Bethesda's Parent Company acquires Shinji Mikami's studio

http://www.gamepro.com/article/news/217094/fallout-parent-acquires-vanquish-devs-studio/

Wow, this is big news - a Western company actually investing in the Japanese instead of vice versa. It's also interesting considering what it means for the growth of Zenimax.

This is a very interesting development for the future of gaming.

it'd be very streange to get Bethesda style JRP Gs

Eh, not really - Shinji Mikami's ouevre is action games, not RP Gs.

I'm wondering what hypothetical scenarios would come out of this acquisition. Any ideas?

A Japanese game with a western budget is all I can think of.

Hmm, Vanquish as an R Pg?

Nah.

It's about freaking time, maybe now they can get more creative leeway without risking everyone's jobs.

Or their creativity gets stumped in favour of 'appealing to global audiences'.

Because it's not already appealing to Japanese audiences?

Eh, I don't know much about the workings of Zenimax, but I haven't heard anyone from Bethesda or iD complain about them being too overbearing. From Mikami's perspective, this is probably great, since most Japanese publishers are extremely tepid in investing in AAA titles and Zenimax obviously isn't.

Oh boy, this is gonna make Zenimax a force to be reckoned with. They already have Bethesda, id Software, and now Mikami's studio.

While we're on the subject of speculation, I find the bold warning on this blog entry amusing.

I don't know about anyone else, but "You were almost a Jill Sandwich" is infinitely more natural and better written than "I'm looking for my father - a middle aged man".

I suppose what the guys on Bethesda are saying is true: Zenimax may be slowly becoming a new gaming superpower.

edited 28th Oct '10 7:49:29 PM by rmctagg09

Well the thing about the market is that with larger scale HD projects production costs can rise very quickly as such with a higher budget there is a higher risk hence why companies wish to lean on things with more guarantee or safety, that's just business sense, however with a company that provides a little more cushioning for risks it helps take away that looming feeling that if you screw up the project you have just jeopardized yours and quite possibly everyone's careers.

... Wait, I'm confused now. I thought Shinji Mikami was part of Plantinum Games, which actually made Vanquish?

Also, we're not gonna be seeing any Vanquish sequels under Zenimax. The copyright likely is owned by either Sega or Platinum Games.

edited 28th Oct '10 11:24:28 PM by Cronosonic

^ Mikami has a seperate Studio not related to Platinum Games. He's collaborating with Suda51 to make Shadows Of The Damned using the seperate studio.

edited 29th Oct '10 5:01:56 AM by Demongodofchaos2

Bumping with information I'm not 100% certain I should trust - I'd like one of the more intelligent, insightful posters to offer an opinion.

Basically, Zenimax is trying to expand itself outside of their niche with the Elder Scrolls, but instead of forming new studios, they are buying up-and-coming ones.

The cause for my concern was that Kotaku's source looked kind of shaky.

Still, Gamasutra seems to approve of the source, so it looks like you are correct.

edited 6th Nov '10 1:27:38 PM by SpellBlade

Theory: Given what Electronic Arts is doing with the new Command And Conquer game (EALA developing, Shanghai studio and EA Montreal involved somehow, and Visceral also being involved), who is to say that Zenimax won't do the same thing?

Think about it. They have Shinji Mikami, who has produced some noteworthy games, Id Software, who has a suitable engine, and two other studios.

It doesn't really match what they've done in the time Zenimax has owned Bethesda and id though.