That’s pretty much what I said. It could be just like the movies like the way we had VHS to laser to DVD and now Blu ray. Format is thesame for everyone meaning anyone will be able to make hardware that plays everything. Competition will be relegated to content and digital storefronts. I just think in suck a market the expansion could be a big boost for a company like Sega that has alot of games dating back to the master system. I would think they’re more willing to partner like Netflix does for foreign content.
Separate stores could still be integrated into one on the backend just look at the Xbox app. It now separates games by publishers and even Ubisoft sometimes requires you to link to them if you want to get their games on Steam.
Also, as much as I like Sega these days, I think the only thing I would want Xbox to get there is Sonic. I think they can contract work to other developers in Japan to get other genres like JRPG and so on but SONIC they could really take to new heights.
I’m not sure what Konami brings other than just more IPs. They have some great titles, including the Hudson Soft IPs, but they do have developers for them.
So, out of the list getting the Warner Bros. developers makes the most sense and with Microsoft also owning Activision, you then get the rest of the license for No One Lives Forever.
Suicide Squad was also a massive bomb and so, you can see WBD wanting to offload the game developers, too.
I think Xbox would still have some interest there, as it was rumoured previously:
This said I think any deal where either the IP isn’t included or a long term licensing deal isn’t also agreed alongside the acquisition would make it very difficult for them to proceed.
I think they’ve made it clear that all their studios need to be able to stand alone, despite all these studios being very talented having to start from scratch (with new IP) would be very risky and expensive.
I’m going to have to disagree with you and the reason I say that is, because you have Microsoft licensing Indiana Jones and Blade from Disney, so I see no reason they wouldn’t do the same with WBD, for things like DC.
2 years ago I’d have agreed with you and they may well have had exploratory talks at teh time. But post ABK, in teh current market contraction, there’s no way MS would acquire WB, particularly with then having to license IP on top.
They have only just had to close multiple studios to cut costs. They aren’t looking to take on even more expenditure without actually getting any IP out of it as well. Blade would have been greenlit during that earlier period when MS waws being more more bullish about Gamepass growth.
Since that growth has massively slowed, if not stalled completely, I can’t see MS acquiring anyone of note until subscriber numbers kick on again.
Maybe we’ll see that growth after COD releases. But if there’s no growth, then there is no projected additional revenue upon which to justify the expenditure. Juist saying they are rich is not enough. Phi clearly has to account to Satya on quite strict projections. If he misses those projections, he has to cut costs.
Is it me or has there been significantly more acquisition rumours lately?
I have seen the Xbox & Take-Two rumour (not going to happen) posted so many times on X during the past few weeks!
Although I didn’t think ABK would happen, whoever thinks that Take-Two (or EA) has a chance post-ABK must be living in La La Land - either would literally give Xbox complete dominance in the western market.
The only rumor I seen which you already stated was T2 getting acquired by Microsoft, other than that things have been quiet, have I missed other rumors?
Seen people talking about the T2 rumor I think EA Sports alone would be a better buy gives you a lot more content and it’s a stand alone studio not a publisher it’s already split from the rest of EA.
There will be no arguments over withholding inputs or cloud rights because they don’t own the rights to the IP anyway the leagues do they are just licensing them the same reason transformers and those games weren’t listed on the Ubisoft cloud list.
Sports titles Day 1 in Gamepass would help get that casual/xcloud crowd they are after plus a lot of these sports titles have mobile versions of them as well that make a fair amount of money. Grab EA Sports and Sega and you got a well rounded diverse library.
T2 is a fire publisher I don’t know if it’s worth the hassle it will take to push it through EA Sports and Sega are a lot cleaner. The Ultimate Team revenue with ABK’s revenue would be fun to watch the media cry about how that isn’t Xbox’s money.
I actually agree that In terms of gamepass impact having annual sports titles may actually be the biggest impact. Even having 6 month old ones like they do now has impacted folks I know
By this logic all ABK licensed IP like Transformers, The Marvel games and so on will not see the cloud rights go to Ubisoft as they are technically not ABK games right.
The Xbox - T2 one has been the main one I’ve seen posted, however I have also seen EA, WB, CDPR and many smaller studios recently too.
I suspect you’re right the main benefits from T2 would be GTA and 2K, however I think EA would be the better investment (not that I think they could achieve either post-ABK).
Wasn’t it clarified at the time that it was any game developed, published or owned (IP) by Activision Blizzard King? I suspect they aren’t listed on Ubisofts list because the licensing has expired and needs to be renewed.
I don’t think Microsoft would have fun taking shares in Warner or buying video game studios without the IPs. I see Microsoft like that meme with Batman and Super-Man when Batman buys Super-Man’s house and Super-Man asks him how he did it? Batman answers that he bought the bank. That’s how I see Microsoft. If Warner really interests them they will buy the whole of Warner with HBO Max, the Movie Studios, the intellectual properties, the theme parks, the television and obviously the Studios, the comics and all these merchandesign things. With the Minecraft movie, the Fallout series, Halo, the Gears of War movie there is really this desire to extend the media beyond video games, they actually already make a lot of books and comics on Sea of Thieves, Halo, Gears, Killer Instinct… with the experience of Warner theme parks it would not be unimaginable to see a Blizzard World. I think Warner is the most interesting buyout in terms of a pop culture icon and it’s a buyout that can bring a lot to Microsoft to extend their IPs to a new audience.
Picking up some or all of WB Games seems viable with how things seems to be going over there, but unlike last time they seemed viable it feels like is just too many issues. Gotham Knights wasn’t great, Suicide Squad spent years in development and has done even worse - and it’s hard to be confident in Wonder Woman seeing the studio behind it go quiet so long just like Rocksteady did. And while there are good teams there, as many mention - a lot of the teams simply wouldn’t come with the signature IPs they are known for which means you are paying purely for the talent behind them and the potential of the game they’d make in 5-6 years.
Honestly, the most likely (if ANYTHING were to happen) and probably best case scenario is picking up Netherrealm and the Mortal Kombat IP. They’re a solid team, they plug a gap for Xbox and unlike most they do actually have their own IP. If they were gonna get any other team on top of that I’d say grab Travelers Tales and let them work on a new IP or any of Xbox’s many kid friendly IPs.
I think Microsoft’s strategy will lead them to try to acquire Valve. Microsoft wants to make Xbox a PC, release its games on more platforms, and make a lot of money. Valve is the biggest acquisition they could make and probably the one that makes the most sense with Microsoft’s strategy.
Acquiring Warner Games without the IP would be a mistake, however I still think acquiring Warner Bros would make sense. Warner Bros has huge IP and the potential to make a lot of money with better management. If Microsoft wants to expand its activities (cinema and SVOD) they will probably be interested in Warner Bros, especially since they are currently valued at $19 billion.
I now have big doubts about the acquisition of a Japanese publisher by Microsoft. I’m not sure they really care anymore. They will probably continue to expand in the West. Valve and Warner Bros seem to me a good option to change direction and reach a wider audience.
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- either would literally give Xbox complete dominance in the western market.