Everyone Needs To Calm Down About Bethesda | SOLEB SUGGEST

As gamers fear what Microsoft’s purchase of Bethesda could mean for their favorite franchises, we think it’s time to take a deep breath….

I will fully admit when this news broke, I thought it was just a joke. Then, to my utter shock and surprise, I realized it was real and didn’t know what to think. Let’s be honest, this is not normal news, this is HUGE. . .Like something that is going to change the games industry forever. At the time of this news, we have only seen Microsoft buy single studios like Obsidian Entertainment, Ninja Theory, Mojang Studios, Rare, and more.

With that said, they now own Bethesda as a whole…do you know what that means? Yes, that means they now own studios like Bethesda Game Studios, Arkane Studios, id Software, MachineGames, Tango Gameworks, ZeniMax Online Studios, and more! It’s crazy thing to think about. The fact that Xbox now has the power to make games like Fallout, DOOM, and Elder Scolls exclusive to Xbox and PC is crazy and somewhat depressing to some fans, but why are they sad?

When the news first broke, yes I was upset. I thought “Why would Bethesda do this to their Playstation fans?”. Then my mind began to ramble, “Does this mean I wont be able to play DOOM, FALLOUT, OR EVEN FALLOUT!?” Of course when I calmed down, I realized HELL NO IT DOESNT! Though I will be waiting to get the upcoming Xbox Series X, the desicion to buy Bethesda has now given me the extra push I needed to decide to buy an Xbox.

With Xbox GamePass only being $14.99 this is not just a great deal for all gamers, but the smartest choice in the middle of a pandemic. Xbox GamePass already had a ton of games, then in recent news they added EA Access at no additional cost…but to now have all Bethesda titles coming to the serves is just a win/win for everyone. But what about Sony?

Though I am admittedly a Sony Fanboy, I have to say that Sony has not always been the easiest to deal with when it comes to doing what fans, and devs, want. We as fans have wanted many things like cross-play, better streaming services, and even letting devs easily give fans access to things like Mods in Fallout and Skyrim. These may seem like small things, but the fact that Sony has pushed back at devs and fans many times on such small issues really left a bad taste in my mouth.

Yes, Sony has a streaming serves like PS Now but it took them five years to drop the monthly price to $9.99(or $59.99 a year) from $19.99 a month($100 a year). They also took time to give players the ability to download games to said console. With that said, I do have hope for PS Now on PlayStation 5 and think if they merge it with the PlayStation Collection service then this could be a good head to head with Xbox Games Pass.

Now, with Xbox buying Bethesda I think the question we all have is what will really happen to with their games future on other consoles. I think the clear answer right now is that we actually have no clue. Though Phil Spencer has been quoted saying “Outside of the already announced games, Bethesda games will come to other platforms on a case by case basis”. Spencer also stated in a an interview with CNET that Bethesda will operate semi-independently and the studio is not about “becoming them.”

This could mean two things, either Xbox realized deals like this, at times, have become worse for studios, like the situation with Activision and Bungie. It could also mean (which is more possible) Xbox is being very smart and giving Bethesda their space to grow with all the new assets they have access too.

Although they are owned by Microsoft, this will be huge for Xbox, Playstation, and Nintendo fans alike. Todd Howard (Director at Bethesda Games Stuido) also stated some good news for fan, “We share a deep belief in the fundamental power of games, in their ability to connect, empower, and bring joy. And a belief we should bring that to everyone – regardless of who you are, where you live, or what you play on. Regardless of the screen size, the controller, or your ability to even use one.” 

What I get from his and Phil’s comments is that I honestly believe games like Elder Scrolls and Fallout will be on PS5 as well. They might be timed exclusives for Xbox, but they are eventually going to come to other consoles in my opinion. Now, this still may change, hell Xbox could come out tomorrow and say all Bethesda games are going to be Xbox exclusives. I just feel it would be smarter to release these games on all platforms, not just for the fact of making sure PlayStation fans don’t feel left out or isolated, but because Xbox can use this money to buy studios and further the Xbox Brand.

Who really knows what’s going to happen with this situation, but I can promise no matter what happens I’ll be playing any Bethesda title day one, not matter the console I have to buy. So let’s just calm down a bit and realize there is always a way to play, even if that means buying an Xbox just to play Bethesda games…cause that’s what I’m doing now!