Xbox Acquisition |OT| - So We’re Back to Making Lists, Huh?

[Bxrz]

Really nice and logical article on acquisition targets for Microsoft

Logical Acquisition Targets for Microsoft - Lords of Gaming

[stealthyfrog]

@NierlyCrazy

I’m not sure if Take Two cares so much about Gearbox, but rather the Borderlands IP. Take Two has shown they’re willing to crumble studios and take their talent with the IP if they have issues with being straight up bought out (look at what happened with the Kerbal Space Program developers).

Gearbox being acquired by Take Two I think is more likely if Randy isn’t there, but I don’t think they’re an absolute necessity to Take Two. As other posters have mentioned, Borderlands is the only major thing they’ve released as of late (and that’s not to diss on Battleborn and Duke Nukem fans, but I have to agree with the sentiment).

Fair point, Take-Two could always open a new studio with a bunch of poached Gearbox developers to take over Borderlands

[AllianceOfficer]

@Arthur_Garton

I still think Bungie goes to Google or Tencent but I agree with the Offense/Defense tactics of Acquisition.

Microsoft still owns a portion of Bungie and has the ability to counter any offer as part of their separation agreement. It would be embarrassing to them and give their competitor a real studio that excels at new IP. Why would Microsoft not match any offer? And why would Bungie not accept a matched offer from Microsoft when Google is much more risky.

[NierlyCrazy (Alex)]

I agree with most of these picks.

@Bxrz

Really nice and logical article on acquisition targets for Microsoft

Iron Galaxy is a tough one though. I think someone there mentioned they didn’t want to keep working on Killer Instinct, but leadership made it sound like they were open to the idea of another one, just that they didn’t have news on a sequel. If they’re interested, absolutely acquire them.

People Can Fly is going public so I don’t see that making much sense unless its a couple years down the line (or something drastic happens to PCF).

[Boosted_Gear]

@AllianceOfficer

Microsoft still owns a portion of Bungie and has the ability to counter any offer as part of their separation agreement. It would be embarrassing to them and give their competitor a real studio that excels at new IP. Why would Microsoft not match any offer? And why would Bungie not accept a matched offer from Microsoft when Google is much more risky.

Not to mention Bungie has a great partnership with MS right now, and Destiny 2 and its extensions are on Game Pass. Bungie going to Google, or Amazon would be the end of that. I don’t see MS not making any actions to prevent that.

[ThereAreFourNaan]

@AllianceOfficer

Microsoft still owns a portion of Bungie and has the ability to counter any offer as part of their separation agreement.

Do we know this for sure? I am aware they got a stake as part of the separation, but I do not know if we have had any updates on it since 2007 or whenever it was. I also don’t know if we ever got confirmation of what was in the agreement. Do you have a source?

[Eduardo]

I think MS will go big again. they’re on a mission to be the Netflix of Gaming

Netflix spent 20 billion with content in 2020, Apple spent 6 billion and HBO/Max 5 billion

why would they slow down?

[javycane (Javier Ruiz)]

@Knottian

Microsoft couldn’t care less about Gearbox at this point, unless it came without Pitchford. To say the man is problematic would be a massive understatement, but the best term I could use diplomatically. Gearbox also hasn’t put anything of value out, outside of Borderlands, for more than a decade.

If its not Borderlands its bad seems accurate for Gearbox.

[MonkeyBoyFrancis]

@Eduardo

I think MS will go big again.

Agree. The Bethesda Maneuver was Earth shattering. They can continue to buy up small fry and get small fry boosts or spend big and win big. Another publisher joining Team Green would decide the console market and would make breaking into it much harder for Google and Amazon.

[NierlyCrazy (Alex)]

@MonkeyBoyFrancis

Agree. The Bethesda Maneuver was Earth shattering. They can continue to buy up small fry and get small fry boosts or spend big and win big. Another publisher joining Team Green would decide the console market and would make breaking into it much harder for Google and Amazon.

The only thing that worries me is what a desperate Amazon/Google might do.

Microsoft has a lot of money, but they’ll have to pick their battles if Google/Amazon are ready to splurge.

I’m sure if they have a plan for who they’re willing to fight for.

[EAGLE9388XB1 (Mike)]

@NierlyCrazy

The only thing that worries me is what a desperate Amazon/Google might do.

Microsoft has a lot of money, but they’ll have to pick their battles if Google/Amazon are ready to splurge.

I’m sure if they have a plan for who they’re willing to fight for.

Amazon and Google have some uncertainty about them, Microsoft will do great in every bidding war they dont have to pick their battles wisely. Satya Nadella boldly came out and said yes we will still looking to aquire more studios, hes ready to battle with all the competition I see many victories in Microsoft camp and very few loses.

[NierlyCrazy (Alex)]

@EAGLE9388XB1

Amazon and Google have some uncertainty about them, Microsoft will do great in every bidding war they dont have to pick their battles wisely. Satya Nadella boldly came out and said yes we will still looking to aquire more studios, hes ready to battle with all the competition I see many victories in Microsoft camp and very few loses.

I’m not just talking about studios though. Amazon/Google could be going after any major publisher too.

[Sydle]

@Boosted_Gear

Not to mention Bungie has a great partnership with MS right now, and Destiny 2 and its extensions are on Game Pass. Bungie going to Google, or Amazon would be the end of that. I don’t see MS not making any actions to prevent that.

Isn’t NetEase funding their next game and/or they put a $100M investment in the studio? I think it’s going to be a long time before Bungie is open to acquisition.

[peter42O]

@Sydle

Isn’t NetEase funding their next game and/or they put a $100M investment in the studio? I think it’s going to be a long time before Bungie is open to acquisition.

NetEase invested $100M into Bungie in Spring 2018 but they can still be acquired and then pay back the initial investment.

[EAGLE9388XB1 (Mike)]

@NierlyCrazy

I’m not just talking about studios though. Amazon/Google could be going after any major publisher too.

I know what you are talking about, but I still see Microsoft having many victories against Amazon and Google whether it’s Studios or Publisher Satya Nadella is ready for war.

[Kill3r7]

@AllianceOfficer

Microsoft still owns a portion of Bungie and has the ability to counter any offer as part of their separation agreement. It would be embarrassing to them and give their competitor a real studio that excels at new IP. Why would Microsoft not match any offer? And why would Bungie not accept a matched offer from Microsoft when Google is much more risky.

There is no other studio that I want more than Bungie but I imagine given current market realities and recent sales/valuations of other developers they are probably worth a tidy sum.

[Searsy82]

@Kill3r7

There is no other studio that I want more than Bungie but I imagine given current market realities and recent sales/valuations of other developers they are probably worth a tidy sum.

Jez just mentioned in the Xbox two podcast last week that from what he has heard Bungie is open to being sold but is having a hard time proving that they are worth what they are asking (paraphrased).

[Hindle]

IOI are such a perfect dev for MS. The Hitman series was great in XGP. Ideal content for it

[Hindle]

Xbox targeting big name studios is exactly right, I have the same theory.

[ThereAreFourNaan]

@Hindle

IOI are such a perfect dev for MS. The Hitman series was great in XGP. Ideal content for it

IOI is doing a multiplayer game for WB (“Unnanouned Project” on their site) and Project 007. They’re talented developers although it might be quite a long wait until they produced anything exclusively for MS unless they were willing to buy out the contracts (or renegotiate something with that bond game).