ZeniMax's New Online Engine

[YouDoNotKnowMyName]

Whenever "things you like doing" (developing games, modding games, playing gams, whatever) and money come into contact, there will be compromises and nobody will "get what they want" and "be happy" ...

I guess that's just how the world works, sadly ...

[HeyYou]

 

Sure, many stuidos have promised all sorts of stuff, not delivered..... and gone the way of the dodo.

The point I was making was that many companies have produced games that have been critical and commercial successes, some even creating or redefining genres and yet have still folded due to financial issues. Some of that will be symptomatic of the configuration of the funding/revenue model and to a greater or lesser degree for each.

 

Zenimax was a holding company put together by folks that already owned Bethesda softworks, as a way to secure funding. Morrowind is what saved beths behind.

Correct, but you're only proving my point. Daggerfall was a critical and commercial success but not enough to keep the company afloat let alone bankroll the studio's next game.

 

Any business will fail if they don't manage their money properly. This is especially true for smaller developers (of which, beth was one at the time Daggerfall released.....) You have a huge staff you need to make payroll for, and without additional revenue streams, it can get interesting. MS doesn't have that particular problem. They make money hand over fist without really having to do anything at all..... That, as I see it, is one of the biggest advantages of MS acquiring Zenimax, et al. The income roller coaster becomes a LOT less of an issue.

 

Besides, no one is going to pay a subscription for a single player game. Several companies have attempted/considered doing so, including MS.... but, so far as I know, none have been successful with it. Beth has a formula that has worked perfectly find for 20 years. There is zero reason to change it now.