Microsoft Just Bought ZeniMax Media (id Software, Bethesda, etc.)

[Juxtapose]

Microsoft just bought ZeniMax Media, who owns id Software and Bethesda Game Studios. That means that DOOM, Fallout, The Elder Scrolls are Microsoft franchises now.

Source.

Microsoft really has come to play this generation.

 

[xenogorgeous]

wow, wtf ? so, the war for the next console generation .... it has just begun ?

 

[Juxtapose]

wow, wtf ? so, the war for the next console generation .... it has just begun ?

It'll be interesting to see what happens. Will they keep their games on Xbox-platforms, or will they still release on PlayStation consoles?

Will Obsidian continue with Outer Worlds, or will they return to the Fallout franchise?

 

[Juxtapose]

Interestingly, this means that those franchises will all be perma-joining Game Pass as first party titles. They'll also be part of the Smart Stream program.

Own the Xbox One version of DOOM: Eternal and they release a new, enhanced, Xbox Series X version? It's yours at no additional charge.

 

[Onilordasmodeus]

This is a HUGE deal. It really is insane. I wonder how fast these games will be on GP.

 

[Dankster Morgan]

Damn that's crazy, good for them. The Xbox is looking pretty legit, may have to pick one up eventually. Still going PS5 first though, Spider-Man and God of War 5 got me sold.

 

[Juxtapose]

I wonder how fast these games will be on GP.

I would imagine in the next month or so. Definitely for the Xbox Series launch.

The Xbox is looking pretty legit, ...

Yeah, they really do have their shit together this generation thus far. If they do make them Xbox-brand exclusives (so no PlayStation or Switch), then that means PC and Xbox is the place to play: Halo, DOOM, Fable, Fallout, Wolfenstein, The Elder Scrolls, Forza, Gears of War, Rage, Quake...

That's huge.

 

[Onilordasmodeus]

Damn that's crazy, good for them. The Xbox is looking pretty legit, may have to pick one up eventually. Still going PS5 first though, Spider-Man and God of War 5 got me sold.

Question: as a PlayStation guy (I'm assuming), how does the value proposition of the consoles strike you?

I didn't get a PS4 this past gen (I have an Xbox and a Switch), but as an outsider looking in I did want to play / try many of the PS exclusives. Going forward though (I'm planning to get an Xbox this next gen), the fact that I won't have to buy to many games outright vs on PS5, buying all the games outright, how does that sit with you? With next gen games costing $70 each, versus GamePass, does that factor in at all to how you are approaching these new consoles?

 

[Dankster Morgan]

Question: as a PlayStation guy (I'm assuming), how does the value proposition of the consoles strike you?

I didn't get a PS4 this past gen (I have an Xbox and a Switch), but as an outsider looking in I did want to play / try many of the PS exclusives. Going forward though (I'm planning to get an Xbox this next gen), the fact that I won't have to buy to many games outright vs on PS5, buying all the games outright, how does that sit with you? With next gen games costing $70 each, versus GamePass, does that factor in at all to how you are approaching these new consoles?

A couple things

- I'm not strictly a playstation guy, Halo is the reason I got into gaming, but it has been 10 years since I have loved a Halo game or MS game in general. Playstation however has made so many games I love and has been especially dominant in the 2010s for exclusives. The Last of Us, Uncharted 4, God of War 2018, Spider-Man, Ghost of Tsushima off the top of my head are some of my favorite single player games ever. Horizon Zero Dawn being slightly overrated imo and The Last of Us 2 as divisive as it is, is still worth a play through. Aside from Witcher 3, Red Dead Redemption 2, Doom Eternal, Batman: Arkham Knight, Assassin's Creed Origins, and Modern Warfare 2019, ALL of my favorite games this generation are PS exclusives... which is huge.

- I'm a full time student with a full time job and other hobbies more related to fitness as well as recreational learning that take priority over gaming for me, I don't have a lot of time to play. I wouldn't be surprised if the only games I get the rest of the year are Black Ops and Spider-Man. It won't always be like this though, once I get my degree and am no longer in school I will have more disposable time and income alike.

- Ideally, I would get a PS5 because all these killer apps are only on Playstation. I would then build a PC because Microsoft exclusives and game pass (I think) are on PC as well and I could build one that is superior to the Xbox Series X and be able to periodically upgrade it... forever. The PS5 however is not only the BEST way to play Naughty Dog's next game, it is the ONLY way. Xbox sort of backed themselves into a corner by not giving the Xbox it's self any special value as opposed to just building a PC and eating a higher up front cost for an overall better and more versatile machine. Game pass is fucking legit though, to be perfectly honest, I would bet money that within a year, sony will implement something similar.


That is actually what I would recommend for you. With a PS5, you could go back and play all these awesome games you missed.

 

[Gooberking]

Missed quite a few sales on GOG for their games I'm now wondering if I should have taken advantage of. I really haven't played one of their games since Oblivion but assumed I'd get around to Dishonored at some point.

I've been thinking about Game Pass. That would probably be a fine outlet for that sort of thing, though I have mixed feelings about the video game subscription model. Like video, it makes sense to have a Netflix like service that lets you try and consume large quantities of arbitrary content that you probably only want to experience one time, but I also like owning games and being able to reliable go to something if I so choose.

I'm not sure the video game consumers would be forward thinking enough to prevent subscription models from replacing buy models instead of supplementing them, but that's drifting Off Topic I guess.

 

[Juxtapose]

I would then build a PC because Microsoft exclusives and game pass (I think) are on PC

Currently, Game Pass is on PC (it's technically still in Beta), but it's not the same catalogue as on Xbox One. All first party games are still there (at least all the ones on PC, so no Halo 5: Guardians), but third party titles are a lot more limited.

Xbox sort of backed themselves into a corner by not giving the Xbox it's self any special value as opposed to just building a PC...

I still disagree strongly with this. They're making Xbox a brand, not a platform. They don't care if you play on PC or console (or even mobile), they're looking to profit off subscriptions. Thus, they've given the consumer choice: You want to build that high end PC and play there? Go for it! You still want to play on a console? Sure, they have the most powerful next gen console coming to the market (and in Canada it's actually cheaper than the PlayStation 5!), or you can purchase their base model which is the most affordable next gen console out there. Concerned about costs still, a subscription fee with Xbox All Access will cover you. Heck, want to play on your Android phone instead? Sure, you can do that do!

The options!

 

[Dankster Morgan]

Currently, Game Pass is on PC (it's technically still in Beta), but it's not the same catalogue as on Xbox One. All first party games are still there (at least all the ones on PC, so no Halo 5: Guardians), but third party titles are a lot more limited.



I still disagree strongly with this. They're making Xbox a brand, not a platform. They don't care if you play on PC or console (or even mobile), they're looking to profit off subscriptions. Thus, they've given the consumer choice: You want to build that high end PC and play there? Go for it! You still want to play on a console? Sure, they have the most powerful next gen console coming to the market (and in Canada it's actually cheaper than the PlayStation 5!), or you can purchase their base model which is the most affordable next gen console out there. Concerned about costs still, a subscription fee with Xbox All Access will cover you. Heck, want to play on your Android phone instead? Sure, you can do that do!

The options!

No Halo 5 is a mercy if anything lmao

And maybe "backed into a corner" is bad phrasing on my part. I don't mean as a brand or a value proposition, because it's really good in those aspects. I mean strictly in terms of it being vs PS5 for the games that are available on both.

 

[Juxtapose]

Should they make another Killer Instinct, guest characters I want to see now:

• Atriox
• DOOM Slayer
• Vivec

 

[Kiss the Missile]

I didn't get a PS4 this past gen (I have an Xbox and a Switch), but as an outsider looking in I did want to play / try many of the PS exclusives. Going forward though (I'm planning to get an Xbox this next gen), the fact that I won't have to buy to many games outright vs on PS5, buying all the games outright, how does that sit with you? With next gen games costing $70 each, versus GamePass, does that factor in at all to how you are approaching these new consoles?

I was thinking about that too, but I got Gamepass on pc a few months ago. Its an amazing deal, but its a deal on games I don't want to play. I think all I tried on Gamepass was a few hours of Indivisible.

 

[Juxtapose]

I was thinking about that too, but I got Gamepass on pc a few months ago. Its an amazing deal, but its a deal on games I don't want to play. I think all I tried on Gamepass was a few hours of Indivisible.

For me, I've used Game Pass as a "rental" service. I sign up for a month, try a few games I'm interested in, and if I like them and want to keep playing them, I buy them since you get a discount for being a Game Pass subscriber (about 10% off as I recall. Time this with a sale, and get even more off).

I then nix the Membership and play my new, purchased games. The overall cost runs much cheaper than a continued Game Pass Ultimate Subscription.

 

[Onilordasmodeus]

Should they make another Killer Instinct, guest characters I want to see now:

• Atriox
• DOOM Slayer
• Vivec

I didn't even thing about the crossovers that could happen now. And to think, there are more announcements to come...though I doubt any of them could Though to be honest, with Bethesda the only game I am really a huge fan of is Elder Scrolls. I do look forward to getting access to everything else though.

 

[Onilordasmodeus]

For me, I've used Game Pass as a "rental" service. I sign up for a month, try a few games I'm interested in, and if I like them and want to keep playing them, I buy them since you get a discount for being a Game Pass subscriber (about 10% off as I recall. Time this with a sale, and get even more off).

I then nix the Membership and play my new, purchased games. The overall cost runs much cheaper than a continued Game Pass Ultimate Subscription.

I'm the opposite. I've just kept my subscription going. After I played Crackdown 3 without having to buy it out right I was sold. I juggle to many games as is anyway, so GP allows that flexibility for me.

Add to that the fact that Xbox All Access is coming very soon! I'm looking to get an X or S (still don't know what I want to do) and ultimately save a few bucks on a new console while combining the live and GP services.

 

[Juxtapose]

I'm the opposite. I've just kept my subscription going. After I played Crackdown 3 without having to buy it out right I was sold. I juggle to many games as is anyway, so GP allows that flexibility for me.

Add to that the fact that Xbox All Access is coming very soon! I'm looking to get an X or S (still don't know what I want to do) and ultimately save a few bucks on a new console while combining the live and GP services.

Nice, the service is perfect for you then! For me, I typically focus on a few games at a time, so for me, the cost becomes overkill long term. Right now I'm mostly playing Killer Instinct: Definitive Edition and Halo Wars 2: Complete Edition, both first party titles on Game Pass, but that I bought.

What country are you in again? Xbox All Access is coming to Canada for the first time, which is great. Though it's at EB Games, which sucks as they're the used car salesmen of the games industry.

 

[Onilordasmodeus]

Nice, the service is perfect for you then! For me, I typically focus on a few games at a time, so for me, the cost becomes overkill long term. Right now I'm mostly playing Killer Instinct: Definitive Edition and Halo Wars 2: Complete Edition, both first party titles on Game Pass, but that I bought.

What country are you in again? Xbox All Access is coming to Canada for the first time, which is great. Though it's at EB Games, which sucks as they're the used car salesmen of the games industry.

I'm in Florida. I don't know how it works internationally, but you can do the all access thing through Amazon too. I can't imagine you'd only be pigeon holed into EB Games. That would be horrible.

 

[Juxtapose]

I'm in Florida. I don't know how it works internationally, but you can do the all access thing through Amazon too. I can't imagine you'd only be pigeon holed into EB Games. That would be horrible.

Here you are. Xbox All Access was only in a few countries before, and is being expanded to many others now, but through specific retailers per region. For Canada, it's EB Games, sadly.

Details here.

 

[Juxtapose]

Microsoft's official release here.

The wording sounds like they are going to be Xbox-platform exclusive titles going forward.

 

[CrimsonShadow]

RIP Bethesda

 

[Juxtapose]

RIP Bethesda

How so?

 

[CrimsonShadow]

How so?

Microsoft doesn't have a good history with gaming.

 

[Juxtapose]

Microsoft doesn't have a good history with gaming.

^That's biased, and shows you're actually ignoring history and simply focusing on their mistakes from the beginning of this generation (of which yes, there were many) instead of their actual, overall history.