ZeniMax Acquisition, Valuation, Funding & Investors

ZeniMax was acquired by Microsoft for $7.5B in September 2020.

ZeniMax acquisition price

$7.5B

Acquired by Microsoft · Sep 2020

Cumulative funding ZeniMax raised

$450M

across 3 funding rounds

Key investors in ZeniMax

  • Providence Equity Partners
  • SBS Broadcasting Group

ZeniMax Overview

About ZeniMax

ZeniMax Media is a Rockville, Maryland-based video game holding company that owns the publisher Bethesda Softworks and a group of development studios, and has been part of Microsoft's Xbox division since March 2021. Its studios include Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, ZeniMax Online Studios, Arkane, MachineGames and Tango Gameworks, which make franchises such as The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Doom, Wolfenstein, Dishonored and The Elder Scrolls Online. The company earns revenue from selling and licensing games for PC, consoles and mobile devices and from online game subscriptions, and it had more than 2,300 employees when Microsoft agreed to buy it. It was founded in 1999 by Christopher Weaver and Robert A. Altman, who served as chairman and chief executive until his death in 2021. SBS Broadcasting Group acquired a 12.5% stake in 2000, and Providence Equity Partners invested US$300 million for a 25% stake in 2007 and a further US$150 million in 2010. Microsoft announced the acquisition for US$7.5 billion in cash in September 2020 and completed it on 9 March 2021 at a final cost of US$8.1 billion.


Founded

1999

HQ

United StatesRockville, MD

Status

Acquired

Customer focus

B2C

Revenue model

Product sales

Valuation

$1.2B (Oct 2007)

ZeniMax Acquisition

ZeniMax was acquired by Microsoft for $7.5B on 21 September 2020.

Before the acquisition ZeniMax had raised $450M across 3 funding rounds.

ZeniMax Media is the parent company of Bethesda Softworks, one of the largest privately held video game developers and publishers in the world. The company is the creator of critically acclaimed and best-selling gaming franchises including The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Doom, and Wolfenstein. In September 2020, Microsoft announced its agreement to acquire ZeniMax Media for $7.5 billion in cash as part of its strategy to strengthen its gaming portfolio and support its Xbox Game Pass subscription service, which had reached over 15 million subscribers at the time of announcement. The acquisition was completed on March 9, 2021, with a final transaction cost of $8.1 billion. The deal represented a six-time return on investment for Providence Equity Partners, the previous owner. ZeniMax would retain its existing structure and leadership under CEO Robert A. Altman, and the company's acquisition significantly expanded Microsoft's gaming studio portfolio from 15 to 23 creative studio teams.

ZeniMax acquisition details
AcquirerDateTypePrice
21 Sep 2020Strategic M&A$7.5B

Sources: news.microsoft.com, en.wikipedia.org

ZeniMax Valuation

ZeniMax is currently valued at $1.2B, based on its undisclosed-stage round in October 2007. Read the announcement ↗

The $300M round was led by Providence Equity Partners.

ZeniMax valuation by funding round

ZeniMax valuation by funding round
DateStageValuation
Oct 2007Undisclosed stage$1.2B

ZeniMax Funding History

ZeniMax has raised a total of $450M across 3 funding rounds.

ZeniMax's first fundraising round was a strategic investment round in January 2000. The most recent completed round was a $150M undisclosed-stage round in October 2010.

ZeniMax funding rounds

ZeniMax funding rounds
DateStageInvestorsRaisedValuationDeal Summary
Oct 2010Undisclosed stageProvidence Equity Partners (lead)$150M-Providence Equity Partners invested a further US$150 million in ZeniMax Media in October 2010 through the purchase of convertible preferred stock, three years after its initial US$300 million investment in the company. ZeniMax said the proceeds would fund additional growth through increased game development, expanded publishing operations and strategic acquisitions. The company, headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, publishes games through its subsidiary Bethesda Softworks for consoles, PC and handheld devices, and its studios included Bethesda Game Studios, id Software and Arkane Studios. Its franchises included The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Doom and Rage, and it grew to about 400 employees by January 2011. ZeniMax was founded in 1999 and was led by chairman and chief executive Robert A. Altman. Microsoft agreed to acquire the company for US$7.5 billion in cash in September 2020.
Oct 2007Undisclosed stageProvidence Equity Partners (lead)$300M$1.2BProvidence Equity Partners invested US$300 million in ZeniMax Media, the Rockville, Maryland-based parent of the game publisher Bethesda Softworks, in October 2007 in exchange for a 25% stake. The investment gave ZeniMax, which then had about 200 employees, capital to expand game development and publishing and to pursue acquisitions. In the following years the company acquired the Prey and Rage franchises, bought id Software, the creator of Doom and Quake, and added Arkane Studios. Providence invested a further US$150 million in October 2010, noting that since its original investment in 2007 ZeniMax had tripled the size of its development portfolio and assembled a library of major game franchises. ZeniMax was founded in 1999 by Christopher Weaver and Robert A. Altman and publishes franchises including The Elder Scrolls and Fallout. Microsoft acquired the company in March 2021 at a final cost of US$8.1 billion, a deal that represented about a six-fold return for Providence.
Jan 2000Strategic investmentSBS Broadcasting Group (lead)--SBS Broadcasting Group, the European commercial television and radio group then run by Harry Sloan, acquired a 12.5% stake in ZeniMax Media in 2000 as part of a partnership between the two companies. Under the partnership ZeniMax's subsidiary e-Nexus Studios developed entertainment portals and websites for SBS. The terms of the investment were not disclosed. ZeniMax had been founded the previous year by Christopher Weaver and Robert A. Altman as the parent of the game publisher Bethesda Softworks, and Sloan was among its original board members. The stake passed to ProSiebenSat.1 Media when it bought SBS Broadcasting Group in 2007, by which time it represented 9% of ZeniMax's shares, and ProSiebenSat.1 later sold it back to ZeniMax for €30 million. ZeniMax went on to raise US$450 million from Providence Equity Partners in 2007 and 2010 and was acquired by Microsoft in March 2021.

Who has invested in ZeniMax?

2 investors have backed ZeniMax across its funding rounds, including Providence Equity Partners and SBS Broadcasting Group.

Lead investors include Providence Equity Partners and SBS Broadcasting Group.


ZeniMax Investors

Investors in ZeniMax by funding rounds participated
InvestorHQRoundsRoleFirst check

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Benchmark 350K+ Funding Rounds and Disclosed VC Valuation Multiples

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Acquisitions by ZeniMax

ZeniMax has acquired 1 company to date.

Last acquisition by ZeniMax was on February 1st 2017. ZeniMax acquired Escalation Studios for undisclosed valuation.


Latest Acquisitions by ZeniMax

Escalation Studios
Description
Escalation Studios is a Dallas-based independent game developer specializing in mobile and social video games. Acquired by Zynga in 2011, the studio has created titles like Hidden Shadows: Puzzle and Empires & Allies expansions. It employs over 100 developers skilled in Unity and Unreal Engine, delivering free-to-play experiences for iOS and Android. Escalation Studios previously operated as a Zynga studio until 2013 and now focuses on contract development for major publishers.
HQ CountryUnited States
HQ City
Dallas, TX
Deal Date1 Feb 2017
Valuationundisclosed
EV/Revenue
EV/EBITDA

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ZeniMax Competitors

ZeniMax competitors include listed companies like Oriental Pearl Group and Krafton, and private ones like Moon Active, Improbable, Epic Games and Spotter.

Public and private companies comparable to ZeniMax
CompanyHQStatusRevenueEBITDAValuationRevenue Multiple
Moon ActiveIsraelTel AvivPrivate$1.3B-$5B4.0x
Oriental Pearl GroupChinaChinaPublicly listed$1.1B$298M$4.1B3.1x
ImprobableUnited KingdomLondonPrivate$104M-$3B29.1x
Epic GamesUnited StatesCary, NCPrivate$5.7B$730M$23B3.9x
SpotterUnited StatesLos Angeles, CAPrivate--$2B-
KraftonSouth KoreaSouth KoreaPublicly listed$2.5B$807M$7.1B1.6x

ZeniMax Public Comps

ZeniMax is no longer listed, but its public comps include Krafton, Square Enix, CD Projekt, International Games System, Nexstar Media Group, Bilibili, TBS Holdings, Toho, RTL Group and Capcom.

Last FYEV/RevenueEV/EBITDA
RevenueEBITDALast FYLTM2027ELast FYLTM2027E
Krafton$2.5B$807M2.2x1.6x6.7x4.9x
Square Enix$1.9B$356M2.8x2.7x15.1x12.9x
CD Projekt$221M$144M29.8x28.7x45.8x47.9x
International Games System$670M$393M8.3x7.1x14.1x11.7x
Nexstar Media Group$4.9B$1.3B3.4x2.3x12.9x6.3x
Bilibili$4.6B$467M0.8x0.7x7.7x5.6x
TBS Holdings$2.7B$632M2.2x2.2x9.4x22.8x
Toho$2.3B$571M3.9x3.9x15.6x17.3x

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Common questions about ZeniMax

When was ZeniMax founded?ZeniMax was founded in 1999.
Where is ZeniMax headquartered?ZeniMax is headquartered in Rockville, MD, United States.
Is ZeniMax publicly listed?No, ZeniMax was acquired by Microsoft in September 2020.
Who acquired ZeniMax?ZeniMax was acquired by Microsoft in September 2020.
How much was ZeniMax acquired for?ZeniMax was acquired for $7.5B in September 2020.
What is ZeniMax's valuation?ZeniMax was last valued at $1.2B in its undisclosed-stage round in October 2007.
How much funding has ZeniMax raised?ZeniMax has raised $450M across 3 funding rounds.
What was ZeniMax's last funding round?ZeniMax's last funding round was a $150M undisclosed-stage round in October 2010, led by Providence Equity Partners.
Who are ZeniMax's investors?ZeniMax's investors include Providence Equity Partners and SBS Broadcasting Group.
Which companies are comparable to ZeniMax?Companies comparable to ZeniMax include Moon Active, Oriental Pearl Group, Improbable, Epic Games, Spotter and Krafton.
How many companies has ZeniMax acquired?ZeniMax has acquired 1 company, including Escalation Studios.

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