Microsoft once created an Xbox game and achievement specifically for Bethesda's Todd Howard to honor his work in the gaming industry. As a director and executive producer at Bethesda Game Studios, Howard has led the development of blockbuster series such as The Elder Scrolls and Fallout. He worked as game director on Fallout 3, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4, while also producing games such as Fallout Shelter and Fallout 76.
Microsoft surprised the gaming world today by announcing that Xbox Games Studios bought Zenimax Media, the owners of game developers such as Bethesda, id Software, and Arkane Studios. This news comes very shortly after Sony's announcement of the PlayStation 5's release date and price, heating up what may become an intense next-gen battle. Bethesda is a very highly regarded game developer, with titles sitting among the most popular games in history, so this acquisition is a huge move for Microsoft.
Bethesda shared an article, written by Todd Howard himself, which explains why Xbox and Bethesda will make an effective pairing. Howard describes the working relationship that the two companies have shared over the years, but he also includes a touching anecdote describing his own personal experience with Xbox. Howard was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award during 2015's Game Developer's Choice Awards for his contribution to the gaming industry as a whole. However, from his friends at Microsoft he received an even more personal award. On the Bethesda blog post Todd writes that he joked about how many points his Lifetime Achievement Award was worth, only to be answered by Microsoft with a game named after him and locked to his account. Howard says, "When ran, it unlocks a single achievement - “Lifetime - 1000pts.” It still sits in my list when I check, and I smile every time."
Microsoft's acquisition of Zenimax was a truly massive investment, the latest in a recent series of acquisitions. Since last year, Microsoft has been purchasing various studios, building up an impressive portfolio of developers under its control. Todd Howard and Zenimax seem very happy about the deal, but it remains to be seen how this purchase will affect the future of big-budget series like The Elder Scrolls, Doom and Fallout.
Todd Howard's endorsement of Microsoft's purchase, and his touching anecdote about his own personal Xbox game, may help to calm gamers who are skeptical about the acquisition. It remains unclear how exactly this purchase will affect Zenimax's series, and it is possible that some popular series will now become Xbox exclusives. However, Todd Howard is well regarded by those within the gaming industry, and his love for game development seems to line up with Microsoft's vision of the next generation.
Source: Bethesda.net