ZeniMax Buys MachineGames to Work with id Tech 5 Engine

ZeniMax Media is continuing its shopping spree and, after buying Shinji Mikami's Tango Gameworks, has just revealed that it has acquired European development studio MachineGames, and will task it with creating multi-platform titles using the id Tech 5.

ZeniMax Media is the parent company of Bethesda, owning not only the Game Studios but also the Softworks publishing label, which is responsible for franchises like The Elder Scrolls and Fallout.

The company became much more known when it acquired famous independent first person shooter studio id Software, a few years ago.

Since then, it has acquired Arkane Studios and, most recently, Tango Gameworks, the brand new studio of Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami.

Now, ZeniMax is at it again, having just confirmed the purchase of Sweden-based MachineGames, a recent studio created by the founders of Starbreeze Studios, the team which was responsible for titles like The Darkness or The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher's Bay.

The new studio is currently working on a brand new project using id Software’s id Tech 5, which one of the most advanced game engines in the world, and, according to previous statements from id, one of the most exclusive, being reserved only for ZeniMax-owned studios.

The new game developed by MachineGames will be a multi-platform one, and will be published by Bethesda Softworks.

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.

Expect more details about MachineGames' new project in the following months.