PlayStation 4 owners who play The Elder Scrolls Online can breathe a sigh of relief as ZeniMax Online Studios has announced that despite the recent aquisition of ZeniMax Media by Microsoft, the popular MMO will still remain on the Sony console.
Announced in response to the thousands of questions regarding The Elder Scrolls Online that followed the acquisition, ZeniMax Online Studios director Matt Firor took to Twitter to state that the developer will still support the game on all available platforms, assuring fans who own the PlayStation 4 version of the game.
ZeniMax Online Studios is hard at work on the upcoming release of of the Markarth DLC for The Elder Scrolls Online, with the developer releasing a trailer for the DLC last week. The trailer details new characters, quests, and gear that will be featured in the content update scheduled to release early November. The Markarth DLC will conclude Dark Heart of Skyrim storyline started in the game earlier this year.
ZeniMax Online Studios is just one of the number of development studios now under the ownership of Microsoft with the acquisition growing that number exponentially. Over the past few years Microsoft has been looking to increase development studios in preparation for next gen starting at E3 2018, where the company announced the acquisition of several developers. Under ZeniMax Media, Microsoft now owns Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, and ZeniMax Online Studios, giving the gaming giant the rights to The Elder Scrolls, Doom, and the Fallout series among others.
Meanwhile, the purchase has fans speculating on what's next for the franchises now under Microsoft's helm. While many fans assume it's business as usual with Bethesda games still being released on both consoles, speculation on social media has lead to the idea of Obsidian making a welcome return to the Fallout series. Now under the same roof, the thought of Obsidian working on a sequel to Fallout: New Vegas or an original Fallout game is entirely possible. In response to the discourse, Obsidian itself has commented on Twitter, simply giving a shrug to the idea.
The battle for the top spot in next gen sales have gotten pretty serious. Last week, Sony held a PlayStation 5 showcase that featured several games that will be available on the PlayStation 5 come launch day, including some exclusives with Demon's Souls and Spider-Man: Miles Morales. While the immediate effects of ZeniMax Media's acquisition may not be felt for a while, it's fair to say the console wars are heating up.
The Elder Scrolls Online is available now on Google Stadia, PC, PS4 and Xbox One.
