Microsoft will do something big in Japan. I just don’t see Satya being content with just a purchase of a small studio there. Especially if Sony is acquiring a publisher there. I just don’t see Microsoft ignoring that move.
Game Pass, cloud, Day 1 releases. The more Microsoft buys, the better for me. “Consumer friendly acquisitions”
I keep seeing all these doom and gloom posts basically stating if Sony buy Square Enix then Xbox is doomed in Japan.
So let’s look at the biggest Japanese games and who they are owned by:
Disclaimer: I have removed Nintendo and Minecraft from here (Nintendo dominates it all).
Square Enix
Capcom
Konami
SEGA
Armor Project
Bandai Namco
Level 5
Nihon Falcon
Koei Tecmo
Nippon
Kadokawa
I think Xbox will be just fine if Sony were to purchase SE, although IMO it’s still unlikely.
A Xbox acquisition of SEGA/Capcom still makes the most sense to me. That’s even if Xbox want to acquire in Japan, I suspect they will just go after another big western publisher instead.
Square Enix by itself is basically a Final Fantasy publisher (KH is a license mess, DQ is not own by Square Enix). They own huge MMORPG which FF14. They make a lot of junk and JRPGs though. They are kinda Activision (without Blizzard) of Japan. FF = COD (of course in much lower scale and influence).
Both of them would be neat, but unless Sega Sammy sells their division (don’t see it happening in the nearest future) I don’t see Sega happening. Sega + Capcom would solve Microsoft problems in Japan.
Xbox won’t buy a Japanese publisher for their Japanese impact. They’ll buy them for their impact on other areas of the world. That’s why Capcom and Sega make the most sense. They have a big impact on Europe and other areas of the world where Xbox can grow more than in Japan where they’ll never be #1.
It is not about Japan as a market but more about a way to make japanese developers release the games on Xbox. For now they just ignore Xbox.
I think if Xbox grow their market share to equal (or being optimistic better) PS than developers will have no option but to release their games on Xbox too. At the end of the day game studios are businesses and they aren’t simply going to ignore a massive audience base because they are an American company.
Moves like ABK will do that even though they aren’t a Japanese publisher.
I see your a person of great taste and culture and I approve.
Just wanted to point out that From doesn’t own the Souls IP, Bandai does.
Yeah your right, thanks.
Demon Souls is Sony’s and Dark Souls is Bandai (I’ll update the list).
Not sure who owns Elden Ring though.
Also Dragon Ball is kinda licensed IP.
Anything over a billion dollars would most likely be looked at by regulators.
Maybe not at the moment but I think it’s possible in 5-10 years that they could as long as Microsoft continues to invest and grow Tango Gameworks.
Its still unclear who owns Elden Ring, but Bandai is already teasing sequels and even the potential for transmedia developments, so, at the very least they are in a partnership of some sort. Or From just really likes Bandai Namco lol.
I am not sure if it applies to companies outside the country.
Too long to wait. Microsoft will move faster.
Hmm just looked for this and it’s not very clear at all who owns what.
The video game trademark appears to belong to Shogakukan, however everyone seems to have a piece of the pie.
It could be a similar situation to Chrono which ultimately belongs to Square Enix.
That’s why getting individual studios like PlatinumGames could help in addition to growing Tango Gameworks.
Dragon Ball IP is coming from manga. So IP is owned probably by some publishers or maybe the original author (or his family).
Won’t help much. Just like with Bethesda and ABK - instead of buying single studio there and there or growing Obsidian and Inxile - they went after the publishers. The dynamics in Japan are not different.
If Microsoft just sold the consoles - they would be fine. But for the subscription service - they need a lot and at once.
I would like to see Microsoft get a Japanese publisher such as Capcom or Sega but I don’t think they would be able to until they establish themselves more in Japan. That’s why individual studios or hiring developers for Tango Gameworks would be a good start to grow in the meantime.
Why not? Acquisition is the easiest way to establish yourself there.
Compare the possibility of COD exclusivity to any first party shooter that Microsoft can produce…How seriously does it change the dynamics between the consoles and the market presence.