ZeniMax Online Studios has taken to Twitter to ensure fans that its MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online will not be affected by the recent Microsoft buyout. The tech giant acquired ZeniMax Media for $7.5 billion earlier today. The massive deal gives Microsoft control over Bethesda, id, and Arkane, giving it the rights to iconic video game franchises like Doom, Fallout, and, of course, The Elder Scrolls.
This deal has huge implications for the future of video games. Bethesda's games have historically been available on all major platforms, including PlayStation. While Microsoft is already set to honor the timed PS5 exclusivity of Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo, players shouldn't expect this to become a habit. Future titles from the company and its subsidiaries will likely be exclusive to Xbox and PC, which is unfortunate news for PlayStation fans but certainly a huge selling point for the upcoming Xbox Series X. Bethesda's hotly anticipated Elder Scrolls 6, for instance, probably won't make it to PS5.
But major IPs like Elder Scrolls aren't vanishing from PlayStation overnight. Not long after the initial announcement of the purchase of Bethesda, ZeniMax Online Studios director Matt Firor shared a message on the Elder Scrolls Online Twitter page. The message assures players that Elder Scrolls Online will get the same support it always has, including on PS4. To quote Firor, "ESO will continue to be supported exactly as it was, and we fully expect it to keep growing and thriving on each of the platforms currently supported." Check out the full message below.
One interesting thing about the statement is that PlayStation is never mentioned by name. It's pretty obvious that PS4 players are the intended audience for this post, but this level of ambiguity certainly feels intentional, if confusing. Despite the reassuring tone of the message, some fans in the comments are already concerned that Microsoft will start lowering funding for the game's PS4 team in order to gently encourage players to make the shift to Microsoft systems. It sounds a bit like a conspiracy theory, but Firor not acknowledging the PS4 by name is questionable.
Despite a somewhat rocky launch, The Elder Scrolls Online has built up a substantial player base for itself over the years, and the steady stream of new content has certainly helped. Just recently, Bethesda announced an expansion that will bring the famous Skyrim city of Markarth into the game in November. A lot of people are big fans of the MMORPG that Bethesda and ZeniMax have cooked up, and they're right to be concerned about what the future might hold. Hopefully, Firor's statement can be believed, and The Elder Scrolls Online will remain the same solid title that players have come to know and love.
Source: The Elder Scrolls Online/Twitter