I have some feeling that Xbox is going to announce a big acquisition that really surprises people by the end of September like they did with Bethesda last year. I really don’t think that the CEO makes those comments around E3 just to fish, rather that things are well on the way with something that will be announced in the next several months that is a big deal.
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People need to stop thinking that MS won’t buy a company because it’s “too big” that is likely zero factor in the talks. Sumo Digital most likely have people already in roles to run the entire company (would be weird not to) so this point of oh no it’s too many people they won’t buy them makes zero sense.
Microsoft bought Zenimax and pretty much control + X then control + V, they pretty much kept everyone and the company seemingly is as is like before the sale went through. Microsoft isn’t going to get into talks with SEGA and pull out because they have too many stuff, that just sounds ridiculous.
Put it this way if Microsoft wants a company the only thing that is stopping them is if the company wants to not sell at all or doesn’t want to sell to Microsoft.
On the Tencent buying Sumo, wow 1.3b that’s a lot. Also I just noticed has this even been talked about publicly? because I can’t remember hearing anything and this is a public company I thought they had to announce they were in talks before actually buying them or am I wrong?
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IP’s are important but I’d say that talent is even more important, why? because talent can create new successful IP’s while having an IP and trying to find a team to work on that (see Killer Instinct) is not an easy task…plus MS already has such a goldmine of IP’s that they are pretty much covered in almost every genre, talent on the other hand can never be enough.
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Amazon and Google are honestly fucked lmao, they’re going to need to buy someone like EA/T2/ACTI if they have any hope of staying in the industry. I am shocked they haven’t bought anyone yet and they are running out of time. I can see Apple/Amazon try buy Embracer group, that is going to be a golden goose.
Every single day this Bethesda acquisition is looking smarter and smarter.
wow… 62 game companies in H1 2021 and only Xbox is the bad guy lol
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MS should’ve gotten Sumo IMO, they had a loooot of support studios (here in India too btw which was one of the regions talked about opening a studio in in the coming years. Sumo India follows me on twitter lol 
) but also made their own games and would have made historical sense given they’ve worked with Xbox extensively. They also had several E Rated games under their belt, kinda their forte, would be a good choice to fill that niche. Not sure if MS got outbid or weren’t interested or Sumo simply preferred Tencent over MS, no idea but definitely better than getting acquired by Sony, cuz I guess Tencent could still allow Sumo to work with Xbox if need be. Still a missed opportunity imo
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Microsoft is too busy trying to close their deal for Take Two and make GTA 6 exclusive /s
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Exactly…and it’s that smart because MS got some behemoth IP’s along with the amazingly talented teams that already have proven that they can make those IP justice while at the same time all this talent can create something new when they want to (see Bethesda Soft with Starfield and Arkane with Redfall).
This gen is gonna be something really special for Xbox.
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It has been acquisition season for about a year now FYI 
Does this change anything for Sumo aside from being Tencent owned?
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I wouldn’t be surprised if the stakes Tencent had into Sumo played a role there.
Seeing Tencent buying studios is always a bad thing in my eyes. The CCP doesn’t need any more power over anything, let alone any kind of creative industry. I mean that’s kinda why they are buying so many studios, the CCP hates that China in general doesn’t have anywhere near the soft cultural power that Japan and Korea have, but that’s a whole other thing. Tencent is the only company where I just refuse to support any studio they’ve bought.
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Ok, but Sumo Group wouldn’t be a good candidate to become first-party wing. That’s it. There are some more better companies and studios. Smaller or bigger.
Yep, it’s was quite before today’s announcement.
Probably it depends on structure of company and its statute. I don’t remember very well, but I guess it was similar or the same with Microsoft × LinkedIn.
Before that $26.2 billion acquisition I don’t there were some rumors and reports about talks between these two.
LinkedIn was a public noted company as well. After that acquisition it was delisted from NYSE.
Could’ve been a great support network for the other 23 studios, but yeah I don’t think Microsoft is really sweating anything probably more annoying than anything bad.
I guess it’s probably per country and even state basis too lot of factors, but it is interesting to see. I do think if MS has bought a public company they will need to announce it within 24-48 hours though they couldn’t hold onto it like let’s say Double Fine.
Sumo is a good team, and they’re mainly a support studio but have made some decent to good games. I’ve always felt Microsoft should tap them to make conker or banjo. Anyways, I do feel $1.3billion is too much for a studio without an IP to name. Also Tencent acquiring them doesn’t change anything, so it’s whatever. Overall I feel it’s okay for Microsoft not to spend $1.3billion on them and use it elsewhere
Lastly, on the whole acquisition season that Nick stated I’ve always felt it was more in general about big players acquiring studios and not just Microsoft. Also these type of news take time, so I am sure Microsoft will announce something soon, but being a public company we’ll hear about it when its pretty much a done deal
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Hey Xbox:
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Yes I know these talks take a long time.
Yes I know that Microsoft has already made statements.
Yes I know that just this year Microsoft finalized Bethesda and had a great E3.
But that was then…
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Well +300 million doesn’t sound too bad now for Crytek does it?
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Never sounded bad. Some of us (like me) just dont think Crytek should be a target over others.
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its funny I think Microsoft did their acquisitions at a perfect time before inflation hit the acquisition market hard. I think all of Microsoft’s studio minus Zenimax were def a bargain. Just like how Sony got Insomniac at the perfect time. I feel even without an IP worth a damn to their name I feel Insomniac would’ve went for way more in today’s market.
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I’m deeply curious what the targets are for Xbox if letting stuff like Sumo go is okay (not that Microsoft probably wasn’t negotiating) but still.