Providence Equity Partners, the private equity firm focused on technology, media and telecommunications, is exploring options for portfolio company ZeniMax Media Inc., people with knowledge of the matter said. The buyout firm has held talks with banks about what to do with its stake in the developer and distributor of video games, including a possible initial public offering or a sale, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the information is private.

Providence Equity Partners, the private equity firm focused on technology, media and telecommunications, is exploring options for portfolio company ZeniMax Media Inc., people with knowledge of the matter said. The buyout firm held talks with banks about what to do with its stake in the developer and distributor of video games, including a possible initial public offering or a sale, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the information is private.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1217748

It looks like ZeniMax Media Incs. private equity partners want to either sell them or get them on the public stock market.

Sorry for caps, but I have to use them.

I THINK THIS IS BAD, why? Because the investors in the stock market will ruin the Bethesda Game Studios developed video games more than they are now I believe.

They might ask Bethesda Game Studios to add microtransactions in the video games that they develop or tack on multiplayer in some form.

Your thoughts? I hope this is just them shopping around and nothing comes out of it, no sale, no go becoming a publicly traded AAA video game publishing company.

Nevermind according to a neogaf.com member.

"Private Equity acquisitions like this often don't end well. PEP will sell Zenimax to the highest bidder, even if it involves slicing it up into chunks and could severely damage those studios in the process."

The bidders are.

Activision Blizzard

Electronic Arts (EA)

Take-Two,

Ubisoft

and Warner Bros. it seems. Well that is if a major western AAA video game publishing wants to purchase ZeniMax Media Inc.