Deal valued at $7.5 billion, announced on the eve of the new Xbox

Microsoft Corp. has announced its intention to buy ZeniMax Media, the parent company of Bethesda Softworks, one of the largest video game developers and publishers in the world.

In a statement, Microsoft said that ZeniMax Media will be bought for $7.5 billion.

For this amount, Microsoft will get the rights to popular Bethesda Softworks games, including The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, DOOM, Quake, Wolfenstein and Dishonored. Microsoft will take control of id Software, Arkane, MachineGames and other studios involved in game development (they are all owned by Bethesda).

The announcement was made before the opening of trading at the exchange. The start of trading brought no significant changes: Microsoft shares are in a downward wave from the peak reached on September 2. At that time their value reached $232 per share.

Friday’s session on September 18 closed at $200.39. Monday opened at even lower levels – $196.98. At the beginning of trading the stock price went into slow growth, and as of 19:45 Moscow time the paper was trading near Friday’s closing level of $199.98 per share.