ZeniMax Acquires MachineGames

Bethesda Softworks sent us over a press release this morning announcing yet another studio acquisition by parent company ZeniMax Media, and this time it’s Sweden-based MachineGames. I doubt they’ll be working on a role-playing game given their history, but you never know, I suppose:

ZENIMAX MEDIA ACQUIRES EUROPEAN STUDIO
MachineGamesâ„¢ Established by Starbreeze Founders to Develop Multi-Platform Titles for Bethesda Softworks
Creators of High-Scoring (Chronicles of Riddick) Game will Use id Tech® 5
November 11, 2010 (Rockville, MD) ZeniMax Media Inc., parent company of noted game publisher Bethesda Softworks, today announced it has acquired a European development studio, MachineGamesâ„¢, based in Uppsala, Sweden.
Established in 2009 by the founding members of Starbreeze Studios, the creative team behind the award-winning title, The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher’s Bay (Metacritic score: 90) and the highly-regarded game, The Darkness, MachineGames is working on an unannounced project for ZeniMax publishing subsidiary, Bethesda Softworks, that is being built on id Software’s revolutionary id Tech® 5 engine technology.
Jerk Gustafsson, the studio’s CEO who will also oversee development as Executive Producer, expressed his studio’s enthusiasm at joining ZeniMax by saying, (Working with our new colleagues at id and the world class publisher, Bethesda Softworks, is a tremendous opportunity.)
(MachineGames has assembled a dedicated team that has extensive experience working together to produce quality games. We are excited to create a new AAA title for gamers on id Tech 5 that will push the game development envelope,) Gustafsson continued.
MachineGames joins a group of high-profile development studios which includes Bethesda Game Studios®, id® Software, Arkane® Studios and Tango Gameworksâ„¢. This deal reinforces Bethesda’s commitment to delivering premier titles to gamers worldwide.
“MachineGames shares our passion for creating ground-breaking gaming experiences,) said Robert Altman, Chairman and CEO of ZeniMax Media. “We are excited to have these accomplished industry veterans join ZeniMax Media’s group of world-class studios.”
About ZeniMax Media Inc.
ZeniMax Media is a preeminent media organization which has brought together a team of world class game developers, artists and designers, programmers, producers, and leading executives and talent from traditional media. ZeniMax Media creates and publishes original interactive entertainment content for consoles, the PC, and handheld/wireless devices. ZeniMax Media divisions include Bethesda Softworks, Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, Arkane Studios, Tango Gameworks, MachineGames, Vir2L Studios, ZeniMax Europe Ltd., ZeniMax Asia K.K. and ZeniMax Online Studios. For more information on ZeniMax Media, visit www.zenimax.com.
About Bethesda Softworks
Bethesda Softworks, part of the ZeniMax Media Inc. family of companies, is a premier developer and worldwide publisher of interactive entertainment software. Titles from some of the world’s top development studios Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, and Arkane Studios are featured under the Bethesda Softworks label and include such blockbuster franchises as DOOM®, QUAKE®, The Elder Scrolls®, Fallout®, Wolfenstein® and RAGEâ„¢. For more information on Bethesda Softworks’ products, visit www.bethsoft.com.

Bethesda is really becoming a serious world contender in the video game industry, which hopefully means good things for their RPG franchises.