When ZeniMax scooped up id Software last month, speculation started about possible collaborations between id and Bethesda almost immediately started up. Those looking for new IP from the Doom creator will have to wait a bit longer, though, as id still has their hands full.

Now that id Software has been acquired by ZeniMax, the veteran game studio is using some of the extra cash by putting together a new development team. More after the jump.

Doom and Rage (PC, PS3, Xbox 360) developer id Software has joined Bethesda Softworks under the wings of new parent company ZeniMax. A press release announcing the acquisition of the former by the latter has just been released.

One of the bigger titles to hit gamers next year definitely has to be Bethesda Softworks' Fallout 3 (PC, Xbox 360, PS3). This is why people love squeezing as much information about the game as they can from Pete Hines, Bethesda's Vice President of Public Relations.

Read more what Hines had to say in the full article!

Fans of the Elder Scrolls series would have to agree that one of its biggest draws would be the open-ended, sandbox type of gameplay that have captivated gamers for years. The latest in the series, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (PC, Xbox 360, PS3) has a style actually reminiscent of many MMORPGs, with customizable character archetypes, various downloadable game content and a vast world to totally immerse yourself in.

However, what if we told you that the possibility of an actual Elder Scrolls MMORPG might actually be real sometime in the near future? Reports from VE3D have noted the acquisition of the domain name "ELDERSCROLLSONLINE.COM" from ZeniMax Media, the parent company of Bethesda Softworks.

Combine this with the fact that the company has also opened up an online game division headed by Mythic co-founder Matt Firor, and people might actually see the next Elder Scrolls game to be an MMO extravaganza. There has been no official word from Bethesda so far, but we're hopeful that this might be the case. We'll be keeping our eyes peeled on any updates on this rumor, so make sure to check back on us from time to time.

Straight from the Finnish, through Destructoid, and into our cold, lifeless hearts, this little rumor may have very welled breathed new life into us, those who have spent almost 300 hours killing things in Bethesda's Elder Scrolls IV game.

According to "Pelit," a Finnish gaming magazine, there may very well be an expansion for Oblivion already in the works, currently known as "Shivering Isles." They say that Bethesda's already confirmed the expansion, but hasn't given a release date for it. On the other hand, Destructoid does a little more fact-checking. Apparently, ZeniMax Media, Bethesda's owners, secured a trademark for the "Shivering Isles" phrase with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office in August:

Word Mark SHIVERING ISLES Goods and Services IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Computer game programs; providing downloadable computer game programs offered via handheld computers, wireless telephones and mobile and wireless devices

IC 041. US 100 101 107. G & S: Providing online computer games; providing online computer game programs offered via handheld computers, wireless telephones and mobile and wireless devices

Filing Date August 17, 2006

Owner (APPLICANT) ZeniMax Media Inc. CORPORATION DELAWARE 1370 Piccard Drive Rockville MARYLAND 20850

While it was certain that there would have eventually been a full expansion for the game, this was somewhat unexpected. It also kinda sucks that pirate-themed games won't be able to use that name anymore, but that can't be helped. Hopefully, Bethesda will give news outlets a little bit more to think about in the next week, as we'd surely like to know more. In the meantime, we better wait for the company to get the PS3 version of the original game out first. Oh, and we better finish the main campaign too. All that killing just makes us keep going, you know.