Microsoft is acquiring ZeniMax Media - parent company of Bethesda. Yeah, let that one sink in. Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, ZeniMax Online Studios, Arkane, MachineGames, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog, and Roundhouse Studios are all set to become a part of the Xbox Game Studios family.

No doubt this is major, perhaps the biggest and most surprising gaming news story and acquisition we've seen in years. As part of the announcement, Phil Spencer, Head of Xbox took to Xbox Wire to formally welcome Bethesda.

As one of the largest, most critically acclaimed, privately held game developers and publishers in the world, Bethesda is an incredibly talented group of 2,300 people worldwide who make up some of the most accomplished creative studios in our industry across Bethesda Softworks, Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, ZeniMax Online Studios, Arkane, MachineGames, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog, and Roundhouse Studios. These are the teams responsible for franchises like The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Wolfenstein, DOOM, Dishonored, Prey, Quake, Starfield and many more.

Bethesda’s games have always had a special place on Xbox and in the hearts of millions of gamers around the world. Our teams have a close and storied history working together, from the amazing first DOOM, and its id Tech engine, innovating games on PCs to Bethesda bringing their first console game to the original Xbox, the groundbreaking The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Over the years I’ve had many deep conversations with the creative leaders at Bethesda on the future of gaming and we’ve long shared similar visions for the opportunities for creators and their games to reach more players in more ways.

Just as they took the bold first steps to bring The Elder Scrolls franchise to the original Xbox, Bethesda were early supporters of Xbox Game Pass, bringing their games to new audiences across devices and have been actively investing in new gaming technology like cloud streaming of games. We will be adding Bethesda’s iconic franchises to Xbox Game Pass for console and PC. One of the things that has me most excited is seeing the roadmap with Bethesda’s future games, some announced and many unannounced, to Xbox console and PC including Starfield, the highly anticipated, new space epic currently in development by Bethesda Game Studios.

As per above we've got confirmation that all Bethesda titles will make their way to Xbox Game Pass. Which really, is now ridiculously good value for gamers -- and something that will make both the Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X pretty hard to resist in the years to come. That said it leaves a big question mark surrounding the PlayStation 5 exclusivity deals surrounding Arkane's Deathloop and Tango Gameworks' Ghostwire: Tokyo.

Phil is also alluding to perhaps one of the most anticipated and mysterious RPG's in years -- Starfield, from Bethesda Game Studios -- becoming a PC and Xbox exclusive. Which probably means the same for The Elder Scrolls VI.

Today is a landmark step in our journey together and I’m incredibly energized by what this step means for Xbox.

Please join me in welcoming all of our friends at Bethesda to Team Xbox.

No doubt Phil, no doubt. This is huge -- and in all honesty will take a while to process. The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, DOOM, Wolfenstein. Yeah, these are now Xbox franchises.