They’re thinking they don’t have to play by Sony’s rules? You literally said this yourself recently, look at how Nintendo thrives without having even these games on their system in the first place let alone their marketing
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MS doesn’t have Mario, Zelda and Pokemon.
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But Nintendo is not competing in the same market as Xbox or Sony (at least not yet anyway, but when Switch becomes more powerful it will be more interesting). Xbox is not there yet, where they can sail alone - just look at this year where each and every notable third party has some kinda of exclusive deal (marketing or time exclusivity) with Sony.
While I agree that Microsoft with their approach want to sail alone, they are not there yet and with delays of Starfield and Redfall, they do not look like having any contingency plans.
In fact if we did not have any acquisitions, the years would look really bad. Only acquisitions warm a heart.
Mario, Zelda, and Pokemon didn’t help the N64, GameCube, and Wii U. They had to have an actual overall strategy to hugely succeseed with their other systems
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Point is Sony had these marketing deals for the whole past generation anyway, and Microsoft would know how good they work from the 360 days. If Microsoft viewed them as important they would have pursued them more, it’s just that there are other strategies and approaches.
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I am not sure if using Xbox One era is a soild argument here 
They literally had nothing aside NFL deal basically.
A lot of Microsoft deals involve Game Pass one way or another and developers and publishers are not really into Day 1 deals. Microsoft have no option other than acquiring publishers.
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This is only my opinion.
Yes but no. Pokemon was always a portable “exclusive”. The only games that released on home consoles were side games. For Mario ans Zelda, they are the only reasons if those consoles sold something.
An opinion is based on real things. Can you name the “too much” co-op games that have released or expected to release this year or the next from Xbox? And let’s pretend you’re correct, why you frame it as a problem? Why? Games that are big and help game pass grow is a problem that MS should fix? LoL
Those games Sony had the marketing deals form the PS4 generation, and Microsoft used to have them in the 360 generation. Not sure what you mean.
So, a different strategy that works for them.
I wonder if that anime meme image that practically says “Not this shit again” still exist this time around…
Microsoft grew Xbox doing nothing that people said they they should have done, which were basically copying what Sony does. Not money hats, no next-gen exclusives, the “bangers” still not releasing. Xbox still grew and doing its best fiscal quarters.
At some point y’all have to stop pretending you know better than them. Microsoft have a tendency to not give you what you exactly want, but what you never knew you wanted. The “obvious” thing some think they’re missing they’re not actually missing but they have different math for. Business works differently, it’s not a theory.
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Microsoft cannot acquire everybody and some events like ABK are rare opportunity.
Let’s say Microsoft didn’t acquire ABK. Sony would have deals with all big third parties (FIFA, NBA, COD, GTA), third parties (Hogwarts, Avatar) and not including potential release of (FF16, Forspoken and GoW Ragnarok), while having Horizon and GT7 released two (and Ghostwire).
What would Microsoft have? Let’s say by this point we learnt about Starfield and Redfall delay. It would be insane.
I see no point in defending Microsoft, especially claiming that they know what they are doing. What would happen if ABK was not up to sale but Starfield & Redfall was still delayed?
Granted consoles are being sold anyway with COVID and wafers bidding and it helps Xbox.
Microsoft wants to rely on their first party only, but the reality is that they are not there yet.
Sony had all this and Xbox still grew and had their best quarterly fiscal results in their history. Sony have that stuff as their strategy and MS have their own stuff as their strategy. MS utilize 3rd party in some ways but they aren’t dependant on it.
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What ifs don’t contribute anything. The reality is MS is doing stuff that’s working and growing their platform.
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You mean buying wafers? Because shortages is basically what stops Sony from dominating most of the markets (In USA even Xbox One was doing good so hard to beat Xbox there).
Microsoft of course can buy all the factories and sell more consoles even without releasing the games with PC and XCloud there. Maybe that’s the plan? 
Why bother with deals and games if all the consoles are sold out anyway.
Very interesting picture indeed, I’m assuming this is marketing rights.
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GTA - I very much doubt Sony will be able to outbid Xbox for exclusivity/marketing for GTA6.
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NBA2K - wasn’t aware of any deal here?
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Deathloop - now owned by Xbox
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Ghostwire - now owned by Xbox
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Genshin - I expect to see Sony do more deals with Japanese devs like miHoYo.
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FIFA - It will be interesting to see what happens after FIFA23 and EA’s close relationship with Xbox.
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Hogwarts - again will be interesting to see what happens with WB games (while allegedly being sold).
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Avatar - this one does surprise me, quite bemused that Xbox didn’t get this one.
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Forspoken - I have a bad feeling this will be another Babylon’s Fall.
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Final Fantasy - Xbox really need to fix their relationship with Square Enix - doesn’t bother me but I know FF has a huge following.
Time exclusivity is 100% impossible, marketing rights are possible though as Microsft does pursue that stuff anymore (though it is always funny how a lot of Microsoft’s marketing deals end up in either broken games at launch or unexpected events. Tough luck).
I agree. Though it is a chinese company. They will have deals with chinese companies 100%. I think that Wukong game might be Sony console exclusive (with PC release Day 1).
Nothing, because no matter how close EA relationship was, FIFA & EA had deal with Playstation since years ago
Contractual obligations. Won’t be surprised that this studio will be bought by Sony potentially (people will immediately assume that Hogwarts is exclusive which is beneficial for Sony).
Considering Ubisoft+ Classic earlier announcement for PS+, I would not be surprised that Sony made a couple of deals with Ubisoft
Online following is huge, but sales wise FF mainline is not that impressive anymore (FF14 is huge though)
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Oops I always thought they were a Japanese dev, but yep I can see Sony gradually doing more and more deals in the east where MS struggles.
Agree with your other points too. I do think the FIFA / Sports FC thing may change but we will have to wait and see.
I really wouldn’t be surprised if MS do eventually buy Ubisoft, it would really help MS bulk out their catalogue and annual releases.
We’re now actually thinking Sony might have timed exclusivity on GTA 6 just because of that GTA 5 picture? Do we even have context of that picture? Marketing at best, in fact I have no doubt they will have marketing. Sony has had this since RDR I think?