# Microsoft now owns The Elder Scrolls, Fallout and Doom **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 21, 2020, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-now-owns-the-elder-scrolls-fallout-and-doom/921160 "2020-09-21T17:47:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-now-owns-the-elder-scrolls-fallout-and-doom/921160/1 "2020-09-21T17:47:26Z")
As reported in PC Gamer: > **[Microsoft now owns The Elder Scrolls, Fallout and Doom](https://www.pcgamer.com/microsoft-now-owns-the-elder-scrolls-fallout-and-doom/?fbclid=IwAR3zIJJ6y50SBEnb3nE_PpLmaJW5zUksIOVTrm8UaSAhcEfnPRfgHdZv_9o)** > > It's acquired ZeniMax Media and its many studios. The full list- - Alpha Dog Games (mobile games) - Arkane Studios (Dishonored) - Arkane Studios Austin - Bethesda Game Studios (Skyrim, Fallout 3, Fallout 4) - Bethesda Game Studios Austin (Fallout 76) - Bethesda Game Studios Dallas - Bethesda Game Studios Montreal - Bethesda Softworks - id Software (Doom, Doom Eternal) - MachineGames (modern Wolfenstein series) - Roundhouse Studios (Rune 2) - Tango Gameworks (The Evil Within, Ghostwire: Tokyo) - ZeniMax Online Studios (The Elder Scrolls Online, Fallout 76) ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-now-owns-the-elder-scrolls-fallout-and-doom/921160/2 "2020-09-21T18:12:55Z")
Bethesda could use some help with the coding/testing of the Elder Scrolls/Fallout games, because it’s almost become a cliché how you can get quest-trapped and other game-killer situations that are impossible to predict (absent foreknowledge). But I don’t think Microsoft is the solution\*. - I could rant forever, but the most recent experience is the disaster the MS Flight Simulator 2020 installer was at launch; at that’s just the _installer_. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-now-owns-the-elder-scrolls-fallout-and-doom/921160/3 "2020-09-21T18:32:46Z")
Ah, hell, now I’m going to have to pay to play Doom? dammit. ---
**Author:** ![blue\_infinity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blue_infinity/32/2817_2.png) [@blue\_infinity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blue_infinity)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2020, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-now-owns-the-elder-scrolls-fallout-and-doom/921160/4 "2020-09-22T02:04:09Z")
Elder Scrolls games have always been primarily PC oriented. My worry here, is the Microsoft will turn TES 6 into an Xbox exclusive, with a shitty PC port as an afterthought. And they hobble or monetize the modding. ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2020, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-now-owns-the-elder-scrolls-fallout-and-doom/921160/5 "2020-09-22T18:04:35Z")
I did some reading in a variety of other game-focused forums, and people are pointing to **Minecraft** which Microsoft purchased in 2014, I believe. There was much fear, justifiable I think, as to what was to become of this world favorite. While I play it on occasion, I don’t follow the industry, but those with an opinion unanimously agreed that it turned out just fine, and improvements to the game continued. So I think worrying is understandable (I am), but there is some hope that things will be well. Many folks are saying that Bethesda has needed development support for years but were denied, so maybe this will be a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2020, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-now-owns-the-elder-scrolls-fallout-and-doom/921160/6 "2020-09-22T18:24:16Z")
There are two basic trains of thought from what I can see. 1. OMG!!! Fallout New Vegas 2 is gonna happen!! 2. OHNOES!!! everything Bethesda is gonna be Exclusive. Personally I see very little chance of either of those happening. Microsoft is all in on Game Pass, and IMHO this is mostly just reinforcing that portfolio so it is a must have for Xbox and PC gamers. But they will be more that happy to sell to PS owners and get a slice of that pie as well. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2020, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-now-owns-the-elder-scrolls-fallout-and-doom/921160/7 "2020-09-22T19:44:55Z")
Bethesda has been thirsty to start cashing in on the mod scene since Skyrim and has been trying to inch in that direction with each game. I honestly don’t think that Microsoft will be the deciding factor in the next Bethesda RPG; they’d be setting up a paid wall mod garden either way. They’ll add some online portion and explain it away with “For the integrity of our online experience…” > [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Ah, hell, now I’m going to have to pay to play Doom? Not sure which Doom you’re referring to but I’d expect to see more games on MS Game Pass which is a good thing for me. Game Pass has already paid for itself in my wallet by keeping me from buying several games I thought I’d be into but, upon playing, didn’t really care for and was glad I didn’t drop the cash on them. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2020, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-now-owns-the-elder-scrolls-fallout-and-doom/921160/8 "2020-09-22T20:28:20Z")
> [@blue\_infinity](#): > > My worry here, is the Microsoft will turn TES 6 into an Xbox exclusive, with a shitty PC port as an afterthought. Why would MS do that? After all, MS of all people are happy with PC gaming. The folks who should be most worried are PlayStation folks. MS is saying they’ll decide on a case by case basis - but no one really knows what that means yet. People are just speculating, but at best case for PS fans is that those games are going to be timed exclusives for Xbox. Worst case, you’ll have to buy an Xbox or Gaming PC to play it at all. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-now-owns-the-elder-scrolls-fallout-and-doom/921160/9 "2020-09-23T18:16:34Z")
Can you imagine the shitstorm from Playstation owners if Elder Scrolls 6 was only for XBoxWhatever and PC? I’m really hoping MS does the right thing and releases for both consoles, but they have been trying to make Xbox work for so long I doubt they will. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-now-owns-the-elder-scrolls-fallout-and-doom/921160/10 "2020-09-23T18:27:14Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Not sure which Doom you’re referring to but I’d expect to see more games on MS Game Pass which is a good thing for me. I was being facetious. Pre Mrs. Plant (v.2.0) and I played Doom II with modems in Arkansas and New Hampshire. I really enjoyed Doom with two or three players. I did have to remember to stand behind her, for she began shooting and then aimed. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-now-owns-the-elder-scrolls-fallout-and-doom/921160/11 "2020-09-23T19:24:13Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > Can you imagine the shitstorm from Playstation owners if Elder Scrolls 6 was only for XBoxWhatever and PC? I’m really hoping MS does the right thing and releases for both consoles, but they have been trying to make Xbox work for so long I doubt they will. I mean the reason this has come about is because Sony has been pushing the ‘we have exclusives’ line for so long. Microsoft got killed in the current gen and they were wary of getting killed in the next gen as well (which would likely mean the end of Xbox, tbh), so they splashed a bunch of cash to secure some top level games (both Sony and MS have been looking to acquire game studios for the last few years so they can keep them ‘in house’). I’m sure MS will do some exclusivity on the games and PS owners will be upset. It’s kind of a live by the exclusive, die by the exclusive for PS (who just recently procured an exclusive Spiderman character in the Avengers game). I say this as someone who is moving to PlayStation next gen (have a PS5 preorder) - almost entirely due to the PS exclusives. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-now-owns-the-elder-scrolls-fallout-and-doom/921160/12 "2020-09-23T20:03:54Z")
Will they actually make Elder Scrolls VI now? ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-now-owns-the-elder-scrolls-fallout-and-doom/921160/13 "2020-09-23T20:08:45Z")
They’ve been making it. It was announced two or three years ago. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-now-owns-the-elder-scrolls-fallout-and-doom/921160/14 "2020-09-23T21:01:01Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > > [@control-z](#): > > > > Can you imagine the shitstorm from Playstation owners if Elder Scrolls 6 was only for XBoxWhatever and PC? I’m really hoping MS does the right thing and releases for both consoles, but they have been trying to make Xbox work for so long I doubt they will. > > I mean the reason this has come about is because Sony has been pushing the ‘we have exclusives’ line for so long. Microsoft got killed in the current gen and they were wary of getting killed in the next gen as well (which would likely mean the end of Xbox, tbh), It depends on what you mean by getting killed. They were outsold 2-1 on pure console numbers, but console hardware itself is only a minimal profit, if not a pure loss leader. Game pass on Xbox(excluding PC game pass) is vastly more profitable than PS Now (I think that’s what their subscription service is called.) Sony probably won by the definition they,and the console war fan boys are using ;and Microsoft is winning by the one they are using. I don’t think exclusives are in their plans, from my best guess at their business plans. They are just such big companies, with so many tendrils, it’s damn near impossibleto tell what is really important to whom. But MS can throw 7.5B here easily, and can throw much more still, while Sony just doesn’t have the liquidity. If Xbox was playing the exclusivity game, then why would they be playing coy at this key point in the sales battle? Wouldn’t they be shouting it on all channels to tip the battle? ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-now-owns-the-elder-scrolls-fallout-and-doom/921160/15 "2020-09-23T21:13:37Z")
They haven’t been shy about their plans. After Deathloop and Ghostwire, all future Bethesda games will be PC/Xbox only (though rare exceptions might be made on a case-by-case basis). ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-now-owns-the-elder-scrolls-fallout-and-doom/921160/16 "2020-09-23T21:17:11Z")
Do you have a cite for that, I haven’t been able to find anything, and none of the first 10 sites I google says anything about them announcing console exclusivity. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-now-owns-the-elder-scrolls-fallout-and-doom/921160/17 "2020-09-23T21:24:01Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > They were outsold 2-1 on pure console numbers, but console hardware itself is only a minimal profit, if not a pure loss leader. Game pass on Xbox(excluding PC game pass) is vastly more profitable than PS Now (I think that’s what their subscription service is called.) 2-1 is quite significant in the console market. PS4 has sold 110million units worldwide as of May 2020. Xbox One sold 47million units. And the Nintendo Switch PASSED the Xbox One at the end of 2019 and sold 57 million units. IIRC, Gamepass is actually still losing quite a bit of money. At this point they are looking forward to eventually making money. But it isn’t there yet. And why do you think Xbox doesn’t have console exclusives? What do you call Halo or Fable or Gears of War, or Forza, or the newly announced Avowed? All were announced at the XBox event earlier this Summer (and then Halo Infinite had to get delayed so its not a launch title). Xbox has definitely had exclusives, they just haven’t had much to shout about. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-now-owns-the-elder-scrolls-fallout-and-doom/921160/18 "2020-09-23T21:26:38Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > all future Bethesda games will be PC/Xbox only (though rare exceptions might be made on a case-by-case basis > **[Future Bethesda Games Will Come To Other Consoles 'On A Case-By-Case Basis,'...](https://www.kotaku.com.au/2020/09/future-bethesda-games-will-come-to-other-consoles-on-a-case-by-case-basis-microsoft-says/)** > > Following the announcement that Microsoft is buying Bethesda’s parent company, ZeniMax Media, Xbox boss Phil Spencer opened up the possibility that some of the newly acquired publisher’s future games could become exclusives. In an interview with... People are saying that obvious Elder Scrolls or Fallout will be released on PS or Switch in the case by case analysis. But who knows? It’s obvious that Microsoft isn’t going to be releasing all Bethesda games or ID games on all consoles. They’ll make a decision based on each game. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-now-owns-the-elder-scrolls-fallout-and-doom/921160/19 "2020-09-23T21:27:57Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Do you have a cite for that, I haven’t been able to find anything, and none of the first 10 sites I google says anything about them announcing console exclusivity. [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-21/microsoft-to-buy-bethesda-studios-for-7-5-billion-to-boost-xbox](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-21/microsoft-to-buy-bethesda-studios-for-7-5-billion-to-boost-xbox) “Future games, like Starfield, will be available for Xbox, PC and Microsoft’s Game Pass video-game service. “We’ll take other consoles on a case-by-case basis,” Spencer said.“ ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-now-owns-the-elder-scrolls-fallout-and-doom/921160/20 "2020-09-23T21:28:19Z")
So again I ask the question, If they plan to make them exclusive why are they being coy about it at the most critical time to influence sales? This is the time to say" If you buy a Playstation you will not get to play any Bethesda titles!" But they are not, they are hedging their bets, probably figuring they may have leverage if they keep it open. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-now-owns-the-elder-scrolls-fallout-and-doom/921160.md?page=2)