Shinji Mikami and his studio Tango Gameworks have been extremely busy as of late. They just shipped a frantic futuristic shooter in Vanquish and Mikami is producing action thriller Shadows of the Damned for EA. As if his plate wasn't full enough, today Zenimax Media announced that they've acquired Tango Gameworks and from here on out Tango will be known as Zenimax Axia. In addition, Mr. Mikami will be in charge of gaming development under Bethesda Softworks.

Shinji offered his opinions on the acquisition, and wasn't shy in letting his excitement show. Says Mikami:

"It's refreshing to find a publisher who understands, trusts, and supports the development of blockbuster games and works to make it a collaborative effort. The library of AAA franchise titles ZeniMax owns speaks for itself. We are very excited to be joining ZeniMax and working with a company that is dedicated to creating the best games ever made."

It's fantastic to think that Mikami is at a company that promotes creativity and will give him and his team the space they need to do what they do best. With such titles as God Hand, Viewtiful Joe, the Resident Evil series and the original Devil May Cry, thinking about what he'll come up with next is incredibly exciting.

Perhaps known best for The Elder Scrolls series and now the Fallout series, Bethesda has yet to publish or develop any Japanese-styled games. The new partnership will surely change that, but Zenimax is keeping a lid on any new game announcements for right now.

What do you think of the new partnership, Ranters? Which Mikami title is your favorite, and which one would you like to see a sequel to? Would you like to see Mikami's influence on any of Bethesda's games, such as the next Elder Scrolls? You know the drill: speak your mind in the comments section below!

Source: Joystiq (via Bethesda)