If Microsoft was to buy 99% of let’s say EA or Take-Two could the regulating bodies even say anything about them investing in a company?
Do share acquisitions even require an approval? I think they are not.
They should do that for EA & Take-Two then just stop offering products for Sony there is no law that says you gotta to make games for certain platforms unless it’s a concessio.
Now that I have finished Scorn I hope Microsoft acquires Ebb Software I absolutely love Scorn and the art work is the most impressive I have ever seen. Owning a Studio in Serbia would be a great addition for Xbox Games Studio
nah there r much better studios
Honestly Scorn is for me one of the most memorable games I’ve played in the last 10 years it’s a game that won’t please everyone that’s for sure but I was completely caught up and fascinated by it his universe, technically it’s also one of the most beautiful games I’ve ever had, whether it’s the lighting, the volumetric mist, the character models and the animations, everything is incredible, the artistic direction, the Sound Design … of course it’s not a game based on combat and action it’s an immersive Puzzle game, without HUD, without mini map, without points of interest, the game does not explain anything to us and does not doesn’t take us by the hand, it’s indirectly the Dark Souls of Puzzle games and I like that. The risk taking is enormous and it corresponds well to the vision of Xbox Game Studios.
I think Microsoft should partner with Ebb Software on a project before acquiring them. Since even though Scorn is a great game the game has been in development for about 8-10 years.
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Coilation and Ebb software’s Collab could be great
Scorn’s art can merge with the Hive in Gears universe
Or maybe Coalition could make TPS with Scorn’s art in the scorn universe as a narrative horror game
Nothing against puzzle nature of the game but I think the art can be transformed into a more popular genre where it can get more exposure
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Yep. It’s weird that some people just make any team that made a cool game an acquisition target. What you pointed out especially should disregard them as an acquisition target and even a publishing partnership. For studios, MS will look for at least three qualities:
- pedigree
- leadership
- efficiency and multi-project
The Scorn team has none. Teams and games like that would better fit as Game Pass additions, with some capacity of partnership in marketing, timed exclusive, ID@Xbox and stuff like that.
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I mean that’s exactly how long Psychonauts 2 took. Microsoft doesn’t rely on development time but the creativity of the teams and Ebb Software would fit perfectly in a Double Fine style Studio.
Ebb Software has 36 employees, Compulsion Games was acquired at 40 employees and they have over 100 now plus they can get support from other XBOX studios like The Coalition so imagine what Ebb Software could do with more staff and more means as well as the support of all XGS like ID Software
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after abk, if it ends they won’t let them buy big publishers the likes of EA, Take Two, Nexxon, Bandai, Valve, Ubisoft. we are fine if they can acquire “smaller” companies like sega, paradox, capcom, square enix, konami, koei, ncsoft, cd project
I think they can easily buy a Take Two size editor after ABK
Why ?
They are third in the market behind Sony and Tencent
Microsoft is a video game pioneer in reality they were already developing games before Sony and Nintendo with Flight Simulator in 1977 so they have been in video games for more than forty years I think the time factor may be a good one argument for Microsoft
In reality for Microsoft XBOX was not a priority, they invested little in it while Playstation is the main branch of Sony and Nintendo is the only branch of Nintendo. All Microsoft is doing is playing catch-up.
imagine that Tencent continues to arm itself, Sony who are nevertheless leaders in the console and revenue market, we have more PS+ subscriptions than Gamepass continue to buy Studios like Bungie and big IPs like Destiny while they are in front Microsoft.
Saudi Arabia will invest enormously. Microsoft, which has been on the market for longer than these players despite being a GAFAM, is in 3rd position, 7th in the PC market and has no place in the mobile market.
That’s why I think they can easily acquire Take Two which would put them 2nd behind Tencent.
I really think it’s impossible to have a market monopoly in the video game industry, the industry is growing so fast, we see new publishers emerging, small indie games like Rocket League, Among Us can explode and have enormous value. It is quite possible to see a new game emerge like GTA or Minecraft.
That’s why I think Microsoft are very confident about their takeovers, the competition authorities can’t do anything because it’s been proven that small games with low budgets can become huge licenses like Fortnite.
I dont think they’ll go after one of the big ones regardless
I think they are done with western pubs, at least in the short term, they are setting sights on weaker areas which is the smart play, they will be so well equipped in the west after the ABK deal it’s almost ridiculous
It’s funny you mention Ubisoft as one of the big ones but iirc their current market cap is around some of those smaller Japanese ones like Sega, they have fallen off massively
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Like I said Microsoft tries to have a benchmark for every major genre
Sandbox: Minecraft
MMO: World of Warcraft
FPS: Call of Duty
RPG: The Elder Scrolls
Racing : Forza Horizon
You have the most prolific licenses in these genres of games which are among the most popular on the market, but the Ultimate Thirds Persons Story Driven is missing in this category which is GTA.
https://twitter.com/NilOggier/status/1518557941955182593
Microsoft have a strategy of games that last for decades that’s why Todd Howard says Starfield will be played over 10 years, Minecraft is played over 10 years, World of Warcraft is played over almost 20 years… GTA V is played over 10 years… Phil Spencer also talks about Community Games and Emerging Gameplay with Physics-Based Mechanics to Create Unique Stream Situations… These are exactly the kind of games Microsoft wants.
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I feel like Microsoft is more likely to go for tech land than cdpr. Especially after the abk acquisition.
They will look for what has the most value
In the acquisition of Bethesda they had the license The Elder Scrolls, Todd Howard refuses for the moment to give the exact sales figures of Skyrim but he says that Skyrim it is sold much more than the last figures given in 2018 has 45 Million. games like Diablo and Overwatch have sold over 50 Million copies, World of Warcraft has had over 110 Million subscriptions in its lifetime, Call of Duty sells over 40 Million annually, Minecraft has 230 Millions of sales. The Witcher 3 made 40 Millions of sales and Cyberpunk2077 20 Millions these are big figures but I think that GTA interests more Microsoft with + 150 Millions of sales.
Also as I said before CDPR is the most valuable company in Poland they are protected by the Polish government I don’t think CDPR is an acquisition target
Then Microsoft already owns The Elder Scrolls the biggest franchise of RPGs
I still believe that the best and the worst fit is Square Enix 
I do wonder what moves Tencent and Saudi’s will do. Just like last year I think by the end of the year the companies will do some big moves.
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We already see that being “third” isn’t an easy pass because regulators are looking at more than just that. Immediate focus needs to be on an Asian publisher and independent studios to fill gaps in the lineup.
An acquisition of a Take Two or EA after Activision closes is an unnecessary risk, just poking the bear at that point.
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Techlands next game is a wrpg, I think they are very talented. Xbox should try and corner the wrpg market if it is getting locked out of jrpgs.
Yep! I remember when people completely disregarded the idea that regulators would be looking at Game Services and backend tech (like Cloud), now we know at least one is bringing it up for initial investigations.
I personally see EA and T2 out of the question for Microsoft unless they either have a Ubisoft level drop in value or several industry shaking moves happen that would make a buyout of one of those two understandable.
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