The Horrible Truth Behind Microsoft Buying Bethesda

Fallout, Elder Scrolls & More Locked Behind Game Pass?

In advertising for the Xbox Series X and S, Microsoft has spent a lot of time and energy promoting the Xbox Game Pass and its cross-gen play. Game Pass is a reasonably priced monthly subscription that gives players access to over 100 games. The platform also promises that all Xbox Game Studios titles will be available to play from Day One, incentivising potential Xbox buyers. However, as the console release dates loomed, the calendar for Xbox-made game releases was seriously lacking.

Wouldn’t it be great if Microsoft acquired some universally adored games for Game Pass? Well, that’s what Microsoft has been doing long before the Zenimax Media acquisition. Ninja Theory (Hellblade), Double Fine Productions (Psychonauts), and Undead Labs (State of Decay) are all now a part of the tech giant's flagship.

Microsoft can steer its army of gaming studios towards building a library of exclusives for Game Pass and doesn’t even have to make massively popular games like The Elder Scrolls 6 Xbox-only. Microsoft can make a profit from PlayStation players by releasing ES6 as a non-exclusive, but can also incentivise prospective Xbox consumers if newly-released Bethesda games become available on Game Pass from the launch date.

Of course, it won’t be long before Microsoft starts using Bethesda’s namesake for exclusives. Starfield is a likely candidate as it's a brand new IP, with Zenimax Online (responsible for Elder Scrolls Online) announcing a new AAA game in pre-production. What we’re seeing is the beginning of Microsoft’s take-over of the gaming market, as the company capitalises on the next biggest gaming trend: streaming subscription services.