Microsoft and Bethesda are going to share the stage at this year’s E3 2021. Well, a virtual stage at any rate, since thanks to the risks associated with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, E3 is going to be held entirely online.
The news was confirmed by IGN (via French publication Le Figaro) who spoke to Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty. In the article Booty confirms that he two companies plan to have a joint conference.
The article’s author, Chloé Woitier, tweeted that said conference will be held ‘in the coming weeks’, which basically means it’s likely to take place at E3, which runs from 12th June to the 15th of the same month. Here’s the tweet in full:
[Fil] J'ai pu m'entretenir avec Matt Booty, directeur des Xbox Game Studios. A propos du rachat de Bethesda :
– conférence commune Microsoft-Bethesda dans quelques semaines
– objectif : les nouveautés Bethesda dans le Game Pass dès le jour de leur sortiehttps://t.co/J1CQWnj8bl— Chloé Woitier ☕ (@W_Chloe) May 20, 2021
If you don’t speak French, here’s the translation:
I was able to speak with Matt Booty, director of Xbox Game Studios. Regarding the Bethesda buyout: – joint Microsoft-Bethesda conference in a few weeks – objective: Bethesda new features in Game Pass from the day they are released.
Microsoft and Bethesda sittin’ in a tree
A joint conference makes sense. After all, earlier this year Xbox’s parent company acquired ZeniMax Media, which owns Bethesda. Shortly after that, most of Bethesda’s games landed on Game Pass – the notable (and infuriating) exception being the 2016 reboot of DOOM.
One can only speculate as to what this double-act will have in store for us all at E3 2021. Will there be an announcement about an Elder Scrolls VI? Will it be an Xbox exclusive? Will there be rioting in the streets as a result? Only time will tell…