I’m not a big fan of Piscatella however he has a point here, with the way Xbox is going I’m more convinced than ever that they will likely target studios/publishers with the highest MAU over any IP/studios that we as gamers actually want.
I still doubt they would be able to get a T2, Epic or EA through regulators but maybe this ‘everywhere’ strategy will help?
I think Roblox, miHoYo (Genshin Impact) and Facepunch Studios (Rust) is still a possibility, or possibly even a Ubisoft (Rainbow 6/For Honor) after the cloud deal expires.
Even Sega’s Football Manager seems to attract a regular audience (obviously nowhere near EA FC).
Valve (Steam) is still the outlier here, compared to the likes of T2, Epic & EA they would be a considerably cheaper acquisition and have the likes of Counter Strike, DOTA & Team Fortress but would it get through regulators?
No chance of that happening but EA would be the dream acquisition for Microsoft and it would be totally in line with their new strategy.
Microsoft could acquire Ubisoft and sell the cloud rights to another publisher, but I don’t think Microsoft is interested in acquiring Ubisoft. The two companies do not operate in the same way.
The acquisition of Valve would be less complicated than that of EA or Take Two. It’s a great way to make money and Steam Deck is a good portable console. This would be an excellent acquisition and if it allows us to have more Valve games that’s perfect!
For my part, I still think it will be SEGA or Square Enix. I’m team SEGA, but I must admit that I have the growing impression that Square Enix will be next. The stars are aligned.
Yeah I very much doubt it’s possible.
The only way I can see it happening is if Microsoft state they will release all their games elsewhere (maybe just timed exclusivity) or another big party comes in like Apple/Amazon.
If it were to happen I think it would be after the cloud deal expires, MS may also want to regain the cloud rights to their games.
Yeah Valve would be huugggge, unfortunately I doubt Gabe will ever let it go, even after the grave there will be some kind of stipulation.
Also would Microsoft move to Linux?
Sega would also be my preference, I personally prefer their games and I was a Sega kid so nostalgia is a big part.
I can also see Square happening with Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts and Dragon Quest but neither of them interest me personally.
Square would be very bad for Sony as they would loose their exclusivity arrangements, especially in a year like now where they are basically relying on them. FF is also probably the last big third party game (outside Genshin) that Playstation still blocks from Xbox so it would put them on a fairer playing field.
Probably more appeal in the east.
All marketing for future Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest and Kingdom Heart games would be associated with Xbox and not Playstation.
It could result in more Japanese players tuning into the Xbox showcases for updates on FF, where they potentially see other games which interest them etc.
Outside of FF I’m trying to think of the next big 3rd party game which Sony is blocking (from Xbox) but my mind is coming up blank.
Without FF it would put Xbox on a fairer playing field where it’s simply ecosystem and 1st party going head to head.
I don’t see Microsoft going in for EA or T2, I think they are satisfied with ABK. They would rather work on a partnership with the other 2 if not Game pass, then bringing their games to Windows PC and allowing Play Anywhere. They are more into the global effect which will be pushing into Asia and Africa now to get a solid foundation. As of late those are the 2 continents, they have been investing in. SE is definitely a possibility or Sega. Genshin, I don’t see not even sure they have a relationship with Mihoyo as their next game is targeting PC and PlayStation.
Steam would change their structure too much. I don’t think it’s in the works. If they focused on their PC store, they could just as easily compete. There are more games on Xbox than Steam. If they could bring their entire PC store forward on to PC or in a simple sense build Xbox into PC, they’d have more to work with.
They should go for Sega and Pearl Abyss in Korea or Blue Side.
FF does seem like the last of the major franchises that are still strongly associated with Playstation. The last mainline title didn’t exactly light the charts on fire though.
Releasing the games on Playstation and Nintendo would not be a problem for Microsoft, but even if there is no exclusive game I doubt that regulators will approve this acquisition.
I’m not a huge Square Enix fan but they have potential. I don’t think it’s a bad acquisition. The new direction looks promising and is probably the only way for Xbox to get FF7 and FF16. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the next big acquisition.
It’s funny Genshin Impact could have been a Xbox exclusive but Xbox passed on it:
As I said above I suspect they will go for whatever has the most MAU, regardless if it’s in Asia, Europe or the US.
I don’t think there’s really any established publishers in Africa right now is there? I know Sony invested in one.
I think going forward they will favour MAU over even game sales, e.g. why have a studio work on a game for multiple years which will only top the charts for a few months, when they can have more players playing (and spending) over and over every single month in the same game(s).
True! It feels like Persona is starting to take the crown.
Outside of their first party titles (and licensed titles) I don’t think there really is another big third party franchise connected with PS.
They often get the marketing for FIFA/EA FC so that’s probably the next closest thing (but it’s not exclusive).
I don’t know of any established publisher in Africa either but Phil Spencer went there some time ago to direct or oversee some technology and data centers there. I do recall he was testing Xcloud there as well and Sarah Bond talks about African creators in some capacity. In any case it would be good to get a solid base there now.
I do agree on the MAU direction but thought that has been their direction for quite some time.
they did the same with GTA during early Xbox days now did the same with genshin its like they dont really have that thing to tell which game gonna be good lol
Honestly, this is a pretty good deal for Embracer. Gearbox will undoubtedly be the next to go on sale. Microsoft could easily acquire Embracer’s three largest AAA studios (Gearbox, Eidos, and Crystal Dynamics) for a ridiculous price. FYI, Embracer is now valued at less than $2 billion. It would be a shame to miss out on this excellent deal, but with Microsoft everything is possible lol
There was talk Gearbox was close to a sale and we’d hear more this month.
Hopefully they can take advantage of Eidos and Crystal, which would make sense given that they are working on XGS titles already. I still don’t see Microsoft acquiring Gearbox unless Randy is gone.
Borderlands 3 has sold nearly 20 million copies, it’s the kind of game Microsoft is looking for. It would be a shame not to acquire Gearbox because of Randy. Eidos and Crystal Dynamics also make a lot of sense. Microsoft should make an offer for the 3 studios, it would be a very good thing for Xbox.
I’ve also read a few articles about FF7 Rebirth sales. I’m willing to bet that Microsoft will acquire Square Enix before the end of 2025. The situation is ideal for Microsoft and I would be very surprised if they weren’t already negotiating.
I think the tricky part with Gearbox is more that they don’t own the Borderlands IP - which makes them a tricky acquisition. Plus, while there are some quibbles with their writing - their gameplay is top class, but they are top class in a genre Xbox has a wide range of studios working in already.
Gearbox owns the Borderlands IP. They have an agreement with Take Two to publish the games. It’s unclear how many games are included in the deal. It’s a renewable agreement, so I imagine the situation could easily change.
Borderlands is a very special genre. There is no real equivalent. Microsoft has many shooters, but none like Borderlands. This is a sort of Action RPG/Shooter Looter. It’s a successful IP, it would make a lot of sense for Xbox.
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