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Would you rather Sony or MS acquire WB games?
- Thread starter kretos
- Start date
D
Deleted member 471617
Unconfirmed Member
If I had to choose, Microsoft but no chance of either acquiring them. First, outside of Mortal Kombat, the studios would have no IP's of worth. Second, this has been going on for months inside the industry and neither Sony or Microsoft have been mentioned in regards to acquiring WB Games. Third, $4B is pennies for Microsoft but without a 10 year licensing deal being included, simply not worth it.
My guess is that once WB Games gets sold off, a lot of people will leave and Microsoft/Sony will sign the people they want and add them to their own internal studios which if anything, is the far better decision.
My guess is that once WB Games gets sold off, a lot of people will leave and Microsoft/Sony will sign the people they want and add them to their own internal studios which if anything, is the far better decision.
Andodalf
Banned
It's a lot for the gaming division. the purchase of Minecraft was more of a MS thing than a Xbox thing, this would have to be that was well. And yeah, any deal would need to include licensing.
JareBear: Remastered
Banned
I'd rather they make multi-plats.
Geki-D
Banned
AT&T is offering Warner Bros. game division for sale
AT&T is offering its Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WBIE) division up for sale, according to a CNBC report and our own reporting.
venturebeat.com
Just to be clear:
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D
Deleted member 471617
Unconfirmed Member
Yeah, it would be a lot for the gaming division but if a 10 year licensing deal was included, Microsoft itself would easily make back that money within a few years. In general, $4B is literally nothing for Microsoft as a company.
Personally, im hoping that Microsoft has or will acquire Techland. That would be an excellent acquisition. As for Sony, im 95% certain that they have acquired Housemarque and possibly Sumo Digital. Both were introduced by Herman Hulst and played back to back with the PS Studios in front of it. Wouldn't be surprised if either or both get officially announced within the next month or so after all the legal stuff is finalized.
Back to the WB thing, I don't see Microsoft or Sony going after a publicly traded company which they are a part of as it would jack up the price. If I had to guess, I would say EA, Activision and Take Two in that order are the favorites in my opinion but at the same time, I would not be surprised if a company like Tencent came out of nowhere and announced that they've acquired them.
This is probably also why we haven't seen Batman from WB Montreal or Harry Potter. If all the studios get sold off, all that stuff has to be worked out which could take some time.
Starlight Lotice
Member
SEGA because they have a history of Looney Tunes games that they could re-release.
jakinov
Member
I'd rather Microsoft because they'd more likely support PC and might even support PS5 like they do with some devs.
Sony is more likely to acquire them though. People always talk about Microsoft having a bigger wallet. But that doesn't mean Xbox can access' daddy wallet. Or daddy is going to be willing to spend money on their failing child. Sony's best business now is PlayStation and if they can spend more money to solidify that business position in the market and grow revneue/profits even more they are going to more likely take it.
Sony is more likely to acquire them though. People always talk about Microsoft having a bigger wallet. But that doesn't mean Xbox can access' daddy wallet. Or daddy is going to be willing to spend money on their failing child. Sony's best business now is PlayStation and if they can spend more money to solidify that business position in the market and grow revneue/profits even more they are going to more likely take it.
FranXico
Member
Horizon, and pretty soon Bloodborne are coming to PC too. That argument of "Sony keeps games away from PC" no longer holds water.
Zannegan
Member
They don't actually own the HP or DC licenses then? I'm suddenly a lot less invested in the outcome.
Nintendo needs a greater western development presence, but that would be too much too fast, and WB's biggest IPs are a bad fit. Of the two, Microsoft, I guess, just to have the games available on PC, but a 3rd party would probably be a better fit. Maybe Take Two? Wherever they're going though, you can bet on half of those studios being shuttered in the next five years when their first projects fall behind schedule. It's a real shame.
If I could, I'd parse them up into individual studios with their most connected IPs and parcel them out to the places they'd be most likely to succeed. TT can head over to Nintendo to make a Lego Mario tie-in game and in time some kind of Amiibo brawler. MS takes Rocksteady (who retain the DC license they don't own by magic) and Avelanche. Sony gets Netherrealm and Mortal Kombat, and all is right with the world.
Nintendo needs a greater western development presence, but that would be too much too fast, and WB's biggest IPs are a bad fit. Of the two, Microsoft, I guess, just to have the games available on PC, but a 3rd party would probably be a better fit. Maybe Take Two? Wherever they're going though, you can bet on half of those studios being shuttered in the next five years when their first projects fall behind schedule. It's a real shame.
If I could, I'd parse them up into individual studios with their most connected IPs and parcel them out to the places they'd be most likely to succeed. TT can head over to Nintendo to make a Lego Mario tie-in game and in time some kind of Amiibo brawler. MS takes Rocksteady (who retain the DC license they don't own by magic) and Avelanche. Sony gets Netherrealm and Mortal Kombat, and all is right with the world.
LazyParrot
Member
I dunno. "Sony keeps games away from PC for 3-5 years" still sounds pretty bad compared to "Microsoft brings games to PC right now."
JoeyWestSide
Member
Neither, I think they'd fit best under Bethesda.
RasAlGhoul
Member
Neither. Let those games stay on multiple platforms.
DaleinCalgary
Member
Nothing is best under Bethesda, especially their own buggy games.
NullZ3r0
Banned
Spiderman...
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
Aside from Fallout and Elder Scrolls, Bethesda games are usually pretty stable.
Andodalf
Banned
Are you aware that Bethesda is the name of not only a developer, but a publisher of the same organization?
Jesb
Member
At least they are actually good now.
Stilton Disco
Member
Both options would be regrettable, however since 'neither' isn't an option, looking at both companies track records, I'd have to go with Sony.
Microsoft's one advantage is also releasing their titles on PC these days, but there's no guarantee that will continue indefinitely, nor that their current business model, focusing ever more myopicly on service and catering to their existing audience will pay off.
Conversly, their track record with managing studios, maintaing IP's and cultivating new games has been so abysmal that they were forced to buy a whole new set of studios to try and fix their failures.
Now, those acquisitions may well prove to be highly fruitful in the short term, but the sad reality is that the odds are that the same mistakes and lack of focus on creative vision in the games they Greenhithe will continue, leading to the WB studios and series either being shuttered or reduced to churning out the same tired and underwhelming games again and again and again.
There's also the issue of whether a PC release means Steam or just the Windows Store, as the later combined with the Xbox audience would not equal the number of people that would be buying the game on Playstation.
Now Sony on the other hand, they have a proven track record of both consistently giving their studios the freedom to make the highest quality titles they can, and encouraging those studios to take risks in creating new IP.
What's more, Playstation is a global brand and the best selling platform for most of WB's titles. With the sudden recent change to porting to PC also, the audience a Sony acquisition could well make the Xbox audience completely irrelevant, although this is even less a certain trend than Xbox and PC.
Even without PC in the mix however, and ignoring sales, I'd still say Microsoft would more likely be a slow death for the WB studios, while Sony could potentially mean rising to new heights.
Microsoft's one advantage is also releasing their titles on PC these days, but there's no guarantee that will continue indefinitely, nor that their current business model, focusing ever more myopicly on service and catering to their existing audience will pay off.
Conversly, their track record with managing studios, maintaing IP's and cultivating new games has been so abysmal that they were forced to buy a whole new set of studios to try and fix their failures.
Now, those acquisitions may well prove to be highly fruitful in the short term, but the sad reality is that the odds are that the same mistakes and lack of focus on creative vision in the games they Greenhithe will continue, leading to the WB studios and series either being shuttered or reduced to churning out the same tired and underwhelming games again and again and again.
There's also the issue of whether a PC release means Steam or just the Windows Store, as the later combined with the Xbox audience would not equal the number of people that would be buying the game on Playstation.
Now Sony on the other hand, they have a proven track record of both consistently giving their studios the freedom to make the highest quality titles they can, and encouraging those studios to take risks in creating new IP.
What's more, Playstation is a global brand and the best selling platform for most of WB's titles. With the sudden recent change to porting to PC also, the audience a Sony acquisition could well make the Xbox audience completely irrelevant, although this is even less a certain trend than Xbox and PC.
Even without PC in the mix however, and ignoring sales, I'd still say Microsoft would more likely be a slow death for the WB studios, while Sony could potentially mean rising to new heights.
TimFL
Member
You‘re missing the option „neither“. There should be less studios going first party. Create new ones and hire people instead of buying up studios.
What‘s part of the deal anyway? I read that it doesn‘t come with most blockbuster IP anyways (only the option to license). Sounds like a bad sale to me just for the studios.
What‘s part of the deal anyway? I read that it doesn‘t come with most blockbuster IP anyways (only the option to license). Sounds like a bad sale to me just for the studios.
Mhmmm 2077
Member
WB games are multiplatform, MS is more multiplatform than Sony will ever be, the choice is simple.
HE1NZ
Banned
These ports happen at Sony's whim. There's no policy to bring every game to PC.
Thirty7ven
Banned
Don’t care for the mental gymnastics some will employ to justify why MS or Sony is a better choice.
The better choice is a company like Tencent.
The better choice is a company like Tencent.
Great Hair
Banned
Surely. Of course. Keep on dreaming
One or two good studios, and few nonames.
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oldergamer
Member
Microsoft for a few reasons.
- MS would still support other platforms like Wii and PC ( possibly even playstation with some content)
- MS doesn't have a super hero game to call their own
- MS has the money to back the purchase and future DC licenses.
- All WB studios seem to be using Unreal, which is something most MS studios are using
Fart Knight
Al Pachinko, Konami President
Batman as a MS exclusive
Gamezone
Gold Member
You can't compare day one Gamepass and MS Store (and apparently Steam now) PC releases to a small selection of PS exclusive titles 2-3 years after its release as "no longer holds water".
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