[ad_1]
Microsoft’s $ 7.5 billion acquisition of Zenimax demonstrates how the company wants to dominate the game console market, which will be worth $ 60 billion by 2025, according to Globaldata forecasts. The inclusion of the deal from several prominent game studios, including Bethesda (and with its hugely popular titles like The Elder Scrolls and Fallout) will give Microsoft a powerful boost in its battle with Sony in the next-gen console market.
Microsoft is determined to beat Sony in the console race. Priced for its new Xbox consoles compatible with Sony’s PS5, the company will add several new high-profile games to the platform. Zenimax titles like Wolfenstein, Doom, Quake, Prey, and Dishonored will compete with PS5 exclusives like Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Gran Turismo 7, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.
The appeal for Microsoft’s Xbox Series S and Series X consoles will be driven by the availability of Bethesda’s Starfield alongside in-house developed Halo Infinite for years to come, though it’s unclear whether Sony will have access to Starfield. The acquisition by Microsoft also means that Sony is likely to lose future Besthesda titles. However, you will be getting games like Deathloop and GhostWire: Tokyo, which have already been announced as PS5 exclusives.
Microsoft currently ranks fourth out of 36 companies on Globaldata’s gaming industry scorecard, which ranks companies based on their competitive position on the industry’s most relevant topics. Meanwhile, Sony is even lower, at 11. Both Microsoft and Sony score five out of five on game development, due to ownership of major game studios. With the Zenimax acquisition, Microsoft added eight studios, a total of 23, while Sony has 14 worldwide. This is another indication of Microsoft’s growing focus on original titles, which Globaldata predicts will be available exclusively on Xbox platforms and services.
