Sumo has widely dispersed shares. Buying them would be really chalenging
3 Likes
Sadly that didn’t seem to be the case with Rare Ltd. You just got to hope that they make new fans.
Well, it is been 20 years already - basically a generation passed and Rare did not produce the same types of games for a long long time. Current Rare is not the Nintendo’s era Rare.
They like their independence and their current relationship with Microsoft working on Forza and other projects seems to have worked out well even if they weren’t critical hits. They have a history as Microsoft suggested them to Sega regarding porting Outrun 2 on the original Xbox and they did such a phenomenal job, they got work from Sega for years on Sega’s top IP. They are a public company though, and taking ten studios who are built for different work like developing other companies IP, porting and outsource work along with adding more original work recently with the Chinese Room probably wouldn’t integrate well with Xbox as their trajectory is a bit more focused on what they do well.
I mean I love Sumo’s output, but their independence is a strong suit. I do believe they will do another fairly substantial project with Microsoft in the future on another IP Microsoft owns, however.
Rare didnt continue to make thier same kinds of quality games for a long time
Today’s Xbox Two Podcast, Rand and Jez mention there are multiple major publishers looking at either getting investments or being acquired.
Rand specifically says he will not be surprised if Xbox acquires another publisher at some point (does not seem imminent).
Rand believes if done, it would be similar to Zenimax/Bethesda so Matt Booty isn’t spread too thin.
11 Likes
So pretty much inside the Xbox umbrella. I would assume Publisher purchases keep their own systems in place and individual studios would just be placed under “XGS” (granted Zenimax are XGS too just a separate label).
2 Likes
Honestly though, with the way they’re running Bethesda, it mean Matt doesn’t have any real acquisitions to worry about fully integrating. Makes it more likely imo that they grow their Xbox Game Studios with individual acquisitions at the same time.
4 Likes
Rand was saying he doesn’t see too many purchases under XGS itself because of Matt being spread thin, thus more situations like Bethesda makes sesne.
I do agree we could see another studio or two join XGS if it’s just Matt leading, but they might want to have someone step up to share duties (or have studios go under the Bethesda umbrella) to avoid overworking Matt.
Its an interesting thing to look at.
5 Likes
I think it’s less of a keeping one guy at the top of the corporate structure less spread too thin and more of MSFT showing that they’re the “good guy acquiror”. You don’t just win M&A from paying more than other bidders, you also show that if a small dev joins MSFT they get increase funding and support from a massive company, or that if a large publisher joins MSFT they’ll maintain their status quo as a new subsidiary.
1 Like
Did they mention what one ?
Nope, just multiple publishers, sounded like of all sizes but they did say initially “large” ones.
You know what this is going to do to me right.
2 Likes
Capping a publishing arm at 12-15 studios makes a lot of sense so that the leadership arent overwhelmed
6 Likes
The owner of a BRAND NEW CAR!?!?!
haha
I think it will work the same way it does with dreamworks, on the title screen of their movies it says dreamworks then in small text at the bottom is says ‘a comcast company’
I bet they will remain seperate PR wise, so whoever is zenimax’s Matt Booty (maybe Pete Hines? I know hes the PR guy but would make a good ‘face’ for zenimaxes organisational structure) will introduce all of their games during shows. Then on trailers and in games you will get the bethesda title screen with ‘a microsoft company’ at the bottom of the screen.
yep, and I bet if they add another publisher they will form a ‘board’ that handles all first party development, so they can better coordinate release schedules and game production stuff
Microsoft should hire Shawn Layden to split off the responsibility from Booty. This way they add someone who knows what they’re doing and can still add more development studios.
Publisher wise, I believe they will add Paradox Interactive and Sega. Both would most likely be similar to Bethesda where they run independently and publish their own titles.
3 Likes
Matt Booty always seemed like the next man up when Phil retires. Wonder how he feels seeing more people join at his level.
2 Likes
I guess this depends on why he left or was removed from PlayStation in the first place… they were so strange about the entire thing.
Its honestly probably putting him in a better spot. He has seniority in the company versus other people stepping into a similar role.
3 Likes