Microsoft acquires Bethesda/Zenimax

[Jenkem]

The purchase of Bethesda seems kind of funny, especially for this money, because Microsoft buying Obsidian and inXile seemed like moves to basically create their own Bethesda. But then they just go and buy Bethesda a little under two years later. I guess the bright side of this is a turn based Fallout is more likely now than it ever has been since Bethesda got that series.

But then ZeniMax has those VR IPs too.

It's not just Bethesda Studios though.. It's ID, Tango Gameworks (Shinji Mikami,) Arkane and Machine Games (Wolfenstein.)

 

[guestposting]

Jesus Christ, say what you will about Obsidian and/or inXile, at least they make RPGs, which is not something you can say about Bethesda.

MSFT won’t let one of the biggest franchises in gaming lie fallow for years at a time. We are headed for peak Fallout. New Vegas 2, Tactics 2, Fallout the RTS. Believe it or not, some of this stuff might even be good! InXile just made a game that’s surprisingly solid—I certainly didn’t see that coming.

 

[LESS T_T]

I secretly hope for The Dishonored Adventure: Pandyssian Expedition RPG.

 

[anvi]

Sep 12, 2020

Just saying...

Microsoft Flight Simulator used an AI to bring in high rez satellite map pictures of the entire planet, and then generate the game world out of it.

Eventually this will trickle down to other games.

Most likely, Microsoft will adapt the AI and start pumping out open world games of their own. Imagine a game like Elder Scrolls, but with parts of actual Canada, Antarctica, America, New Zealand, etc. all pieced together to make a world that looks photorealistic but is thousands of miles in all directions. To reach other towns you have to fly on an airship or dragon or something.

That AI will then either be licensed out to other software developers, or other devs will have to make their own to keep up

 

[Jenkem]

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

Sep 12, 2020

Just saying...

Microsoft Flight Simulator used an AI to bring in high rez satellite map pictures of the entire planet, and then generate the game world out of it.

Eventually this will trickle down to other games.

Most likely, Microsoft will adapt the AI and start pumping out open world games of their own. Imagine a game like Elder Scrolls, but with parts of actual Canada, Antarctica, America, New Zealand, etc. all pieced together to make a world that looks photorealistic but is thousands of miles in all directions. To reach other towns you have to fly on an airship or dragon or something.

That AI will then either be licensed out to other software developers, or other devs will have to make their own to keep up

Pretty sure I made a thread about this very idea a while back.

And there have already been games based around this concept to a small degree. I seem to recall a cell phone game that let you fight alines on your block or something.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

I secretly hope for The Dishonored Adventure: Pandyssian Expedition RPG.

Dishonored is crappy Thief with crappy graphics and a crappy story. I hope the series dies.

 

[anvi]

Yeah it is pretty obvious to predict where gaming is heading. I remember in Arma2, the map was already huge at 60km squared, or something like that. But when you got to the end of the map it would start procedurally creating landscape. Not very detailed but if that euro janky team can do such a thing with such a budget and in 2004 or whatever, then.... the future is gonna be cool.

 

[anvi]

Hating on Bethesda is one of my favorite things in the world, but I gotta admit... Playing a Microsoft AI and $$ backed ES6 or 7 with a VR headset and some decent combat is something I would love to do. I just hope they can stop aiming so low.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

Not very detailed but if that euro janky team can do such a thing with such a budget and in 2004 or whatever, then.... the future is gonna be cool.

Which is exactly what we all thought in 2004...

 

[Pegultagol]

EA should be looking over their shoulder...they just gave access to their catalogue to now one of the biggest competitors in publishing and game development. I'm sure the pandemic helped turn the finances around for Ubisoft somewhat, but with ongoing problems with its sales and staffing, maybe they would want a piece of the Microsoft pie before it's too late.

 

[anvi]

Yeah well that future is now. I can fly over my house in MSFS2020 and it looks awesome! Then I could fly to Egypt or Paris or something all without loading screens. They redefined what an open world game can be and it is already out now. That AI is serious business. That AI combined with the Elder Scrolls series is going to be incredible. The best thing is the other gaming mega corps. are going to have to become more advanced to stay relevant. MF's like Rockstar been resting on their laurels for like 30 years... Bethesda too.

 

[DeepOcean]

Current year Obsidian making another Fallout is almost as bad as bethesda making one

Obsidian would be worse than Bethesda, at least with Bethesda I would laugh about it like I did with Fallout 4, seeing New Vegas 2 made by the same people who made Outer Worlds would just be depressing.

 

[DeepOcean]

I dunno why some people still root for a New Vegas 2, I mean, John Gonzalez isnt there, MCA isnt there, most of the team that made New Vegas isnt there, grandma Sawyer was the spreadsheet guy, he made sure shit was done but he didnt make the game alone and cant do miracles, you give shit material to grandma Sawyer and grandma Sawyer will make sure the shit material is released on time, that is it, he cant change the nature of it alone. What he did was important? Yes, but he was far from being the only guy that worked on the project and the only responsible.

Unless Feargus hire better writers for a New Vegas 2, I have zero interest by what is produced by the people who made Outer Worlds, that insipid pile of garbage was depressing to watch. I can easily see the mind of Feargus and Microsoft executives working, "Hey, the Fallout fans liked Outer Worlds so much, I think this team will make New Vegas 2 while the main team do Avowed." and dear God, NO! I would prefer Bethesda burying the Fallout IP with Fallout 76 if that is the alternative.

And no, it isnt because I hate the gayzes, the sins of Outer Worlds was thinking on that bullshit even before trying to make a coherent setting that worked. No, I dont want to help you make a date for with your lesbian girlfriend like you were a fucking child when I think the setting of your game was made by monkeys with typewriters.

 

[RobotSquirrel]

New Vegas 2

What I don't get is why people just want to see the same locations again. Part of the fun of Fallout 1 to 2 was that the settings shifted we saw the story progress and the environments change.
It just feels like people want the exact same game again. Sigh.

 

[TheHeroOfTime]

The only good thing about all this is that Fallout, Inxile and Obsidian are now under the same roof

 

[Quillon]

New Vegas 2

What I don't get is why people just want to see the same locations again. Part of the fun of Fallout 1 to 2 was that the settings shifted we saw the story progress and the environments change.
It just feels like people want the exact same game again. Sigh.

it just means new west coast fallout by the people who made NV(who aren't there anymore), like when they say skyrim 2; they don't mean or don't realize the next ES won't take place in the same location in tamriel

 

[kalganoat]

It seems Bethesda still has autonomy to a certain degree. We probably won't be seeing their IPs given to another xbox studio soon.

 

[Cholo]

Lmfao next gen Fallout written by californian weirdos will have the player choosing between a gay relationship and a gay pedophilic relationship

 

[Morpheus Kitami]

I don't see how this is going to be worth it for Microsoft. I can't imagine how TES: VI or the space game will put enough butts on the Xbox whatever to justify 7.5 billion, and I don't see the rest of their games making up the rest.

 

[Gastrick]

Crpgaddict is going to like this, he has stated that he'd be happy with Skyrim sequels being released like pokemon games.

Unfortunate from the competition standpoint to see companies being bought out. I wonder how it'll turn out with 3 rpg companies being owned by Microsoft.

 

[Infinitron]

It could end up being like how there are three Call of Duty studios. A Skyrim clone every year!

 

[Poseidon00]

Crpgaddict is going to like this, he has stated that he'd be happy with Skyrim sequels being released like pokemon games.

Unfortunate from the competition standpoint to see companies being bought out. I wonder how it'll turn out with 3 rpg companies being owned by Microsoft.

I mean, I kind of agree with this. Does waiting a decade per release really change the quality of the game? Not really. Give me my yearly hiking sim shovelware and i'll mod it to my own personal tastes.

 

[Wunderbar]

the only ones who are upset/concerned about this are sony fans... shit will still come to PC anyways
why so many playstation fanboys on RPGCODEX????
keep losing, snoy

When the original xbox only started and wasn't doing great against PS2, MS ported Halo 1-2, Gears of war and Fable on PC. Once they've realized that Xbox 360 is a success, they quickly pulled the plug and PC never saw Fable 2, Gears 2-3-4 or Halo 3-4-etc.

The same thing is happening right now, MS are only porting games to PC because Xbox one was a failure. They will stop doing that soon.

 

[anvi]

I don't see how this is going to be worth it for Microsoft. I can't imagine how TES: VI or the space game will put enough butts on the Xbox whatever to justify 7.5 billion, and I don't see the rest of their games making up the rest.

It isn't just xbox it is PC too. They abandoned PC while they focused on building the xbox, and the PC boomed in that time. Now they learned from the mistake and want to grow both together. They are growing an 'ecosystem' of Windows on PC and Xbox, but all running alongside each other. Gamers playing together and chatting together and games developed specifically for xbox or windows. Cheaper and better in terms of development, and the audience will be enormous. How can little Sony compete with every gaming PC in the world combined with every Xbox.

The amount they have spent on the new Flight Sim, on Minecraft, and now on Zenimax shows how serious they are about boosting gaming on PC/xbox. If ES6 ends up being exclusive, that likely send the Playstation the way of the Megadrive.