By buying the game maker ZeniMax Media, the parent company of gaming studios like Bethesda, Microsoft gained control of major gaming titles like The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Doom, Quake and Wolfenstein. The deal allows Microsoft to counter criticism that it lags behind Sony in the quality of its games while deepening its game catalog seven weeks before both Microsoft and Sony release a new generation of gaming consoles. Gamers have long complained that Microsoft’s Xbox consoles lacked the type of exclusive, high-quality games that Sony promotes as a major selling point for its PlayStation consoles. For years, Sony owned more games studios than Microsoft. The deal announced on Monday increased Microsoft’s lead to 23 game studios, and gives it control over some of the world’s most popular franchises.

Source: New York Times September 21, 2020 19:30 UTC