I’m sure if Microsoft buy a Japanese publisher they would release the games everywhere based on the request of acquisition for Sega.
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They been focus on ABK since. All other plans were push aside for this one in a lifetime opportunity to buy ABK.
ABK need to be over and done with IMO, before they focus on anyone else.
That 2021 list was made before ABK fall into their lap.
I believe if ABK never happen. They would have got Sega and Square Enix west studios of Crystal Dynamics and Eidos already.
I thought there was a Sony game that liked gamepass too AKA MLB the Show
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MLB is the publisher of the non-PS releases. So Sony has no say. Like 505games that is the publisher for the DS PC version
Mlb the publisher for it on Xbox probably likes it . I doubt Sony themselves enjoy it
Which throws Jim Ryans argument into the gutter
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Which makes it pointless, may as well just work out a Game Pass deal
And what history is there of someone being willing to sign a Day 1 deal for their entire companies output? What would such a deal cost long term and how does it compare to buying them outright.
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Even if MS bought say Capcom thats not the end of the cost as they’d still be responsible for paying employees and funding game development.
With making deals for Game Pass games itnsould be cheaper, less risk and MS can be more selective on which games they want for GP
A publisher acquisition is only worth the risk if MS was willing to lock down the games for exclusivity
Going live again for another all day stream.
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What if Capcom and Sega like Square Enix stop putting their games on gp? That’s a possibility because things like new leadership at Sega or Capcom thinks it’s not worth it. So yes buying the publisher would be better than just gp deal.
They’d also get all of the revenue that Capcom gets.
Getting AAA games Day 1 is extremely expensive, which is why we don’t see many in the service. There are also benefits to ownership like everyone knowing that all future output is coming to Game Pass, not a game here and there. It makes better justification to jump into the ecosystem.
Yet they are buying ABK and not doing those things and we already know they were very much wanting SEGA and had little interest in making them exclusive
There are many reasons to buy a company beyond exclusives, we are already seeing that right now
Kinda glad it never happened considering their output, if they are gonna go after a Japanese publisher Square are near the bottom of the list for me
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Full document of Square, just like there was for Sega. It’s quite a bit more redacted though.
https://files.cand.uscourts.gov/files/23-cv-02880_FTC_v_Microsoft/PX1136_redacted.pdf
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I know Square is not what majority here likes, but that one would make me very happy, if it happened in 2019/20 Square West would be included, gamepass would have a good cadence of the 2DH2 japanese games. I’m kinda sad, not gonna lie, but I’m biased.
And well, I’m in for almost any japanese publisher 
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I’m completely there with you.
Square Enix is my favorite japanese publisher and they would be my dream acquisition.
Just imagine a future fighting game where the Xbox, ABK and Square Enix characters fight each other. 
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tbh microsoft should go for tri square sega capcom gonna love twitter that time. need all that chaos lol
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Not only that, but I could totally see something like, first a cameo os Lost Odyssey or Blue Dragon in Kingdom Hearts (I’m totally a fanboy of that franchise), and then Square would make a sequel for one of those two, damn… Well, that’s the second time they thought about buying Square, maybe third time is the charm.
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I wouldn’t be surprised if more documents like this come out for other publishers. Capcom one even, if the rumors were true.
I don’t see the documents as “they were -going- to get that company” or anything. I just like reading them lay out the publisher IPs and what their strategy for the publisher was going to be. It’s like reading a post from this thread but official.
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