ZeniMax Online Studios explained

ZeniMax Online Studios LLC
Type:Subsidiary
Industry:Video games
Founder:Matt Firor
Hq Location City:Hunt Valley, Maryland
Hq Location Country:US
Key People:Matt Firor (president)
Divisions:ZeniMax Online Studios Hungary
Num Employees:250
Num Employees Year:2012
Parent:ZeniMax Media

ZeniMax Online Studios LLC is an American video game developer and a subsidiary of ZeniMax Media, specializing in massively multiplayer online games.[1] The company developed The Elder Scrolls Online and its downloadable content.[1] ZeniMax Online Studios had around 250 employees in 2012.[2] In addition to the main Hunt Valley, Maryland based office, ZeniMax Online also maintains a satellite studio in Budapest, Hungary as well as a customer support center in Galway, Ireland.

History

2007–2020: Formation, The Elder Scrolls Online

The formation of ZeniMax Online Studios was announced by ZeniMax Media on August 1, 2007, to be headed by Matt Firor, a massively multiplayer online game designer and veteran of Mythic Entertainment.[3]

The company was built to specialize in the creation of a massively multiplayer online game.[4] In 2007 the company announced a partnership with Simutronics for the use of HeroEngine.[5] In June 2008, ZeniMax Online Studios moved into its current office in Hunt Valley.[6] On March 15, 2010, ZeniMax Online Studios announced that it will be using the Fork Particle SDK to create the particle effects in its unannounced upcoming massively multiplayer game.[7] On March 15, 2011, ZeniMax Online Studios announced plans to open a customer support center in Galway, Ireland. The company's new facility will provide customer support for players of their future massively multiplayer online games and is expected to result in the creation of hundreds of jobs over the next several years.[8] [9] On August 8, 2011, ZeniMax Online Studios selected Splunk to be its platform for business intelligence, network operations monitoring, and operational intelligence.[10] On March 6, 2012, ZeniMax Online Studios signed a licensing deal with Elastic Path Software.[11] On May 3, 2012, Game Informer announced that ZeniMax Online Studios's video game in development will take place in The Elder Scrolls universe, approximately a millennium before the events of .[12] The game, The Elder Scrolls Online, was released in 2014.[13]

2020–present: New Intellectual property, Microsoft, Company expansion

In December 2020, ZeniMax Online Studios formed a satellite office in San Diego to work on an original intellectual property.[14] Ben Jones, Creative Director at ZeniMax Online Studios stated in October 2022 that the company was developing the new IP for four and a half years with a team of about 200 people.[15] ZeniMax Media was acquired by Microsoft for in March 2021 and became part of Xbox Game Studios.[16] [17]

ZeniMax Media purchased Hungarian studio Nemesys Games in 2022, and rebranded them as ZeniMax Online Studios Hungary.[18] [19]

300 QA testers, a majority at ZeniMax Studios voted to unionize as ZeniMax Workers United-CWA in January 2023. This follows the unionization efforts of QA testers at Activision Blizzard which was also acquired by Microsoft.[20] In 2024, Microsoft signed a labor-neutrality agreement, agreeing not to interfere with any unionization efforts in all ZeniMax Media subsidiaries.[21]

Games developed

YearTitlePlatform(s)Notes
2014The Elder Scrolls Online[22] macOS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Stadia
2016DoomMicrosoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Google StadiaAdditional work[23]
2018Fallout 76Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox OneAdditional work[24]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ZeniMax Online Studios . https://web.archive.org/web/20080913231315/https://www.zenimaxonline.com/faq.html. Zenimaxonline.com . September 13, 2008. June 28, 2020.
  2. Web site: The Elder Scrolls Online: Reinventing a Franchise in an Online World | GamesIndustry International . Gamesindustry.biz . July 17, 2012 . January 21, 2013 . May 10, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130510034306/http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-07-17-the-elder-scrolls-online-reinventing-a-franchise-in-an-online-world . live .
  3. Web site: Bethesda Parent Company Announces ZeniMax Online Studios . Jason . Dobson . August 1, 2007 . . March 6, 2020 . November 1, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201101135115/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/105884/Bethesda_Parent_Company_Announces_ZeniMax_Online_Studios.php . live .
  4. Web site: ZeniMax Online Studios . https://web.archive.org/web/20080918124811/http://www.zenimaxonline.com/news_zenimax_online_studios.html. Zenimaxonline.com . September 18, 2008. August 1, 2007 . January 21, 2013.
  5. Web site: Leigh. Alexander. News - ZeniMax Online Studios Licenses Simutronics HeroEngine For New MMO. Gamasutra. January 21, 2013. June 20, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120620172014/http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=16368. live.
  6. Web site: ZeniMax Online Studios . https://web.archive.org/web/20080917204355/http://www.zenimaxonline.com/office.html. Zenimaxonline.com . September 17, 2008 . January 21, 2013.
  7. Web site: Chris. Remo. ZeniMax Online Adopts Fork Particle Tech For MMO. Gamasutra. March 15, 2010. January 21, 2013. November 15, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131115050331/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/118607/ZeniMax_Online_Adopts_Fork_Particle_Tech_For_MMO.php. live.
  8. Web site: Kris . Graft . Bethesda Sibling ZeniMax Online Founding Ireland Office To Support 'Future MMOs' . Gamasutra . March 15, 2011 . January 21, 2013 . May 14, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130514121812/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/33530/Bethesda_Sibling_ZeniMax_Online_Founding_Ireland_Office_To_Support_Future_MMOs.php . live .
  9. Web site: Chester . Chris . Zenimax Online bulks up with HeroEngine | Massively . https://web.archive.org/web/20110207234210/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/26/zenimax-online-bulks-up-with-heroengine/. Massively.joystiq.com . February 7, 2011. November 26, 2007 . January 21, 2013.
  10. Web site: ZeniMax Online Studios Selects Splunk as its Engine for Machine Data. Splunk. August 8, 2011. February 2, 2013. May 3, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180503070359/https://www.splunk.com/view/SP-CAAAGD2. live.
  11. Web site: ZeniMax Online Studios . https://web.archive.org/web/20120322204307/http://www.elasticpath.com/company/news/2012/zenimax-chooses-digital-commerce-engine/. Elastic Path . March 22, 2012. March 6, 2012 . January 21, 2013.
  12. Web site: Adam. Biessener. June Cover Revealed: The Elder Scrolls Online. Game Informer. May 3, 2012. March 6, 2020. May 12, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130512060616/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2012/05/03/june-cover-revealed-the-elder-scrolls-online.aspx. dead.
  13. Web site: E3 2013: Elder Scrolls Online Coming to PS4, Xbox One. Sliva. Marty. IGN. June 10, 2013. October 11, 2013. November 12, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201112032900/http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/06/11/e3-2013-elder-scrolls-online-coming-to-ps4. live.
  14. Web site: ZeniMax Online Studios forms new satellite studio in San Diego. 2020-12-09. GamesIndustry.biz. December 8, 2020. en. December 18, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201218065316/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-12-08-zenimax-online-studios-forms-new-satellite-studio-in-san-diego. live.
  15. Web site: Product Development in the Gaming Industry — Ben Jones, Creative Director at ZeniMax Online Studios. https://web.archive.org/web/20221120144247/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6djsOpld1tc&t=122s. YouTube. 2:00. November 20, 2022. October 21, 2022. July 23, 2023.
  16. Web site: Microsoft to Buy Bethesda for $7.5 Billion to Boost Xbox . Dina . Bass . Jason . Schreier . September 21, 2020 . September 21, 2020 . . September 21, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200921143256/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-21/microsoft-to-buy-bethesda-studios-for-7-5-billion-to-boost-xbox . live .
  17. Web site: Microsoft confirms its Bethesda acquisition is complete and 'some games' will be exclusive . Andy . Robinson . March 9, 2021 . March 9, 2021 . . March 9, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210309164348/https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/microsoft-confirms-its-bethesda-acquisition-is-complete-and-some-games-will-be-exclusive/ . live .
  18. Web site: április 5. 16:23 . Száler Martin Publikálva 2023 . 2023-04-05 . A Bethesda anyavállalata megszerezte a magyar Nemesys Games csapatát, így már Budapesten is van irodája . 2023-05-19 . IGN Hungary . hu . May 19, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230519094943/https://hu.ign.com/zenimax-online-studios/85395/news/a-bethesda-anyavallalata-megszerezte-a-magyar-nemesys-games-csapatat-igy-mar-budapesten-is-van-iroda . live .
  19. Web site: Bethesda Quietly Acquired Nemesys Games Last Year, Now ZeniMax Online Studios Hungary . 2023-05-19 . GamingBolt . en-US . April 22, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230422132925/https://gamingbolt.com/bethesda-quietly-acquired-nemesys-games-last-year-now-zenimax-online-studios-hungary . live .
  20. Web site: Conditt . Jessica . 2023-01-03 . Microsoft is now the home of the video game industry's largest union . 2024-06-12 . . en-US.
  21. Web site: Shanklin . Will . 2024-06-06 . Microsoft and CWA forge labor neutrality agreement covering all ZeniMax workers . 2024-06-18 . . en-US.
  22. Web site: Gardner . Jack . June Cover Revealed: The Elder Scrolls Online - Features . www.GameInformer.com . May 3, 2012 . January 21, 2013 . May 12, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130512060616/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2012/05/03/june-cover-revealed-the-elder-scrolls-online.aspx . dead .
  23. Web site: Bethesda Joins Xbox – Roundtable. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/YJneU_qBMPM . 2021-12-21 . live. . 37:18. March 11, 2021. July 9, 2021.
  24. Web site: Todd Howard nous parle de Fallout 76. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/-vdMHUak4CA . 2021-12-21 . live. YouTube. October 1, 2018. January 28, 2020.
  25. Web site: Richard. Jones. A new Commander Keen game has been unveiled – but only for mobile. pcgamesn.com. June 10, 2019 . June 23, 2019. September 22, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200922020448/https://www.pcgamesn.com/commander-keen/mobile. live.
  26. Web site: Bald . Cameron . Bethesda's Commander Keen mobile game has seemingly been scrapped . 2022-08-27 . www.pocketgamer.com . June 29, 2020 . en . August 27, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220827175940/https://www.pocketgamer.com/commander-keen/bethesdas-commander-keen-mobile-game-has-seemingly-been-scrapped/ . live .

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