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[In Cold Blood]

As an Xbox player, what would rather Xbox do with its war chest?
Spend the whole coin on AKB and get some exclusive games like Crash, Tony Hawk etc? Or use that money to scoop up a raft of other IPs and studios?

For me I would rather they spent that type of money on the following
- Warner Bros @ 5-7 Billion
- Buy the support studios they are using and whatever IP that have. This would include Certain Affinity, Edios, Crystal Dynamics.
- Buy a number of quality game studios that Xbox has a good relationship with and would help with their IP genre gaps. I would include in this Asobo, Avalanche Studios, IO Interactive, Platinum Games, GSC Game world, CD Project Red etc.

To me as an Xbox player this would give me a lot more value than the pure AKB purchase.

What would you rather?

 

[ReBurn]

I'd rather they focus on getting the studios they have to be productive.

 

[ungalo]

Is that really a dilemma ? Who cares about Call of Duty that's not even going to be exclusive lol. And some Blizzard games.

Just give me the choice between the whole ABK and just Platinum Games that would perhaps be fair...

 

[Captain Toad]

I don't think it's up for debate now. The Activision deal will go through. But, Sony is putting up enough of a ruckus that Microsoft will have a very difficult time if they try another big publisher takeover.

 

[Guilty_AI]

Buy nintendo

 

[Bonfires Down]

CoD and a Blizzard game every five years vs almost every other big publisher combined. This isn’t much of a dilemma.

 

[begotten]

Don't go on a soulless spending spree. Rebuild the brand and give Xbox an identity organically like Nintendo and Sony.

Too late?

 

[AJUMP23]

I say buy Activision. Keep Sony kinda worried a little.

 

[analog_future]

I mean, obviously what you're asking is a vast oversimplification and the real world doesn't work this way, but sure, for fun:

For $68bil they could probably acquire:

• Remedy
• SEGA
• Koei Tecmo
• Bandai Namco
• Some smaller dev teams like Asobo, Playdead, MDHR, and Moon Studios.

That's a huge amount of IP. I'd probably rather see them go that route. Although ActiBlizz has a ton of great IP outside of COD as well (Crash, Tony Hawk, Spyro, Warcraft, Starcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, etc..).

 

[Eddie-Griffin]

Don't go on a soulless spending spree. Rebuild the brand and give Xbox an identity organically like Nintendo and Sony.

Too late?

Most of Sony's studios and/or staff were/are brought and not organic at all. They just managed to keep some of those studios going on longer than others, where MS has a lot of 2nd party studios for the first two consoles.

Also are we really doing the gamespot thing of using console warrior nicknames for groups? I'd rather keep that there.

 

[adamsapple]

Get more day 1 game pass deals, and if/when the acti deal closes, put as much of their catalog on GP as well.

 

[Warablo]

Depends, if its a brand new startup studio we wont see anything for 10+ years. I don't want stupid time exclusives. Ubisoft games would be kinda cool on Game Pass. Would be nice if Hellblade 2 rocks the market.

Also, I game on PC this generation.

 

[analog_future]

Don't go on a soulless spending spree. Rebuild the brand and give Xbox an identity organically like Nintendo and Sony.

Too late?

Over the last ~10 years alone, Sony has spent a fuckton of money to acquire:

• Bungie
• Bluepoint
• Nixxes
• Housemarque
• Insomniac
• Sucker Punch

Not to mention all the exclusive 3rd party games, 3rd party game exclusivity windows, and 3rd party game exclusive features/modes/characters that they’ve purchased over the years.

I don't think "organic identity" means what you think it means.

 

[Hawking Radiation]

First off, I'm not a green rat.

Secondly, just put out good games. Buying up publishers doesn't guarantee that.

Get the best talent in the right positions (if that's through recruiting or promoting internally), give them your full backing and the good games will start dropping.

 

[Kilau]

As someone that plays on Xbox a lot, the ActiBlizz titles flooding gamepass does nothing for me. I haven’t been interested in their games outside of Diablo in many years.

I’ve said here before I’m worried about those games sucking all the air out of other deals for gamepass.

 

[Ghost of Caelid]

Activison benefits Microsoft the company. Not me as an Xbox gamer. I’d rather the buy smaller promising Studios like Lariant, Asobo, Playdead etc.

 

[remember_spinal]

Im glad they’re buying activision and not a good publisher

I’m also glad this gargantuan acquisition will more or less kill the big publisher arms race

 

[FalsettoVibe]

Over the last ~10 years alone, Sony has spent a fuckton of money to acquire:

• Bungie
• Bluepoint
• Nixxes
• Housemarque
• Insomniac
• Sucker Punch

Not to mention all the exclusive 3rd party games, 3rd party game exclusivity windows, and 3rd party game exclusive features/modes/characters that they’ve purchased over the years.

I don't think "organic identity" means what you think it means.

Umm....Bethesda cost more than all of those you mentioned put together. Even with the Sony acquisitions you left out. lol

As for the topic.....since MS can't randomly buy whatever they want (companies have to be willing to sell), I think they should invest a ton into their current studios and also work some exclusive 3rd party content for their console and/or Game Pass.

 

[Danjin44]

Rats?

 

[TGO]

Buy nintendo

They tried that, Nintendo laughed at them.
Apparently for a full hour...

 

[feynoob]

I dont know man. $68b is alot of money.

MS can buy 20 studios with $4b alone.

Embracer bought 3 studios for $300m.

studios Crystal Dynamics, Eidos-Montréal, Square Enix Montréal, and a catalogue of IPs including Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, Thief, Legacy of Kain and more than 50 back-catalogue games from SQUARE ENIX HOLDINGS CO., LTD. (“Square Enix Holdings”)

 

[Topher]

I really don't think Microsoft needs new studios. They need to get better performance out of the ones they have.

 

[Ghost of Caelid]

I really don't think Microsoft needs new studios. They need to get better performance out of the ones they have.

Gamepass needs constant content and with the modern 3-5 dev cycles they need as many studios to keep producing consistent content.

 

[Topher]

Gamepass needs constant content and with the modern 3-5 dev cycles they need as many studios to keep producing consistent content.

I'm more interested in quality than quantity.

I’d rather the buy smaller promising Studios like Lariant, Asobo, Playdead etc.

I agree 100%. Those would be better additions and would benefit greatly from MS funding.

 

[ReBurn]

Activison benefits Microsoft the company. Not me as an Xbox gamer. I’d rather the buy smaller promising Studios like Lariant, Asobo, Playdead etc.

I agree. So much of the Activision catalog that I would want to play is licensed stuff that Microsoft probably can't do anything with. I like CoD but I don't love CoD. Microsoft getting Candy Crush does nothing for me as a gamer.

 

[GhostOfTsu]

Over the last ~10 years alone, Sony has spent a fuckton of money to acquire:

• Bungie
• Bluepoint
• Nixxes
• Housemarque
• Insomniac
• Sucker Punch

Not to mention all the exclusive 3rd party games, 3rd party game exclusivity windows, and 3rd party game exclusive features/modes/characters that they’ve purchased over the years.

I don't think "organic identity" means what you think it means.

You're lucky if all of that is 5 billions (3 for Bungie alone). Fuckton lol

Publishers are happy to give exclusives to Sony because it's good for their business. They are not forced at all but they keep going back.

 

[Kacho]

I just want a Hexen revival so if this deal happening makes that a possibility I’m all for it.

All of those Acti studios being relegated to being COD support studios sucks. Acti has so many badass IPs that need some lovin.

 

[ungalo]

They also could not buy any studio and just publish games, like they used to, you need money for that. I mean, actual games not As Dusk Falls or Tell Me Why. But it's fine if they buy studios that have troubles, so they can make good old games.

 

[Knightime_X]

Buy activision now.
Make that money back over the weekend and seek new souls to devour.
Specifically Sega, Capcom or... SNK.

 

[CrustyBritches]

Green Rat joke is played out as Sony Pony. May as well call each other Lems, Cows, and Sheep.

 

[Isa]

I'd rather see them invest in new studios along with a huge Asian region push. They could easily get all the stuff that skipped out on Xbox with ease. Instead its just Activision/Blizz with some sus issues. Plus like others mentioned there are plenty of other studios that MS would do well to look into who not only have talent but are consistent and seem to work well with MS. Maybe hire some seriously talented people and good management to really build a quality culture with Xbox.

 

[Beechos]

They can do both i believe ms has said they are not done spending. Big ass companies like activision dont go up for grabs very often and when they do you grab them as fast as you can. Organically growing devs that make critically acclaim games also dont mean shit if they dont sell or have mainstream appeal just look what happened to japan studio.

 

[BiohazardX95]

Buy activision now.
Make that money back over the weekend and seek new souls to devour.
Specifically Sega, Capcom or... SNK.

Yeah, Microsoft should Buy everyone and then give all of the games on gamepass for $1 a month

 

[lh032]

Microsoft should buy FTC, that will solve everything.

 

[In Cold Blood]

Don't go on a soulless spending spree. Rebuild the brand and give Xbox an identity organically like Nintendo and Sony.

Too late?

Microsoft has that, as much as people love to try and downplay it.
Ever since the first Xbox came out their was a bend towards PC games going onto consoles.
The Shooter box.
With the acquisition of Zenimax this has just solidified that reputation.
The xbox is home to shooters and WRPGs.
That was its reputation upon release and its still its reputation today.
Remember, Sony only brought out the third person adventure games in mass in the PS3 era.
While I am ultra critical of Sony acting like total tools and hypocrites over this Activision purchase, I respect what they have built in terms of their internal studios and their ecosystem.
I rate studios like Naughty Dog, GG, SMS and Sucker Punch really high.
But as I have said numerous times, I want to see more exclusive content on both consoles, and I want to see a divergence of the types of games both have.
While I play on Xbox when the PS5 has enough unique games that I am interested in I will buy one. I will only use it for their exclusives, but I don't have a problem getting one.

But in short, Microsoft does have an identity.

 

[64bitmodels]

MS wouldn't need COD as a popular shooter if they handled Halo well, people would be playing that instead. Don't forget it was as popular as COD back in the 2000s and early 10s. Though i already know they're doing it for King and King only so ehhh

Personally i think they should get their studio management under control and then do this.

- Buy a number of quality game studios that Xbox has a good relationship with and would help with their IP genre gaps. I would include in this Asobo, Avalanche Studios, IO Interactive, Platinum Games, GSC Game world, CD Project Red etc.

That gives them a whole gigantic slate of studios, people who actually know and have worked with microsoft for previous games. I'd also include studio MDHR and Koei Tecmo (for ninja theory)

And then from there once they get their games flowing, invest as much of what's remaining of that into advertisement in other countries and continents. Xbox has a great presence in the US but is basically near obscure in every other part of the world. Japan, China, Europe, etc just make it as big as possible

BAM 100 million units of XSX/S sold throughout the next gen and Xbox gets their mojo back.

 

[64bitmodels]

Microsoft has that, as much as people love to try and downplay it.

that WAS what they had. these days they're not really super unique or have a personality, they're not known for much besides Halo (which is a fucking dumpsterfire as of right now)

If this were 13 years ago i couldn't disagree but they're struggling to truly find an identity besides that one console with the really good service (services are temporary, games are forever.)

 

[DaGwaphics]

ABK is an extremely profitable company that will increase gaming revenue by 4 or $5b a year, and that was the opportunity that was available.

 

[Ozzy Onya A2Z]

I like a ton of ActiBliz stuff, so I'm happy in terms of the games and studios getting real financial stability long term e.g. Diablo, Starcraft (fingers crossed), Hexen, Gabriel Knight, King's Quest, The Los Vikings, Spyro, some guy called Tony Hawk who has these series of skateboard games and World of Warcraft (back in RTS 1&2 anyway). There are other elements I'm happy for, MLG. It's not my cup of tea but is an important segment of the industry to have front and centre e.g. esports. Now combine ActiBliz + Gamepass + Bethesda and we're seeing some pretty insane IPs and range of games e.g. DOOM/Wolf3D, Starfield, Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Quake, Prey, Deathloop, Redfall, Indian Jones. Interestingly there is room for other licensed titles from big purchases too e.g. Bethesda gets them access to Star Trek, Terminator plus things like mainstream sports of bowling and drag racing. If I flip over to Gamepass we see Ori, Tunic, Inside/Limbo/Somerville, Prodeus, Scorn, Hellblade II, The Gunk, The Ascent, TMNT shredders revenge etc. You could even go into 3rd party titles on Gamepass, given the size and cost to outright purchase e.g. Assassins Creed, Among Us, CrossfireX etc. Then you have first party of Minecraft, Halo, COD, Forza, Sea of Thieves, MS Flight and Gears of War.

Given studios backed by Xbox/Gamepass we've the largest and most diverse investment in gaming of all types of indies, devs, studios and publishers. Pretty happy gaming days again with Xbox, I don't see any reasons to divest from something like ActiBliz when all the other elements of scale and finance are there in the games we're getting to play. Generally speaking a lot of this has to do with Microsoft's success and balance sheet. Tax reduction on the net profit and cash held by MS equates to buyouts like ActiBliz making excellent business and tax reduction sense. Basically MS use those dollars as a write down to make other investments instead of getting taxed up the ass for mega profits.

 

[hououinkyouma00]

As an Xbox player, what would rather Xbox do with its war chest?
Spend the whole coin on AKB and get some exclusive games like Crash, Tony Hawk etc? Or use that money to scoop up a raft of other IPs and studios?

For me I would rather they spent that type of money on the following
- Warner Bros @ 5-7 Billion
- Buy the support studios they are using and whatever IP that have. This would include Certain Affinity, Edios, Crystal Dynamics.
- Buy a number of quality game studios that Xbox has a good relationship with and would help with their IP genre gaps. I would include in this Asobo, Avalanche Studios, IO Interactive, Platinum Games, GSC Game world, CD Project Red etc.

To me as an Xbox player this would give me a lot more value than the pure AKB purchase.

What would you rather?

Why do you want them to buy studios? They should cultivate the studios they already have or cultivate new ones.

Slinging money around doesn’t actually help you ”win the war”.

 

[bender]

Throw $68B at Don Mattrick to earn his forgiveness and let him get the train back on the right track.

 

[64bitmodels]

train back on the right track.

 

[Kamina]

I care too little about CoD to worry about the deal.
I say let MS have them. Maybe Sony will then be willing to revive Socom and Killzone.

 

[Iced Arcade]

I want the army load of studios they bought to start turning out games.

I could go for buying Activision and have them release on other platforms as long as I get games on gamepass. As a person/gamer I don't gain anything from things being exclusive

 

[Trazyn the Infinite]

People celebrating these buyouts/purchases don't seem to realize that most of the IPs will suffer and die, left to languish never to see the light of day. Look at the literal treasure trove of IPs that Rare has that have gone unused for decades.

 

[Lone Wolf]

I have little interest in Activision/Blizzard games. the ZeniMax acquisition was much more influential in me buying an Xbox Series X. I understand the business side of this, but it does nothing for me.

 

[remember_spinal]

People celebrating these buyouts/purchases don't seem to realize that most of the IPs will suffer and die, left to languish never to see the light of day. Look at the literal treasure trove of IPs that Rare has that have gone unused for decades.

Its not as if activision is anything more than a call of duty factory right now anyway

 

[Cheezewizz]

I'm in the middle on this. I think Xbox's identity is in the midst of a change currently. Throughout most of last gen, their identity was of a console brand that was struggling, and that's regardless of what it was before that. Currently though, I see their identity improving. And while I see some aspects of their identity returning to form, such as always having a powerful console that is generally the best console to play multiplats on. Other aspects such as Halo seem to be gone for good. Slowly but surely, MS's goodwill approach the past several years is finally starting to pay off. If MS and Sony were to have such a public faceoff 5 or 6 years ago like the one they're currently in with regulators. I'd be hard pressed to believe that a significant amount of people would speak out in support of Xbox. Yet it seems there's more support for Xbox than there is for Playstation.

Of course a lot of that likely has to do with Playstation's recent actions affecting their identity as well. While Jim Ryan might be a good CEO, his often out of touch comments, and to some degree his smug appearance turns some people off. Recently Sony has seems either unwilling or unable to make or even announce any pro consumer moves. From increased prices, to charging for yet another remaster game. Their decisions and lack of parity with Xbox features or those features being awfully late such as with expanded storage or VRR. Sony just can't seem to not trip all over themselves. Perhaps most importantly of all. While Playstation's identity has largely revolved around their expertise in AAA single player third person adventure exclusives... We're starting to even see cracks form with that, as they've announced a strong pivot towards GAAS while many people justifiably doubt their ability to create them.

Identity and brand are a compilation of several things all thrown together, and it appears that Xbox's is steadily improving, as Playstation's is steadily declining. Of course it's just my opinion, and everyone's isn't the same.

 

[jigglet]

Buy Sega for $50, then spend $50 billion making them competent again.

 

[In Cold Blood]

I really don't think Microsoft needs new studios. They need to get better performance out of the ones they have.

Umm, ok.
Not sure how Playground Games can do any better with Horizon. On top of that they are extending their abilities and scope by doing Fable as well. Not many studios out there like them.

Not sure how Turn 10 can do any better than Forza. They are upgrading their game engine and redoing Forza from the ground up. Pretty sure that is doing better.

The Coalition has done a great job with Gears and are considered to be the best developer using Unreal Engine, even by Epic themselves.

Ninja Theory are a known quality developer, and are working on a AAA sequel to their Smash hit Hellblade 2.

Obsidian are one of the best bang for the buck studios out there and could be said to be Xboxs best studio.

InXile are a quality RPG studio, and just released Wasteland to very good reception. They are now working on a new IP with a much bigger budget and scope than ever before. Not sure how they need to do better.

Double Fine recently released Psychonauts 2 and it recieved a great reception and a 87 meta. Not sure they need to do better.

Rare last game SOT is a massive hit with around 30 million people playing it. Again, pretty sure they don't need to do better.

Undead labs are upgrading from an Indie studio to a AAA studio. That's pretty much the idea of doing better.

Bethesda are releasing their biggest new IP in generations in Starfield. On top of that they have a new Elder Scrolls and Fallout in their future. They can't do much more than that. Todd Howard...

Arkane coming off the acclaimed Deathloop and backing that up with Redfall. They are an elite studio.

Id have come off the amazing Doom Eternal. Like, they don't need to answer to anyone about doing better.

Tango just released Ghostwire. Not a bad game.

Machine Games are working on a new Indiana Jones game after coming off the great Wolfenstien ones. Again, no need to up their game here.

Mojang continue to run one of the biggest and most loved gaming franchises ever in Minecraft.

Roundhouse are working on a new Xbox IP as well as helping with Redfall. Everyone bitching about Xbox needing more new IPs should be thankful for it.

World's End are working on the Age Of Empires IP and released the last one to good reviews. They are doing their thing on a known IP. Not sure they need to be better.

That brings us to the last two.
343. They released the excellent Halo Infinate campaign which was a return to form. Outside of that they have been less than stellar and the multiplayer side of the game has been a massive cluster fuck. Microsoft has taken action and moved on those who didn't pull their weight.

The Initiative. Setting up a new studio from the ground up is a massive task. You don't have any offices, no dev kits, no staff, no set engine and assets to work from. Then throw in covid, and the studio has suffered. However, action has been taken and now Crystal Dynamics are taking the workload on at the direction of The Initiative.

So as you can see it's a beat up to talk about how Microsoft need to get their studios sorted out. I understand it's mostly concern trolling, but nether the less.

All in all, it's moving in the right direction for MS to give people no reasons not to play their games.