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

[biglo25]

@Thanathorn

They just need to focus more on partnering with more Asian studios and maybe even buying one. Microsoft’s getting a lot better about Japanese game support.

True though Square Enix is a little to flip floppity for my taste with how they put games out on other platforms then xbox 6 months to a year later. Hard to build a dedicated JRPG fan on xbox if you are not committed to it strongly like with the exclusivity deal for FF7R and FF16 and Project Athia for Playstation

[Thanathorn]

@biglo25

True though Square Enix is a little to flip floppity for my taste with how they put games out on other platforms then xbox 6 months to a year later. Hard to build a dedicated JRPG fan on xbox if you are not committed to it strongly like with the exclusivity deal for FF7R and FF16 and Project Athia for Playstation

I wonder how much Avengers flopping as well as disappointing sales for a lot of their western franchises sway them to deals like that? Final Fantasy is a big game, it’ll sell on name alone but they still decided to make exclusive deals with Sony anyways. It’s a shame. I’ve always been under the impression that Square isn’t the most financially secure company.

[ThereAreFourNaan]

Reminder that even after the stock drops, CDPR’s market cap is still ~7 billion, so they’d likely need to pay more for CDPR than they did for Bethesda.

[CryOn]

@ThereAreFourNaan

Reminder that even after the stock drops, CDPR’s market cap is still ~7 billion, so they’d likely need to pay more for CDPR than they did for Bethesda.

And CDPR is not just a game company. I don’t know if MS is interested in GOG at all.

[Hindle]

MS aim with thier acquisitions is to protect investment. This is the reason they acquired Zenimax, because they had been working together for years. It’s the same reason I think they will buy CDPR and Bungie, as they have a working relationship that goes back decades.

[NierlyCrazy]

@Hindle

MS aim with thier acquisitions is to protect investment. This is the reason they acquired Zenimax, because they had been working together for years. It’s the same reason I think they will buy CDPR and Bungie, as they have a working relationship that goes back decades.

The problem is, even Microsoft can only afford so much.

Let’s say they also invested large money into both Bungie and CDPR. What happens when Google/Amazon/The Spanish Inquisition moves their attention to EA, Capcom, SEGA, Take Two, etc.?

If it came down to losing CDPR or one of the big pubs, I think I’d go with losing CDPR.

[Daniel]

@NierlyCrazy

The problem is, even Microsoft can only afford so much.

Aren’t they sitting on like 70B cash though, I honestly think MS could buy a few publishers and still be ok money wise, they make so much money they don’t even know what to do with it haha. But I don’t think MS will just legit hand over the keys to the bank, they have to look into the deal and see if it’s worth it. Bethesda was a complete no brainer and such an epic buy from them, like it’s the turning point for Xbox the brand. The amount of press, hype and excitement the Bethesda got was crazy.

[Putfire]

nobody will buy cdpr for that price. There are several much better and cheaper options.

[Flash]

@Daniel

Aren’t they sitting on like 70B cash though, I honestly think MS could buy a few publishers and still be ok money wise, they make so much money they don’t even know what to do with it haha. But I don’t think MS will just legit hand over the keys to the bank, they have to look into the deal and see if it’s worth it. Bethesda was a complete no brainer and such an epic buy from them, like it’s the turning point for Xbox the brand. The amount of press, hype and excitement the Bethesda got was crazy.

70B ? LOL

If I remember Microsoft cash on hand for 2020 was something like 137B , I mean they can go crazy and open the bank , But I don’t think they need to do that at the moment

[batman14]

@NierlyCrazy

The problem is, even Microsoft can only afford so much.

Let’s say they also invested large money into both Bungie and CDPR. What happens when Google/Amazon/The Spanish Inquisition moves their attention to EA, Capcom, SEGA, Take Two, etc.?

If it came down to losing CDPR or one of the big pubs, I think I’d go with losing CDPR.

If WB isnt worth the 4 billion then CDPR isnt worth 7 billion

[BlackheartVinyl]

@Rafaelan

… It would include IP, Just not WB IP Mortal Kombat, all of the midway IP, nothing major but still something, whatever the new IP that Monolith is working on, also the FEAR IP & Asheron’s Call. Apparently Netherrealm is working on something new as well, likely in MK universe Also, TT games has connections outside of WB, meaning Lego license could involve all sorts of franchises if not WB ones Of course this is all under the assumption that MS couldn’t or wouldn’t work a licensing deal with AT&T, whom by all accounts they have a good relationship with, or that WB couldn’t go the route of Disney and forgo exclusivity for individual project deals and MS wins even if a title is multi platform with day 1 on GP vs $60-70 to play on another format

And Scribblebauts, plus a bunch of old Midway IP (that maybe Alpha Dog and WB’s mobile studios could play with).

[Daniel]

@Flash

70B ? LOL

If I remember Microsoft cash on hand for 2020 was something like 137B , I mean they can go crazy and open the bank , But I don’t think they need to do that at the moment

haha I was going to say 100B but thought that was too high lol, couldn’t remember the number and didn’t want to exaggerate by heaps, looks like I went the other way too much.

[batman14]

I think big news about to drop this year about buyouts

[anon98342452]

I still don’t know why anyone would want MS to buy CDPR. No owned IP, a mess of a management structure and culture, and imo far overvalued at what, $6B? They’ve made one true legit megaton/GOAT type game in Witcher 3, the rest are good games but not on that level. Sega, Square Enix, even WB make more sense, as unlikely as those are.

[Ser_Bloodraven (Hand of the King)]

@anon98342452

I still don’t know why anyone would want MS to buy CDPR. No owned IP, a mess of a management structure and culture, and imo far overvalued at what, $6B? They’ve made one true legit megaton/GOAT type game in Witcher 3, the rest are good games but not on that level. Sega, Square Enix, even WB make more sense, as unlikely as those are.

Potential because of the studio’s past, probably. No reason to realistically discuss public studios until Microsoft (Xbox in particular) shows willingness to purchase a public company.

After the Zenimax Media deal, who knows where Xbox will focus on next? (well, Brad Sams maybe LOL)

There are obvious fits: Asobo, Bungie, and Studio Wildcard (in my opinion)

What are Amazon and Google doing? How could this affect Microsoft’s aggressiveness? Which companies are willing to entertain serious offers?

[AllianceOfficer]

I do think Xbox and Microsoft are going to be a acquiring potentially defensively. Phil had mentioned those type of acquisitions before. Who would they want to ensure don’t end up on other consoles the most based on history, here’s what I come up with :

Asobo

Bungie

Moon

Ubisoft

Dontnod

EA

Valve

Square West

My guess is the ones at least risk of being acquired by others are EA and Valve. The ones at most risk are probably Bungie, Moon and Square West.

Are there others that are historically close with Microsoft that I’m missing?

[javycane (Javier Ruiz)]

@anon98342452

I still don’t know why anyone would want MS to buy CDPR. No owned IP, a mess of a management structure and culture, and imo far overvalued at what, $6B? They’ve made one true legit megaton/GOAT type game in Witcher 3, the rest are good games but not on that level. Sega, Square Enix, even WB make more sense, as unlikely as those are.

Dont know why people are obsessed with them. Just one great game and as you say comes with a lot of undesired baggage along with 0 IP’s.

Id rather spend the money on WB studios or Square Enix Europe.

[anon98342452]

All that said, I do know (not really ) of a developer they won’t be buying…Hazelight. Can’t have a dev who’s head is still confused by Series X/S lol.

[Jerm411 (Jeremy)]

Blizzard and Capcom…

[BlackheartVinyl]

Blizzard??? Good luck with that one…