still working on the same games we were yesterday, made by the same studios we’ve worked with for years, and those games will be published by us.”
Pete Hines, marketing head at Bethesda
With Bethesda under its belt, Microsoft is in a pretty good place to take on the PlayStation 5. It’s their biggest gaming purchase yet, one that gives Microsoft a fighting chance against games like Spider-Man: Miles Morales and the God of War sequel. After the delay of Halo Infinite and a phenomenal showcase from Sony, the surprise announcement restores some faith in the Redmond giant. And with Xbox Series X and Series S preorders opening tomorrow, Microsoft’s acquisition is certain to have an effect on eager console buyers.
