ZeniMax Media facts for kids
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Video games |
| Predecessor | Media Technology Limited |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founders |
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| Headquarters |
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US
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Key people
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James L. Leder (CEO) |
| Total equity | US$2.5 billion (2016) |
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Number of employees
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2,300+ (2020) |
| Parent | Xbox Game Studios (2021–2023) Microsoft Gaming (2023–present) |
| Subsidiaries |
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ZeniMax Media Inc. is an American company that makes and publishes video games. It was started in 1999 in Rockville, Maryland.
The company owns many well-known game studios. These include Bethesda Softworks, which made popular games like The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and Starfield. ZeniMax also owns id Software, known for Doom and Quake. Other studios are Arkane Studios (Dishonored), MachineGames (Wolfenstein), and ZeniMax Online Studios (The Elder Scrolls Online).
In 2020, Microsoft announced it would buy ZeniMax Media. The deal was completed in March 2021. ZeniMax Media is now part of Microsoft Gaming, along with Xbox Game Studios and Activision Blizzard.
Contents
The Story of ZeniMax Media
Early Years and Growth (1999-2007)
ZeniMax was founded in 1999 by Christopher Weaver and Robert A. Altman. Weaver had also founded Bethesda Softworks. The name "ZeniMax" comes from combining "zenith" (the highest point) and "maximum." It was created to take over from Bethesda's old parent company.
Robert A. Altman became the CEO of ZeniMax. Christopher Weaver helped by bringing his shares from Bethesda Softworks into the new company. This helped ZeniMax get money to start.
In 2000, a company called SBS Broadcasting bought a part of ZeniMax. Their chairman, Harry Sloan, also joined ZeniMax's board. Other important people like Les Moonves and Robert Trump were also on the board.
In 2004, ZeniMax bought the rights to the Fallout game series from another company. Bethesda's game director, Todd Howard, said they started working on Fallout 3 in late 2004. Fallout 3 was released in October 2008.
ZeniMax also started ZeniMax Online Studios in 2007. This studio later created the popular online game The Elder Scrolls Online, which came out in 2014.
By 2007, ZeniMax was valued at $1.2 billion. It received a large investment of $300 million from Providence Equity Partners.
Expanding and a Lawsuit (2007-2017)
ZeniMax continued to grow, reaching 200 employees by October 2007.
In 2009, ZeniMax gained the rights to the Prey video game series. They also got the publishing rights for id Software's game Rage.
By 2011, ZeniMax had 400 employees at its main office in Rockville.
In 2014, ZeniMax had a disagreement with Oculus VR, a company that makes virtual reality headsets. ZeniMax claimed that some of their technology was used to help create the Oculus Rift VR product. They said that John Carmack, a former ZeniMax employee, used their ideas when he joined Oculus.
ZeniMax filed a lawsuit against Oculus in May 2014. Oculus responded by saying that ZeniMax's claims were false. They stated that the Oculus Rift did not use any of ZeniMax's code or technology.
In 2016, another company, ProSiebenSat.1 Media, sold its shares in ZeniMax.
In February 2017, a jury decided in favor of ZeniMax in the lawsuit against Oculus. The jury found that Oculus had used ZeniMax's copyrights and trademarks without permission. They also found that Oculus had broken a non-disclosure agreement. ZeniMax was awarded $500 million in damages.
Becoming Part of Microsoft (2020-Present)
On September 21, 2020, Microsoft announced its plan to buy ZeniMax Media and all its studios for $7.5 billion. This was a very big deal in the gaming world. Robert A. Altman, the CEO of ZeniMax, had thought about selling the company for several years. Sadly, Altman passed away in February 2021.
The European Union approved Microsoft's purchase in March 2021. On March 9, 2021, Microsoft officially announced that the acquisition was complete. ZeniMax Media became a part of Microsoft's Microsoft Gaming division.
Because of this purchase, many future games from ZeniMax studios will be available on platforms like Xbox consoles and Windows through Xbox Game Pass. However, studios will still finish any games they promised to release on other platforms.
In May 2024, Microsoft announced some changes to ZeniMax's studios. They closed Arkane Austin, Alpha Dog Games, and Tango Gameworks. Another studio, Roundhouse Studios, joined ZeniMax Online Studios.
ZeniMax Studios
ZeniMax Media owns several game development studios around the world:
- Arkane Studios in Lyon, France.
- Bethesda Softworks in Rockville, Maryland, US.
- Bethesda Game Studios in Rockville, Maryland, US.
- Bethesda Game Studios Austin in Austin, Texas, US.
- Bethesda Game Studios Dallas in Dallas, Texas, US.
- Bethesda Game Studios Montreal in Montreal, Canada.
- Bethesda Game Studios in Rockville, Maryland, US.
- id Software in Richardson, Texas, US.
- id Software Frankfurt in Frankfurt, Germany.
- MachineGames in Uppsala, Sweden.
- ZeniMax Online Studios in Hunt Valley, Maryland, US.
Studios That Are No Longer Active
Some studios that were once part of ZeniMax Media have either closed or merged with other studios:
- Alpha Dog Games in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada (closed in 2024).
- Arkane Studios Austin in Austin, Texas, US (closed in 2024).
- e-Nexus Studios (later ZeniMax Productions) in Los Angeles, California.
- Mediatech West in Olympia, Washington.
- Mud Duck Productions.
- Roundhouse Studios in Madison, Wisconsin, US (merged into ZeniMax Online Studios in 2024).
- Tango Gameworks in Tokyo, Japan (closed in 2024).
- Vir2L Studios in Washington, D.C..
- XL Translab in Washington, D.C.
- Visionary Design Technologies
See also
In Spanish: ZeniMax Media para niños
