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

Re:Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks... by antonyh on Monday September 21, 2020 @10:04AM (#24543590)

Bethesda has become formulaic, with the elements of gameplay virtually the same amongst titles. Same across the board really, not much genre-defying for quite a while.

Outer Worlds, Fallout, and so on just differ by visuals and story, the general jist is all samey samey. No innovation. No just single series but across the estate. Nothings been as good as Fallout 3 & Skyrim, just repetitions and echoes of greatness.

Is this a good purchase for MS? Maybe, if it's for tech, IP, and bringing talent on board. Hopefully they'll add some originality in game play elements, not just reskinning.

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Re:Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks... by Tsiklon on Monday September 21, 2020 @10:11AM (#24543684)

The Outer Worlds was by Obsidian (founded by former Black Isle developers), and was unrelated to Bethesda’s games.

Now of course with this announcement Obsidian and Bethesda are sister studios.

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Re:Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks... by antonyh on Tuesday September 22, 2020 @08:51AM (#24553828)

Really? I can hardly tell the difference in gameplay elements, so I thought them to be the same.

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Re:Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks... by ben_e on Monday September 21, 2020 @10:13AM (#24543712)

Outer Worlds and Fallout come from two different developers.

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Re:Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks... by antonyh on Tuesday September 22, 2020 @08:53AM (#24553842)

Perhaps staff crossed over between the two companies?

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Re:Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks... by Trasmatta on Monday September 21, 2020 @10:11AM (#24543673)

Bethesda also includes id and Arkane. Arkane's games in particular are incredibly unique and well designed. There's still a lot of innovation happening under the Bethesda umbrella, even if Fallout and Elder Scrolls are stale.

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Re:Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks... by scollet on Monday September 21, 2020 @12:34PM (#24545392)

> Nothings been as good as Fallout 3

The irony is beyond my mortal understanding, but NV certainly flagships the IP today, behind maybe 2.

Both different developers.

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Re:Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks... by antonyh on Tuesday September 22, 2020 @08:52AM (#24553839)

I hated NV. It added complexity in crafting without joy for me.

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Re:Microsoft to acquire ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks... by scollet on Wednesday September 23, 2020 @12:31AM (#24562997)

Fair point. I kept it simple.

Big hammer.

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