Hmm? Looking at what they have announced that’s just not true. Back 4 Blood and Suicide Squad are GAAS but Gotham Knights, Hogwarts Legacy and Lego Star Wars are not
Since I know a lot of us like to go crazy with who we want to see join Xbox Game Studios, I decided it might be cool to make a challenge out of it.
Check it out if you want. Love the conversations we have in here.
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More reasons to buy ?
That is like the worst headline ever.
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I mean, it could’ve been worse. They could’ve added like 7 more names on there and made the headline comically long.
When do you guys reckon that the zenimax deal is completed? I reckon ethier February or March.
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That seems to be the consensus. I remember rumors from a month or so ago pointing at February.
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EA buys the rest of WB gaming, Microsoft gets NetherRealms and Mortal Kombat. AT&T is looking to sell their gaming division, its not like someone has to buy it all. Sony got Crunchyroll, which was part of Otter Media along with VRV, Hidive, Rooster Teeth and Viz Media, under AT&T.
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Without the DC universe IP, they are not worth it. EA loves doing these licensed games, but Microsoft likes owning the IP.
WB is not gonna sell parts. And there’s no reason a for buyer to want that. We’re not talking about one good studio and five duds, we’re talking six WORLD CLASS studios. There isn’t a better group out there right now. And no one else more “worth it”.
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It’s so interesting to think about these possibilities. The bug thing I see is that if Microsoft is not going to buy a publisher then it really moves up their time-line for acquiring studios. The reason I say this is because their focus on IP. There aren’t that many IP that are huge and at independent studios and the ones that are are being bought very quick.
A slightly longish reply to your post.
So, here goes…
There is a misunderstanding that seems to be prevalent in terms of acquisitions.
All indie studios want to do something big. That is why you have second party publishing through Xbox Global Publishing. The Blue and Red teams have something similar. That allows them the opportunity to show their talent. Here Global Publishing allows for people to display their talent, and is able to fund them well (very well, actually). The second type of funding is to get a license to publish on Gamepass – that is how games like “Tell Me Why” succeed as opposed to their retail sales model. Success is not just tied to acquisitions only.
You don’t acquire only to fulfill peoples dreams. You are also married to each other, and contribute to the XGS, and XGS contributes to you as a studio. Consider this — Compulsion is amazing for generating procedural worlds, NT is great at environmental and other effects, Coalition is probably great at Xbox Game Stack, and Turn10 is the best at doing optimizations. They all contribute to each other. When Obsidian needs help, they call up Turn10 to ask for something – for example. This is the kind of federated structure that you marry into as a part of the acquisiton. You enter into an acquisition, because the growth is a two way street here. XGS learns something new, and the studios learn something new.
The other misunderstanding is that acquisitions don’t grow the industry. All of Sony’s and Xbox’s game studios are expanding. A lot of them to create new IP. Games like Grounded get created because of this independence of creative push. There is more independence within Xbox as compared to the other teams.
The other side is that 2020 exposed the poor underbelly of the games industry too. A lot of studios simply don’t have the resources to complete their games (e.g., Techland). The tried and trusted model of selling 1-year+ exclusivity to Sony like how Destiny and SE are doing actually sucks. But that model works only for these AAA of AA+ studios. Indie publishers are not that great overall – the exception maybe Devolver.
“Purchasing that grows the industry creatively” is exactly what Xbox have been doing for the last two years if you have been observing. However, that does not mean they should shirk from adding heavy-hitters IP.
Acquisitions allow for the IP to be a part of Gamepass, and also mean that you are investing in trusted studios – either with a history of doing great IP (hypothetically — alll of the WB games or SEGA studios or say, SE West studios), great veteran leaders who are still struggling (Brian Fargo, inXile, or Uruqhart, Obsidian or Guillaume, Compulsion), or great studios that have been struggling (Ninja Theory).
Either way, do not assume that the process to get into Xbox Game Studios is straightforward, because Xbox is on the move in the market. The acquisition process is amazingly involved and detailed. MS is a master at large acquisitions, and have to be very thorough (very very thorough) because they are among the top 3 tech companies worldwide. The larger the studio, the longer the discussion and due-diligence process.
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Not really realistic. Don’t fall for the media created F.U.D. also.
Acquisitions have been happening for a long time. You would be scared if you see how Embracer group or Tencent goes about the acquisitions. Also, EA keeps doing acqui-hires very regularly. These are generally ignored by the gaming industry media. Nintendo does a lot of second party and occasionally buys studios, Sony did most of their shopping last 10-20 years, and will do them incrementally. Xbox is relatively a newcomer in terms of acquisitions and that is why the limelight.
There are cheaper ways of doing things. Acquisition is not the only way. Also, the flipside of the argument is that there are too many devs out there. Acquisitions require the devs to have a degree of maturity or close connect.
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Good post and I agree with and understand a lot of what you’re saying. Just one thing - I don’t think Microsoft should buy indie studios. Rather, invest in them much in the way they did for Studio MDHR, Moon, Playdead, etc. That’s my personal desire because I like to see the “little guys” succeed with the unique things they bring to the table, the risks and ideas they take.
Agree. I think they do that with the ID@Xbox and the publishing team that does Gamepass. If you get an opportunity look at interviews of Chris Charla with Jeff Grubb, and Sarah Bond with Kinda Funny XCast people, or even Phil Spencer with itmejp/cohhcarnage/ezekiel team. They are pretty actively searching to publish gems from the indie space – this could include unique stories, unique games, and things that are not completely discoverable in the conventional industry marketplace.
I think what I’m talking about is something more akin to heavy promotion and funding, in the way they used to with Summer of Arcade, etc. Standout, “tentpole” indie titles.
I absolutely think they should go get some indie studios…
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Interesting… Smilegate might be on the menu?
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Microsoft may like to have their own IPs, but I’m sure they would like to have 15 or more years of DC licenses. She could create her own universe of heroes in games. That would sell a lot of Game Pass subscriptions
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Where did you get that? They are selling Otter Media in parts.