Xbox Acquisition |OT5| Talking Exclusively About Xbox Acquisitions

[Bits-N-Pieces]

@NierlyCrazy

The obsession with buying another major publisher like Take-Two/EA/Activision is tiresome. Go buy their games off the store.

At least we’d be getting something out of a Japanese acquisition, even if they stayed multiplat.

Edit: Obviously the hope is Microsoft can fix ABK, but that’s not the point I’m making here.

I would say the constant and incessant chat about acquisitions and the desperation for Japanese anything is making reading Xbox discourse online hard going, that’s just me though.

[WAHderfulGoldenStar]

@NierlyCrazy

While I agree a Japanese publisher wouldn’t necessarily be the biggest get, I do feel it fills a large gap in Xbox’s portfolio.

Most of the Japanese publishers not only make JRPGs, but also action and fighting games. Those are areas Xbox could majorly grow in on a first party front.

If Microsoft bought a Japanese publisher…SEGA (preferably with platinum games) or capcom feel like the best gets. SEGA owns sonic which speaks for itself when it comes to marketing game pass but I also feel like a lot of SEGA franchises like Yakuza could be expanding massively in the west with the right kind of marketing which Microsofts could provid (and hell SEGA could possibly take over marketing with xbox when it comes to Japan). Then for capcom, they have a lot of massive IPs with huge fanbases which are practically known worldwide or are getting to that point such as resident evil, monster hunter or street fighter while have a lot of variety with actively running series which are being made and published inhouse, I think capcom is a better get from the perspective of Microsoft but both have benifits

[pg2g]

I find “Japanese games” to be such a broad term that focusing on it is kinda weird. Don’t think anyone wants to lose the next Monster Hunter or Elden Ring but a lot (likely most) of this recent talk is about Japanese games that Xbox isn’t already getting (like JRPGs and niche Visual Novels), not ones that are huge in the west.

[Hue]

@pg2g

I find “Japanese games” to be such a broad term that focusing on it is kinda weird. Don’t think anyone wants to lose the next Monster Hunter or Elden Ring but a lot (likely most) of this recent talk is about Japanese games that Xbox isn’t already getting (like JRPGs and niche Visual Novels), not ones that are huge in the west.

True, technically all of the Nintendo games are “Japanese games” too.

[TheBrightestSun]

@Hue

True, technically all of the Nintendo games are “Japanese games” too.

Well, If Switch was much more powerful they would probably have all the games.

[Cairnst (Bill Cairns)]

One if the things I’m reminded of here is Netflix. Several years ago Netflix realised they couldn’t expect to run a subscription service off of everyone elses content - they had been ahead of the curve for a while but the rest of the market was following and all they did was prove to content makers that there was money to be made streaming it. So they went BIG making their own content, they got ahead of the curve again. That’s where Microsoft is at the moment.

Now Nettlix is in a position where most people in the US who would want netflix have netflix - so they’ve had to push for growth in other countries and that requires making content targeted at those countries. Netflix is now producing content all around the world, and not only have they been able to build up subscribers in these market spaces they’ve been able to provide a diverse range of content for the US market that they might never have experienced otherwise. I mean, the biggest show of the last year was a korean netflix show that came out of no where. And it’s not just a one off they’ve had a lot of success here with shows like Dark, Kingdom, Money heist, Devilman crybaby and so on.

My point is, I don’t think anyone is trying to say that Japanese games are huge and Microsoft “just has to gettem” - between EA, Take Two and Ubisoft there is clearly games that sell more. But between Bethesda and Activision I think Microsoft has a fairly solid foothold in the West already, and there’s a global audience that Microsoft could be reaching. We as an audience can only benefit from more studios making a more diverse range of content. I want to see Japanese games doing well on Xbox, I want to see more content from countries like Poland or Korea where there’s already a strong gaming industry, I want to see what kind of games countries that don’t have a strong voice in the market yet can make. I want to see what ALL of them can do making content for a service like game pass.

[saintsflow20]

It’s not that I think MS should give up on Asia, or that it’s impossible for an acquisition there…

It’s just that I personally think MS is not invested enough into the region to the point where they are gonna drop billions on a publisher from there.

There’s also this notion that MS needs to buy a JP Studio “before Sony does.” IMO Sony is also not invested enough in the region to the level where I would see them picking up a publisher there.

[BRiT]

@saintsflow20

There’s also this notion that MS needs to buy a JP Studio “before Sony does.” IMO Sony is also not invested enough in the region to the level where I would see them picking up a publisher there.

To the contrary, Sony has actually shrunk their investment in that region through the partial closing and restructuring of the Sony Japan Studio.

Sony shutting down Japan Studio development

[pg2g]

I would love to see content from all over the world, I think it’s necessary for a global service.

It’s probably my own problem but I just find it a little off putting how fans and media always seem to be looking for something to complain about. We went from no games to a ton of games, now it’s we got a ton of games but not the niche ones that I like.

Not every platform is going to be perfect for everything, though I do think as a subscription service you need to cater to as many as possible. I think Xbox has been making an effort there, though there are still gaps.

And I guess this is off topic so I’ll stfu.

[Branthrax]

@Hue

True, technically all of the Nintendo games are “Japanese games” too.

I always found that sentiment funny because Retro Games and Next Level Games are both North American studios.

[Zonky]

@howlingmosquito

Nintendos not off the table. Doesnt matter if its 5, 10 years down the line. It wouldnt be that much more then ActiBlizzion money.

Yes it’s off the table and yes it would cost alot more. Would never happen.

[JDBsw67 (J.D.)]

I just want them to buy Platinum, let them have two teams to start then expand to 3 internal teams over 4-5 years of building up and hiring. Then assuming Tango is at 2 or 3 teams that is technically 6 different devs in Japan developing games and a damn good start for Japan/Asian content on Xbox. The only thing I think they would be lacking is a JRPG studio, but they could build a JRPG team under Tango or Platinum, or purchase another studio. I do believe though, that if they purchase a JRPG team they should go for someone smaller and build it up. My personal pick would be to invest in the Edge of Eternity studio Midgar I feel with a proper budget and resources they could probably build a true Final Fantasy level game. I would also approach some of the studios working on these smaller JRPG games like the Eyudin Chronicles or other studios in a similar space and see if they want to take a shot at larger scale game.

[Hue]

@Branthrax

I always found that sentiment funny because Retro Games and Next Level Games are both North American studios.

Metroid and Luigi’s Mansion although created in the US are still typically overseen by Nintendo therefore produced/written/directed by Japanese talent.

Most of these recent games were produced by Kensuke Tanabe.

[TheBrightestSun]

@BRiT

To the contrary, Sony has actually shrunk their investment in that region through the partial closing and restructuring of the Sony Japan Studio.

They are “invested” in Square Enix enough and big japanese games won’t skip Playstation anyway. And even smaller ones are coming to Playstation 5. So technically they don’t even need to try that much unlike Microsoft.

@pg2g

We went from no games to a ton of games, now it’s we got a ton of games but not the niche ones that I like.

I am not sure that anybody on Xbox side complained about “too many games” seriously (aside Game Pass jokes). How can you even complain about that?

[WAHderfulGoldenStar]

@Cairnst

My point is, I don’t think anyone is trying to say that Japanese games are huge and Microsoft “just has to gettem” - between EA, Take Two and Ubisoft there is clearly games that sell more. But between Bethesda and Activision I think Microsoft has a fairly solid foothold in the West already, and there’s a global audience that Microsoft could be reaching. We as an audience can only benefit from more studios making a more diverse range of content. I want to see Japanese games doing well on Xbox, I want to see more content from countries like Poland or Korea where there’s already a strong gaming industry, I want to see what kind of games countries that don’t have a strong voice in the market yet can make. I want to see what ALL of them can do making content for a service like game pass

I get what your saying and to an extent I agree but their is 2 major differences between netflix and Microsoft.

1. One has the money were they can acquire the major players which have/will likely jump ship and make a rival service and the other doesn’t. On top of that Microsoft buying these companies limits the amount of growth their actual rivals within gaming (apple, google, amazon, facebook, tencent ect.) can make. I do agree though that I would like to see more veriety in genres and hell see what companies like Korea can make (Poland we know, good games like the witcher 3 and dyling light…also shit like cyberpunk)

2. this one is more related to business and the law but publicly traded companies need to try and maximise shareholder wealth meaning they need to try and maximise the amount of money they are making and try to increase it year over year. Netflix’s main business is movie/TV streaming so of course they were going to have focus on expanding eventually while gaming has only recently become more of a focus for Microsoft and its still growing worldwide and in the west not to mention Microsoft doesn’t make much of a dent in the PC gaming or mobile gaming market. They are not going to hit that invisable wall for a long time most likely

@saintsflow20

There’s also this notion that MS needs to buy a JP Studio “before Sony does.” IMO Sony is also not invested enough in the region to the level where I would see them picking up a publisher there.

Yeah sony has become a heavily western based business within gaming at least, I don’t picture them buying a Japanese publisher (or a publisher in general)…the only one I could sort of see is Square but thats unlikely too. I think Microsoft may buy a Japanese publisher but I doubt it will be because they want to break into Japan

[PaMello (Mello)]

@WAHderfulGoldenStar

Yeah sony has become a heavily western based business within gaming at least, I don’t picture them buying a Japanese publisher (or a publisher in general)…the only one I could sort of see is Square but thats unlikely too. I think Microsoft may buy a Japanese publisher but I doubt it will be because they want to break into Japan

Well, in fact, this is also included in their new structure of Western orientation. Because the big Japanese publishers make games that are better bought in the west. The same Capcom, Square Enix.

[WAHderfulGoldenStar]

@PaMello

Well, in fact, this is also included in their new structure of Western orientation. Because the big Japanese publishers make games that are better bought in the west. The same Capcom, Square Enix.

Fair point, I still don’t picture sony buying a major or mid level publisher personally aside from maybe square enix but even that doesn’t feel very likely IMO. For Microsoft though, I think they are focused on the wider appeal so it depends on who

[PaMello (Mello)]

@WAHderfulGoldenStar

Fair point, I still don’t picture sony buying a major or mid level publisher personally aside from maybe square enix but even that doesn’t feel very likely IMO. For Microsoft though, I think they are focused on the wider appeal so it depends on who

If Microsoft is going to continue to buy major publishers, then Sony will be forced to answer them. Even if you have to go into debt. Their gaming division for them now ties everything else.

[AllianceOfficer]

Been a while since I brought them up, but I still think Rovio makes sense for acquisition. Big mobile publisher that expands worldwide appeal.

[Madumbrella (Mad)]

@Hue

Technically it still would, the reason most games skip Xbox over PS is that they sell more on PS, because historically it’s been the more popular console.

If all of a sudden Xbox has the biggest IP’s, more people will buy Xbox consoles. More devs will then see the value in developing their games for Xbox as it will have a bigger audience.

This will include devs from the eastern markets which will also encourage more Xbox sales in asia which will then go full circle. Apart from Nintendo most of the prominent Japanese games are third party.

I still dont see how having gta or ea titles in gamepass is going to help xbox grow in japan or any other place, it will mostly appeal to the western audience

And sure, the xbox audience will grow, that dont mean that more people will be playing jrpgs or any “niche” game when they arent even in the platform

But anyways, if xbox just want to grow only in american it will be dissapointing, but understandable