Bethesda is owned by Microsoft, through its gaming division (often referred to as Xbox / Microsoft Gaming).

Here’s the quick breakdown:

  • Bethesda Softworks is a video game publisher that became a subsidiary of ZeniMax Media in 1999.
  • In 2020, Microsoft announced a deal to acquire ZeniMax Media (and all its studios, including Bethesda) for 7.5 billion dollars in cash.
  • That acquisition was completed in March 2021, making Bethesda part of Microsoft’s gaming organization while continuing to operate as a distinct label under the Microsoft umbrella.

So if you’re wondering “who owns Bethesda right now?” in 2026, the answer is: Microsoft (via its ownership of ZeniMax Media and the Bethesda family of studios).

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.