Editing Bethesda Softworks (section)

===2020s===
In March 2020, Bethesda Softworks published ''[[Doom Eternal]]'', a sequel to the 2016 reboot for [[PlayStation 4]], [[Windows]], [[Xbox One]] and the [[Google Stadia|Stadia]] games streaming service from [[Google]]. The game's release was one of many that was affected by the [[Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the video game industry|impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the games industry]], prompting retailers such as [[GameStop]] to begin selling physical copies a day in advance of its general release to minimize crowding of customers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GameStop Sold Doom Eternal A Day Early Due To "Social Distancing" Concerns |author-first1=Eddie|author-last1=Makuch|date=20 March 2020|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gamestop-sold-doom-eternal-a-day-early-due-to-soci/1100-6474952/ |access-date=2023-08-20 |website=GameSpot |language=en-US}}</ref> To coincide with ''Eternal''{{'}}s original release, a remaster of ''[[Doom 64]]'' was also launched as both a standalone release, and as a pre-order bonus for the former game on the aforementioned platforms.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nintendo Direct: Doom 64 Coming To Nintendo Switch This Year |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-direct-doom-64-coming-to-nintendo-switch-/1100-6469639/ |access-date=2023-08-20 |website=GameSpot |language=en-US}}</ref> The re-release was co-developed by id Software and [[Nightdive Studios]], and includes a new post-campaign expansion.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-03-10 |title=Doom 64's upcoming port will add a brand-new post-campaign chapter |language=en |work=Eurogamer.net |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-03-10-doom-64s-upcoming-port-will-add-a-brand-new-post-campaign-chapter |access-date=2023-08-20}}</ref>

In September 2020, [[Microsoft]] entered an agreement to acquire Bethesda's parent company ZeniMax Media for $7.5 billion, gaining ownership over all of Bethesda's associated development teams, now as part of [[Microsoft Gaming]]. The agreement stipulated that Bethesda continued to finance and self-publish their games and that titles on other platforms would be decided on a "case-by-case" basis, but that the merger would also allow Bethesda's existing back-catalog of titles to become available on Microsoft's [[Xbox Game Pass]] service for console, PC and cloud, and that select future games from the publisher would become exclusives for [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] and the Xbox Series X/S consoles, which simultaneously launched that November.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Spencer |first=Phil |date=2020-09-09 |title=Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X Launch November 10, Starting at $24.99 a Month with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and EA Play |url=https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2020/09/09/xbox-series-x-and-xbox-series-s-launching-november-10/ |access-date=2023-08-20 |website=Xbox Wire |language=en-US}}</ref> The acquisition of ZeniMax Media was formally completed on March 9, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Spencer|first=Phil|date=2020-09-21 |title=Welcoming the Talented Teams and Beloved Game Franchises of Bethesda to Xbox |url=https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2020/09/21/welcoming-bethesda-to-the-xbox-family/ |access-date=2023-08-20 |website=Xbox Wire |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tuttle |first=Will |date=2021-03-09 |title=Officially Welcoming Bethesda to Team Xbox |url=https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2021/03/09/officially-welcoming-bethesda-to-the-xbox-family/ |access-date=2023-08-20 |website=Xbox Wire |language=en-US}}</ref> Following the merger's completion, Xbox CEO [[Phil Spencer (business executive)|Phil Spencer]] clarified that future titles from Bethesda would primarily ship on any platforms hosting Xbox Game Pass.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Xbox Head Phil Spencer Says Bethesda Games Will Go Wherever There Is Game Pass |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-head-phil-spencer-says-bethesda-games-will-go-wherever-there-is-game-pass/1100-6488707/ |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=GameSpot |language=en-US}}</ref> 

In September 2021, Bethesda published ''[[Deathloop]]'', a first-person shooter with time-warping mechanics from [[Arkane Lyon]]. The following March, Bethesda released ''[[Ghostwire: Tokyo]]'', a first-person horror-themed action-adventure game developed by Tango Gameworks.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Square |first=Push |date=2020-06-11 |title=Dishonored Dev's Deathloop Will Make Its Console Debut on PS5 |url=https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2020/06/dishonored_devs_deathloop_will_make_its_console_debut_on_ps5 |access-date=2023-08-20 |website=Push Square |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Square |first=Push |date=2020-06-11 |title=Ghostwire Tokyo Becomes PS5 Console Exclusive in New Gameplay Trailer |url=https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2020/06/ghostwire_tokyo_becomes_ps5_console_exclusive_in_new_gameplay_trailer |access-date=2023-08-20 |website=Push Square |language=en-GB}}</ref> Both games were announced as being timed console exclusives for [[PlayStation 5]] before Microsoft purchased ZeniMax Media, an existing contractual obligation that would be honored by Microsoft despite the amended terms.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Peters |first=Jay |date=2020-09-21 |title=Microsoft will honor Bethesda's PS5 exclusives, but future console releases will be "case-by-case" |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/21/21449121/microsoft-bethesda-ps5-playstation-5-xbox-series-x-s-consoles-exclusives |access-date=2023-08-20 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref> Both titles were eventually released on Xbox Series X/S a year following their respective PlayStation 5 versions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=DEATHLOOP Is Now Available on Xbox |url=https://bethesda.net/en/article/JNOmDNa4HdcEA5Wgx59KS/deathloop-xbox-launch |access-date=2023-08-20 |website=bethesda.net |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Skrebels |first=Joe |date=2023-03-15 |title=Ghostwire: Tokyo Is Coming to Xbox – Play the All-New Spider's Thread Update April 12 |url=https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2023/03/15/ghostwire-tokyo-xbox-release-date-spiders-thread-update/ |access-date=2023-08-20 |website=Xbox Wire |language=en-US}}</ref> 

In January 2023, Bethesda announced and released ''[[Hi-Fi Rush]]'' from Tango Gameworks. The publisher purposely kept the game's development secret by due to possible skepticism and uncertainty regarding audience feedback.<ref>{{Citation |title=The Surprising Journey Of Hi-Fi Rush's Development - MinnMax Interview | date=January 31, 2023 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKuPjmrDF4E |access-date=2023-08-20 |language=en}}</ref> In May 2023, Bethesda launched ''[[Redfall]]'' for Windows and Xbox Series X/S from Arkane Austin, though it received a largely mixed to negative reception, with scrutiny directed towards the uninspired narrative, the overall repetitiveness in objectives during the campaign, and consistent technical problems.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Andy |date=2023-05-02 |title='Redfall' met with "mostly negative" Steam reviews at launch |url=https://www.nme.com/news/gaming-news/redfall-met-with-mostly-negative-steam-reviews-at-launch-3438283 |access-date=2023-08-20 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McWhertor |first=Michael |date=2023-04-12 |title=Redfall will be locked to 30 fps on Xbox at launch |url=https://www.polygon.com/23680398/redfall-30-fps-quality-mode-performance-xbox |access-date=2023-08-20 |website=Polygon |language=en-US}}</ref> In September 2023, Bethesda published ''[[Starfield (video game)|Starfield]]'' for Windows and Xbox Series X/S. Developed by Bethesda Game Studios, the game marked the studio's first wholly original [[intellectual property]] in over 25 years.<ref>{{Cite news |title='Starfield': Todd Howard discusses Bethesda's new space-based RPG |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2021/06/13/starfield-bethesda/ |access-date=2023-09-20 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=updated |first=Lauren Morton last |date=2023-09-01 |title=Starfield guide: everything you need to succeed in space |language=en |work=PC Gamer |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/starfield-guide/ |access-date=2023-09-20}}</ref> Upon the early access launch, the game reached a peak of 230,000 concurrent players on [[Steam (service)|Steam]] within two hours. Xbox CEO Phil Spencer announced on launch day that the game subsequently became the most played Xbox Series X/S-exclusive game since the console's launch, as well as the most wish-listed game on Steam for either Xbox or Bethesda in their respective histories.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Novet |first=Jordan |date=2023-09-06 |title=Microsoft gaming chief Phil Spencer says Starfield is seeing 'huge demand' |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/06/microsoft-gaming-chief-phil-spencer-cites-huge-demand-for-starfield.html |access-date=2023-09-20 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref> ''Starfield'' reached ten million players across Xbox and PC by September 19, making it the biggest launch period in Bethesda's history as a publisher.<ref>{{Cite web |author1=Samuel Tolbert |date=2023-09-19 |title=Bethesda's Starfield reaches 10 million players across Xbox and Windows PC |url=https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/starfield-reaches-10-million-players-across-xbox-and-windows-pc |access-date=2023-09-20 |website=Windows Central |language=en}}</ref>

In October 2023, Bethesda's head of publishing Pete Hines announced he would be retiring.<ref>{{cite web|first=Brendan|last=Sinclair|url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/pete-hines-leaving-bethesda|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20231016145938/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/pete-hines-leaving-bethesda|title=Pete Hines leaving Bethesda|website=[[Gamesindustry.biz]]|archivedate=October 16, 2023|date=October 16, 2023|accessdate=October 19, 2023}}</ref> Later that month, a corporate restructuring of the newly formed [[Microsoft Gaming]] subsidiary took place following Microsoft's [[Acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft|acquisition of Activision-Blizzard]], that saw the promotion of executive Matt Booty from president of [[Xbox]] to overseeing their entire Game Content and Studios business, with Jamie Leder still retaining supervision over ZeniMax Media as a "limited integration entity" that would now report to Matt.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=2023-10-26 |title=Microsoft reorgs its Xbox and marketing teams to prepare for an AI and gaming future |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/26/23933049/microsoft-reorg-xbox-marketing-ai-leadership-changes |access-date=2023-11-02 |website=The Verge |language=en}}</ref> In December 2023, Jill Braff was appointed to the role as head of Bethesda and ZeniMax Media's development teams, while simultaneously retaining her existing duties as the General Manager of Integrations and Casual Games for [[Xbox Game Studios]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-21 |title=Jill Braff has been appointed as head of Bethesda/ZeniMax studios |url=https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/jill-braff-has-been-appointed-as-head-of-bethesda-zenimax-studios/ |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=VGC |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In May 2024, Microsoft announced that they were closing Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks and Alpha Dog Games as part of a significant organization restructure of Bethesda's operations.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Yin-Poole |first=Wesley |date=2024-05-07 |title=Microsoft Closes Redfall Developer Arkane Austin, Hi-Fi Rush Developer Tango Gameworks, and More in Devastating Cuts at Bethesda |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/microsoft-closes-redfall-developer-arkane-austin-hifi-rush-developer-tango-gameworks-and-more-in-devastating-cuts-at-bethesda |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref> Xbox Game Content and Studios head Matt Booty explained that the shuttering of the studios reflected a desire to prioritize the development of "high-impact titles" and investing more in Bethesda's catalogue of blockbuster franchises.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Xbox |first=Pure |date=2024-05-07 |title=Xbox Exec Provides Reasoning Behind Bethesda Studio Closures |url=https://www.purexbox.com/news/2024/05/xbox-exec-provides-reasoning-behind-bethesda-studio-closures |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=Pure Xbox |language=en-GB}}</ref> Mobile developer Roundhouse Studios also ceased activity, with its team being consolidated into [[ZeniMax Online Studios]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Xbox |first=Pure |date=2024-05-07 |title=Xbox Is Shutting Four Studios, Including Arkane Austin And Tango Gameworks |url=https://www.purexbox.com/news/2024/05/xbox-is-shutting-four-studios-including-arkane-austin-and-tango-gameworks |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=Pure Xbox |language=en-GB}}</ref> Development of all DLC content for ''Redfall'' also ceased.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yin-Poole |first=Wesley |date=2024-05-07 |title=Microsoft Abandons Redfall and Cancels DLC After Shutting Developer Arkane Austin Down |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/microsoft-abandons-redfall-and-cancels-dlc-after-shutting-developer-arkane-austin-down |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref> Xbox president [[Sarah Bond (executive)|Sarah Bond]] cited a necessity to keep their gaming business growing through periods of transition and industry stagnation, as a reason for the studio closures. Addressing Tango Gameworks directly, she proposed that the varying metrics for success on a game-by-game basis was examined when deciding to shut the studio down.<ref>{{Cite news |author1=Harvey Randall |date=2024-05-10 |title=President of Xbox asked about the closure of Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks, spends close to a minute saying almost nothing |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/president-of-xbox-at-microsoft-asked-about-the-closure-of-hi-fi-rush-developer-tango-gameworks-spends-close-to-a-minute-saying-almost-nothing/ |access-date=2024-05-11 |work=PC Gamer |language=en}}</ref> Despite Tango's closure, Matt Booty reiterated the necessity for Xbox to house smaller budget titles for "prestige and awards" much like ''Hi-Fi Rush''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lowry |first=Brendan |date=2024-05-09 |title=Microsoft Gaming exec reportedly said Xbox needs "smaller games" after it closed Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks |url=https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/microsoft-gaming-exec-reportedly-said-xbox-needs-games-like-hi-fi-rush-but-just-closed-the-dev-that-made-it |access-date=2024-05-13 |website=Windows Central |language=en}}</ref> On August 12, 2024, South Korean publisher [[Krafton]] announced they had entered an agreement with Microsoft Gaming and Bethesda to revive and acquire Tango Gameworks in its entirety, which also included the transferral of the ''Hi-Fi Rush'' license.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Xbox |first=Pure |date=2024-08-12 |title=Xbox's Hi-Fi RUSH Studio Tango Gameworks Revived, Acquired By PUBG Publisher |url=https://www.purexbox.com/news/2024/08/xboxs-hi-fi-rush-studio-tango-gameworks-revived-acquired-by-pubg-publisher |access-date=2024-10-13 |website=Pure Xbox |language=en-GB}}</ref> Publishing rights to either the original ''Hi-Fi Rush'' or Tango Gameworks' previous games remained with Microsoft.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-08-12 |title=KRAFTON Strengthens Global Presence Through Strategic Integration of Tango Gameworks and Hi-Fi RUSH IP {{!}} KRAFTON |url=https://krafton.com/en/news/press/krafton-strengthens-global-presence-through-strategic-integration-of-tango-gameworks-and-hi-fi-rush-ip/ |access-date=2024-10-13 |website=krafton.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Xbox |first=Pure |date=2024-08-14 |title=Yes, Xbox Game Pass Hit 'Hi-Fi RUSH' Is Now Tango Gameworks' Sole IP |url=https://www.purexbox.com/news/2024/08/yes-xbox-game-pass-hit-hi-fi-rush-is-now-tango-gameworks-sole-ip |access-date=2024-10-13 |website=Pure Xbox |language=en-GB}}</ref>