Microsoft acquired ZeniMax Media back in September for USD 7.5 billion. Players quickly voiced their concerns about the impact the acquisition would have on beloved franchises under ZeniMax’s subsidiary, Bethesda. The move affected Fallout, Elder Scrolls, Doom, and several other franchises. Microsoft aims to strengthen its game library but the potential magnitude of the acquisition is limitless. Now, legal documents suggest that Microsoft plans to create a brand new subsidiary called Vault to cap off the ZeniMax Media deal. What will this entail for future games under the ZeniMax banner?

Get in the Vault

Microsoft did not clarify whether the upcoming Vault company will be ZeniMax’s new form following the completion of the acquisition. Additionally, The European Union is currently debating whether to approve the acquisition in the first place. The creation of Vault allows Microsoft to organize their new intellectual properties under a well-defined banner. Hopefully, Microsoft clarifies the roles and responsibilities of Vault when the deal is finalized.

Microsoft Head Xbox Executive Phil Spencer explicitly stated that Bethesda will retain some level of independence following the acquisition. Bethesda Global Marketing executive Pete Hines followed up by declaring that “we’re still working on the same games we were yesterday, made by the same studios we’ve worked with for years, and those games will be published by us.”

Vault and Bethesdas involvement in developing future games becomes a really important matter at this point in time. Currently, fans have no clue as to what the future might entail for some of their beloved franchises. Game development studio acquisition in the past often lead to beloved studios shutting down. Given Spencer’s statement on the issue, fans can hope that Bethesda retains some form of its legendary game development operation. However, until Microsoft clarifies the parameters of Vault, everything remains pretty much up in the air.

The Microsoft deal with ZeniMax Media created a lot of uncertainties for players around the world. Hopefully, Microsoft clears the air to put our worries to rest.