We know Xbox is looking to make acquisitions in Japan. Please stop this Xbox will never own Japanese studio non-sense. For one, they already do (I don’t care about your goal post moving and two they are actively looking to expand in the Japanese market as well as have Japanese games for their world wide appeal.
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How about a South Korean publisher. The ideas and games coming from China and South Korea are on the rise. Upcoming games like Doke V, Where Winds Meet, Wukong and many others show potential. Sony has certainly been quick there already getting Stellar Blade exclusive and a ton of the ones we see seem to end up showing up on Sony’s stage. Pearl Abyss seems to work well with Microsoft another will be Phantagram or Blueside the KUF developers also developed 99Knights and Circle of Doom. Blueside hasn’t been in the news for years , they could certainly use the help to bounce back as they seemed ahead of the curve in the past. :: BLUESIDE :: Pearl Abyss Official Website | Pearl Abyss
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Don’t care. If Microsoft can buy publishers and make games exclusive and cut out other platforms entirely then the Japanese market means just as little.
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I think Microsoft is gonna buy the studios they are doing third party deals with such as avalanche and potentially io.
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I think MS should invest more in Japan or in Asia in general because its not just to appeal to the local markets, but there are a huge community of gamers here in the west that likes those games. Those people usually play on playstation and Nintendo, so having those same gamers buy a series s as a companion console or use xcloud is a win for MS, as it could signficantly boost their MAU, in which MS executives value the most.
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I think I read somewhere about Phil speaking to shinji Mikami on how to grow in Japan. There will definitely be investments after abk.
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I think the priority is to invest in Japan with the acquisition of one or two publishers. This is what I think is most important for the development of Xbox. Once this is done, Microsoft will be able to explore other markets. Personally, I would buy Pearl Abyss in Korea and MiHoYo in China.
Yes, I agree, the acquisition of a publisher in Japan must be done with a global strategy and not to target only the Japanese market. I think that beyond the games, there is a big effort to be made on Xbox marketing in Japan, and a Japanese publisher could help the brand to progress, even if we should not expect miracles. But yes, the vision must be global, and I think that publishers like Capcom or SEGA would fit perfectly into this vision. I think SEGA would be more important on the marketing part, and Capcom more important on the global impact.
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I would love a slew of independent studio aquistions for Xbox, but I just feel once ABK closes Microsoft will try to get another big fish like Capcom. It’s better for Microsoft to be offensive rather than defensive against competitors.
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I don’t think Japan is the priority but Asia as a whole especially now that they are pushing into mobile. Personally, I think South Korea and China have outpaced Japan. Other than Capcom I don’t know of any studio in Japan doing big new things. Just look at some of the titles coming out from south Korea and China this gen like WuKong, Doke V (A sure hit for the kids). I think from what Phil said last time in Japan their M&A team are always talking and it seems the same in South Korea. They are basically talking in every region at the same time. Once ABK goes through the rest are certain to be small even Pear Abyss is 2bout 2 billion in Market cap. Sega will be the obvious get in Japan since Capcom won’t sell and Sony will cry foul again. Then again Sega lacks the studios for their vast IP so I’d think SONIC would be the only reason to get them as I think Microsoft would like to grow Sonic into a franchise like Minecraft.
One thing that no one talks about is if you get Sega you access to all their old consoles and can add every game from Master System, Genesis, Game Gear, Saturn, Dreamcast and arcades to Game Pass.
Plus this would mean Sega is back into having a hand in how the next console is made and Sega has had a hand in being very forward thinking with ideas that are common in the game market these days. Like as an example I want to say it was for the Genesis, if not that system Saturn with their version of Game Pass, they also brought games for multiplayer online, had visual memory cards to new game play ideas and to think what Sega could think up for the next Xbox, with Microsoft’s money is exciting to think about.
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Do you really get all those games or just the Sega games. I’d imagine there is still licensing to be worked out but if they do get those games that would be awesome. Sega definitely had some amazing games, and the IPs are still there but they just don’t have the studios to make or take their IPs to the next level. Would have liked to see the Sleeping Dogs developers work with Yu Suzuki on the Shenmue series as Shenmue 3 showed that talent and money was needed to make that game viable.
What screwed Shenmue 3 gameplay wise was no longer being on the Virtua Fighter engine and having to be built up from scratch. Honestly the Yakuza team x Yu Sazuki couldve knocked it out of the park.
I wish I could peer into the Universe where MS acquired Sega shortly after the Dreamcast’s demise. Maybe the first Xbox is Sega branded in Japan. All their Dreamcast catalog is backwards compatible to xbox (and we could still play them to this day) Sammy never gets their hands on them. They never shutter Smilebit, their arcade Division eventually transitions to Xbox console development.
Shenmue 3 is a fully funded 360 launch title, pretty sure Sega could survive the Mattrick/Kinect/Meyerson years until Phil took over. Ah what could have been…
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main devs would have left sega during mattrick days sorryy
It all depends on what you are looking for. I think Korean (and Chinese) developers are mostly focused on game development (MMO) on mobile and PC. I don’t feel that acquiring a Korean publisher will boost sales of Xbox or GP (the majority of these online games are F2P), and I don’t think I’m wrong in saying that the acquisition from a Japanese publisher will have much more impact on players than any Korean publisher. So yes, from my point of view, the priority is Japan, because there are publishers and IPs there that are appreciated and respected around the world and that would greatly boost the power of Xbox in the world. Xbox is having a lot of trouble in Japan, and Microsoft has already said it wants to grow there. Even if I don’t expect miracles, I think it remains one of the key points for the development of Xbox in the years to come. Korea and China can present interests, in particular for the mobile part as you said, but it is not necessarily an emergency for the development of Xbox. Moreover, following the last interview with Phil Spencer, I do not have the impression that Microsoft wishes to acquire in China.
Honestly, I feel like Shenmue has no purpose since Yakuza was created.
Shenmue and Yakuza are two completely different beasts thematically. The fighting systems are similar enough though.
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I don’t know. Yes South Koreans and China have been mostly vested in the mobile spot but as off the previous few years have began to hit console and PC single or campaign spots and in my opinion with much better ideas than we are seeing from Japan. Also, I disagree that Mobile will boost Gamepass. For one Spencer has pretty much said if they can’t get into mobile then the business falls. I’m sure they will be adding mobile to Gamepass and with the way you get 100 million plus downloads, they’ll be expecting that to come to come in and boost gamepass. However, as I said other than Capcom and maybe Square Enix and Fromsoftware who are the devs or publishers making big numbers attracting games in Japan not to mention these developers have hugely focused on westernized games. Just look at what’s coming from South Korea in just the last few years. Stellar Blade, Lost Soul Aside, Wukong , Lies of P. Project DT Top 15 Upcoming Chinese AAA Games 2022 & Beyond - YouTube (5) Top 10 Upcoming Korean AAA Games 2022 & Beyond May Surprise You - YouTube To me the gaming industry is moving more so into cinematic like motions making it look like movies becoming gamified. While Japan has been so much into anime China and Korea are more live action and they have a ton of assets to rely on and work with. I just think the kind of action games that one likes will be coming from there. Just look at the Perceiver swordplay. I definitely think Japan is important, but I don’t see them leading Asia in this new age not anymore.
True. Shenmue feels like something Rockstar should have done. Shenmue developed by Rockstar like a Read dead 2 game would have hit all the right notes.
Don’t Nod, Blackbird Interactive, Oxide Games, Paradox Interactive, Asobo, IOI … seem most likely in terms of western studios.
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Yes you are right, but I have the impression that Shenmue is a game from another time and that a modernization would necessarily lead to a game system similar to Yakuza. It seems to me that many players expected this from Shenmue 3, and were disappointed by the lack of evolution of the game. I am not a Shenmue specialist, and I am probably wrong, but I prefer that RGG continue to work on Yakuza/Judgement, or even a Virtua Figther reboot. On the other hand, if Microsoft buys SEGA, I wouldn’t mind if they gave YS Net the budget to bring Shemue 3 to Xbox and develop a new game to conclude the story. However, I won’t expect a great game.
Regarding Mobile and GP, most of these mobile games are accessible for free (with in-game payment), so I don’t think it would boost GP. You can grant GP bonuses for these games, but that’s secondary to the GP scale. Mobile is necessary for Microsoft, but from my point of view it is secondary for GP.
Regarding Japan, I won’t remove Capcom from the list of possibilities so easily. However, even with a publisher like SEGA you get great stuff for Xbox and GP (PC games, Japanese games, E-Rated games). SEGA would also provide Microsoft with the opportunity to significantly improve Xbox marketing and game localization in Japan. You have an iconic character like Sonic joining the family. Then you can continue to develop SEGA with the acquisition of independent studios like Platinum, Arc System, CC2, NIS, Falcom, Rabbit and Bear Studios, ArtPlay, MediaVision… So yes it’s not Capcom, but I think It’s an important step and would allow Microsoft to take a big step forward and bring a new type of very varied FP content to its service.
Regarding Korea, I agree with you, and I don’t underestimate the quality of these games. I just think Japan is more important at the moment, but I’m sure great things will happen from Korea in the years to come. Pearl Abyss announcements are interesting and I like the variety of content offered by this publisher, but at the moment these are just promises. The games keep getting pushed back. Besides, Pearl Abyss no longer talks about Plan 8, is the game still in development? But if you ask me, Peal Abyss has the potential to be a big publisher in the years to come and I think (if I were Microsoft) I’d take the risk of acquiring them. Besides, I saw that Pearl Abyss could seek to sign a partnership for the distribution of console games (exclusivity), so if Microsoft is interested, it’s time to take a first step. Sony has already done this with some Korean publishers.
About partnerships? You can probably add Int./Night, Double Eleven, Certain Affinity, Stoic, Crytek, and Avalanche. There are a lot of “small” studios, but it would make me very happy if they joined Xbox to do big things. I would also like to see GP partner studios join the family like Squanch Games, Frictional Games, A44 Games, Mundfish, Rebellion, WolfEye Studios, GSC… There is still a lot of talent and great way to grow without necessarily passing by acquiring a publisher.
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Free or not they will boost the platform they’re on just like they have boosted the IOS and Google play stores. Also, there will be Gamepass perks that will drive many to the platform. If Fortnite a FTP could boost console online subs I don’t see why those others won’t. Capcom like I said make western themed games and very few Japan centric. Also, we just saw Sony throw tantrums for ABK what you think will happen if Xbox goes after Capcom. Sega is good but they are lacking in studio quality. The studios under them are very much indie to double A level. Sure, Sonic is a gem that Microsoft could place on the map. You are right that a lot from Korea are just promises but that to me is what shows the potential and where their focus is. This is why I compared it to the movie industry. I like the ideas coming out from South Korea and China and I think thier ideas and focus are more in line with the global industry I’ll give it to you Japan for now is still the bigger market but the future is in Korea for Asia. Take a look at this solo dev (10) DuiXiaoHe - YouTube