Bethesda Parent ZeniMax Acquires Arx Fatalis Dev Arkane

Author: by N. Evan Van Zelfdan, Kris Graft

At id Software's Gamasutra-attended QuakeCon event on Thursday, Bethesda Softworks parent ZeniMax Media announced its acquisition of Lyon, France-headquartered Arx Fatalis developer Arkane Studios. The acquisition of Arkane comes just over a year after Zenimax's acquisition of Mesquite, TX-based Rage and Doom developer id Software, which has run QuakeCon since 1996. Bethesda public relations head Pete Hines said his company is working on a new unannounced project with Arkane, which most recently aided 2K Marin in the development of BioShock 2. Arkane studios was founded in 1999, establishing an Austin, TX-based studio in 2006. The parties did not disclose the terms of the transaction. Arkane CEO Raphael Colantonio told the attending audience, "We're really pleased to join the family. Bethesda, id Software -- I don't see how it could be better." Colantonio is leading Arkane as co-creative director along with Harvey Smith, industry veteran and lead designer on the classic Deus Ex. Bethesda, developer of Fallout 3 and The Elder Scrolls series, is currently working with RPG developer Obsidian Entertainment on the upcoming Fallout: New Vegas, due to release this fall.