Microsoft and Xbox sent waves through the gaming world when it was announced that Microsoft acquired ZeniMax (Bethesda) for 7.5 billion dollars. Once the dust settled on the announcement and the pure shock wore off, questions started to pop up about how Xbox would handle the new content. Perhaps games like Fallout will still release on PlayStation consoles, or perhaps Elder Scrolls 6 will now be an Xbox Exclusive. One thing that may not have been initially considered is the technology behind the Bethesda games, and how now all of Xbox Game Studios will be able to share game engines and tech with Bethesda, and visa versa.
With the surprising acquisition, Xbox now owns Arkane, Tango, MachineGames, iD Software, of course, Bethesda Game Studios, and more. This move doesn’t only mean that games like Dishonered will now probably arrive on Game Pass, but it also means that the remarkable, unique, and flexible game engines and technology of the studios are now in the hands of Xbox–which means there are plenty of exciting sharing opportunities.
Each of the studios within Bethesda uses their own technology for their games, and that probably won’t change drastically. Much of the tech has been built specifically with the games in mind. Bethesda is currently working on updating its Creation Engine for next-gen, and specifically for Starfield. The Creation Engine has a solid combat system, can handle multiple branching stories, and has been used for decades by the team.
Arkane has used the Void engine for games like Dishonored 2, and it’s both gorgeous in terms of lighting and power, and also able to handle a lot on the screen at once. The engine is a variation of iD Tech, which is what Doom runs on. iD Software’s engine is also simply known as the Doom Engine. For anyone who has played the well-received Doom Eternal, the beauty of the engine is obvious. Many of the studios that Microsft has just acquired with this big move use a variation of iD Tech, including MachineGames with Wolfenstein. With the developers being so comfortable with the engines after using them successfully for so long, it is likely that they will keep using them.
Now that Microsoft owns Bethesda, it can also use the technology of the developer(s) for its other games. For years now, Xbox fans have been asking for a new Perfect Dark. If there was any game that could be perfect with the Void Engine, or any variation of the Doom Engine, Perfect Dark could be it.
There are plenty of Xbox games that should return, and many of them could benefit from Bethesda tech. The new Fable could use elements of the Creation Engine for branching stories, or Rare could perhaps borrow things for a return of Kameo. The Bethesda buy is interesting for Obsidian, a team that has worked on Fallout games in the past and recently made The Outer Worlds, a game that was heavily inspired by Fallout. Now that Obsidian is making Avowed, which carries elements of Elder Scrolls, the developer can lean now on Bethesda for advice, technology, and assistance with making that epic RPG. That is, of course, assuming the two have let bygones be bygones.
The deal goes both ways, as now Bethesda has more money and resources than ever with the help of Microsoft. If Bethesda wants Elder Scrolls 6 (which could be an Xbox Exclusive), to have gorgeous skies and dynamic weather, it could borrow technology from Playground Games and Forza Horizon. Perhaps Arkane Studios has big ideas to take Dishonered 3 to a dark and dismal watery port, and the water dynamics from Rare’s Sea of Thieves could help with remarkable immersion.
Beyond the games, beyond the bragging rights for Xbox fans, abnd beyond the opportunities with Xbox Game Pass, there are new levels of cooperation for both Xbox and Bethesda in terms of technology and engine sharing with the most expensive acquisition in gaming history. It will be very exciting to see what comes in the next couple of years.
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