In what is being called the largest acquisition in the gaming world, Microsoft has announced that it has reached terms on a deal that will see the tech giant take over ZeniMax Media, the parent company of Bethesda Softworks.

The developer is responsible for some of the world's most successful video game titles including, Doom, Prey, Wolfenstein, Dishonored, The Evil Within, Fallout, and The Elder Scrolls, particularly Skyrim. The move has major implications for the future of Xbox in that these titles will now be available via the Xbox Game Pass subscription service.

Microsoft issued the following in a press release, "With the addition of Bethesda, Microsoft will grow from 15 to 23 creative studio teams and will be adding Bethesda's iconic franchises to Xbox Game Pass," The statement continued, "This includes Microsoft's intent to bring Bethesda's future games into Xbox Game Pass the same day they launch on Xbox or PC."

The blockbuster announcement comes just one day before pre-orders for both the Xbox Series X and Series S consoles are available to the general public.

Interestingly, Bethesda Softworks did have two entries that were slated as competing Playstation 5 exclusives in Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo. As reported in Bloomberg, Xbox head Phil Spencer confirmed that they will honor the exclusivity of the titles to the Sony console. However, with both titles making their way to PC in 2021, the acquisition now suggests they will be made available for Xbox as well.

Pre-orders for Xbox Series X and Series S begin at midnight on September 22nd - HERE