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[Godot25]

From what I gather, the Zenimax acquisition didn't move the needle by any observable margin.

I mean...duh?
They released three game since merger that were Xbox exclusives at launch.
One bad game that obviously didn't move a needle (Redfall)
One niche but great game that is not a system seller (Hi-Fi Rush)
One game that could be considered system seller (Starfield). But impact of Starfield is currently unknown because no data from September were published

 

[NickFire]

I don’t see the upside to them or their consumers from buying a publisher just because MS bought Activision. Stick to / go back to what has worked so well for now. High quality games developed by their own devs and 3rd party staples. And focus on making a fast paced modern weapon military shooter they can introduce near end of this generation. Get ahead of that ten year contract to cover all bases.

 

[Forth]

Personally I think Sony just has to keep doing what it does best. It's the reason Xbox HW sales are far lower that PS5 HW sales all over the world.
Hardware sales are the most important metric when it comes to multi platform game sales simply because it makes gor a better game. For example take Elden Ring it far easier to get player summons in the PS5 version because that's were the most sales are and it's one of the reasons why I'm selling my Series X and getting a PS5.
I purchased a Series X two months ago and it's been nothing but terrible, Starfield has been a disappointment and now Forza is a joke and personally I have zero interest in any of Activision and Blizzards franchises.

 

[ArtHands]

Maybe they should focus on fixing some of their studios and games like Last of Us multiplayer game first.

 

[Elios83]

Whatever they buy it won't be nearly as impactful as Bethesda or Activision-Blizzard-King.

Is this sarcasm?
Because at least the Bethesda investement totally lacked any impact so far. This year they had to shine and then Redfall and Starfield came....
About Activision time will tell. But their hands have been tied a lot by regulators.

 

[OGM_Madness]

If Sony buys Capcom, Square and/or Konami, I think any gamer will keep a Sony console around to at least play some of those games if they are exclusive.

As it stands, you have Microsoft spending billions on acquisitions and the result? Redfall and Starfield lol

If Microsoft keeps spending without producing good games, not selling consoles like they should and relying on the monthly subs from Gamepass ultimate, Sony might not have to do much else to stay afloat.

However a future where games are all exclusive is a pretty dire future tbh. But, when you think about, back in the “good ol’ days” exclusives were pretty normal and people loved them. Nintendo also gets a “free pass” when it comes to exclusive games. Maybe exclusives ARE the future

Needless to say, Sony has a pretty strong position right now and Microsoft is spending billions because they need to.

 

[Fabieter]

Perhaps but I don’t think T2 will be the straw that breaks the camels back. They are worth half of ABL and as long as MS agree to some kind of ten years deal again they will get T2 if they are for sale.

But that’s assuming they are not already sizing that up as the next one.



Sonys most realist options are square or some devs. But who is actually for sale?

You make it sound eally easy that ms can make the third biggest transaction in gaming in a row. I think ms has a higher chance of getting the boot than sony if they try to get t2 (dont think they will). So no if sony buys t2 next year I would take every bet that their won't be a bidding war with Microsoft.

 

[Ansphn]

You're basically asking them to strip BG3 of one of its biggest components and turning it into another generic fantasy RPG.

I did not. I'm asking for a hybrid solution.

 

[Fabieter]

I did not. I'm asking for a hybrid solution.

Playing with a controller is the hybrid solution you are asking for.

 

[I'm nobody]

Sony should buy epic games and or capcom

 

[Ansphn]

I don't think any of those are realistic together
They might go after 1.

None of them have much in the way of mobile either.

Square enix would be a horrible purchase IMO.

Also make Larian move away from what makes them the best at what they do? Hell no.

Playstation will be doing cloud gaming for Mobile. All their older games will be able to stream to any device via PS+ Premium Subscription eventually.

Kadokawa has anime stuff. Also Sony always had a good relationship with FROM (Demon Souls, Bloodborne). This add content to their console, PC, Subscription/Mobile, and Crunchy Roll.

Square-Enix always had a great relationship with Playstation. Explain how Square would be a bad purchase? Square-Enix games sell very well on Playstation and they have a successful subscription FF that can be add to PS+ premium Subscription as a part of the deal.

Larian idea would be a hybrid classic way to play and then the over the shoulder Witcher-like option that would bring in the Playstayion base. Go look at the sales of Baldurs gate 3 on Playstation. Not so good compared to PC.

 

[Ansphn]

This is the worst post I have ever read on this website. Good lord.

Have you played Wither 3 or God of War? Whats wrong with a hybrid solution? You still get your classic way to play.

 

[LordCBH]

Have you played Wither 3 or God of War? Whats wrong with a hybrid solution? You still get your classic way to play.

Are you really this dense? You’re essentially asking them to make two completely different games in one.

 

[lh032]

Whatever they buy it won't be nearly as impactful as Bethesda or Activision-Blizzard-King.

yea like starfield.

 

[Fabieter]

Playstation will be doing cloud gaming for Mobile. All their older games will be able to stream to any device via PS+ Premium Subscription eventually.

Kadokawa has anime stuff. Also Sony always had a good relationship with FROM (Demon Souls, Bloodborne). This add content to their console, PC, Subscription/Mobile, and Crunchy Roll.

Square-Enix always had a great relationship with Playstation. Explain how Square would be a bad purchase? Square-Enix games sell very well on Playstation and they have a successful subscription FF that can be add to PS+ premium Subscription as a part of the deal.

Larian idea would be a hybrid classic way to play and then the over the shoulder Witcher-like option that would bring in the Playstayion base. Go look at the sales of Baldurs gate 3 on Playstation. Not so good compared to PC.

Where do have those numbers?

 

[Ansphn]

Are you really this dense? You’re essentially asking them to make two completely different games in one.

Yes i am suggesting that. I think Balders gates potential is tapped out to only PC right now. If they want to also sell on consoles, a hybrid solution and eventually transition to 3rd person over the shoulder would be the future of Baldurs gate. If Playstation purchases Larian, they can hire 150 more developers to help Larian remake Baldurs gate 3 into a 3rd person RPG.

 

[LordCBH]

Yes i am. I think Balders gates potential is tapped out to only PC right now. If they want to also sell on consoles, a hybrid solution and eventually transition to 3rd person over the shoulder would be the future of Baldurs gate. If Playstation purchases Larian, they can hire 150 more developers to help Larian remake Baldurs gate 3 into a 3rd person RPG.

This idea is so monumentally stupid. On every possible level.

 

[Ansphn]

This idea is so monumentally stupid. On every possible level.

Have you played Witcher 3 or God of War?

 

[LordCBH]

Have you played Witcher 3 or God of War?

Those aren’t stupid. What’s stupid is demanding they make Larian develop 2 games in 1 just because you can’t be assed enough to play it as is. Your idea is dumb.

 

[Ansphn]

Those aren’t stupid. What’s stupid is demanding they make Larian develop 2 games in 1 just because you can’t be assed enough to play it as is. Your idea is dumb.

You still haven't answered my question. Have you played Witcher 3 and God of War?

 

[LordBlodgett]

Hmmmm, Square Enix seems like the most natural choice. Get FF as a permanent exclusive franchise. It doesn't really add anything new though. Capcom would be great, but a ton of their revenue comes from Switch and PC these days, so Sony would need to pay a lot for them only to lose a ton of the revenue when making all of the content exclusive. Rockstar would be huge, but it would be for the future as I don't see them trying to make any of the already released games exclusive. GTA6 as an exclusive would be out of this world, but the cost would be very high. Sega doesn't seem to fit them at all, all their games already come to Playstation, except all the PC games. Sega makes so much revenue from PC right now, and so many of their games are PC first. Bandai Namco isn't mentioned here, but seems like a better fit than most of these. I think they also do a ton of Anime games, and since Sony is big in that market it seems like a natural fit.

 

[Dorfdad]

The only other option to counter would be Take Two or and Square Owing the GTA franchise and Final Fantasy would be a really good counter especially if they go exclusive.

 

[simdog461]

Sorry, no , this won’t happen. Not a single purchased Microsoft has made was done this way. Sony won’t do it either. Just like at Sony’s purchase history. They bought Bungie for $3.6b which was their biggest expense in some time.

List of acquisitions by Sony - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Microsoft doesn't because they don't have to.

But most big acquisitions are not cash only. Gaming or otherwise.

Go look up how Disney financed their fox purchase, hell look up how Take Two themselves financed Zenga (which was worth roughly 1/2 their market cap).
They certainly weren't all cash

 

[simdog461]

The only other option to counter would be Take Two or and Square Owing the GTA franchise and Final Fantasy would be a really good counter especially if they go exclusive.

FF no, GTA yes.

Again the only franchise that can go toe to toe with COD is GTA, or maybe FIFA/ EA sports FC.

Free to play titles are another beast entirely.

 

[simdog461]

You still haven't answered my question. Have you played Witcher 3 and God of War?

Not every game needs to be like those two.

Larian's strength is the CRPG genre.

Would you want God of War to be a first person game?

 

[RickMasters]

You make it sound eally easy that ms can make the third biggest transaction in gaming in a row. I think ms has a higher chance of getting the boot than sony if they try to get t2 (dont think they will). So no if sony buys t2 next year I would take every bet that their won't be a bidding war with Microsoft.

A lot of assumptions on your part. Mixed with wishful thinking. . Money talks and bullshit walks. Remember that. That’s all gotta say. And yeah. It’s that easy when you got money. Trust me.

 

[simdog461]

A lot of assumptions on your part. Mixed with wishful thinking. . Money talks and bullshit walks. Remember that. That’s all gotta say. And yeah. It’s that easy when you got money. Trust me.

Sony has the ability to get money too.

And MS won't outbid Sony just because they can- it has to make financial sense.

 

[RickMasters]

You keep on blatantly forgetting that the landscape has changed. How are they gonna push this deal through? There will be massive opposition to this. They won't be allowed to own COD and GTA.

What’s opposition in the face of a paychec? You keep blatantly forgetting how life works!

 

[RickMasters]

Literally why do people keep saying this? MS is not about to blindly open their wallet every time some studio/publisher is available simply to get them before Sony does. There is way more to it than that.

I never said they will open their wallet for anything. I said GTA is highly valuable and they will outbid the entire room for it. Stop going on mad excursions. You know what I said…..

 

[RickMasters]

Sony has the ability to get money too.

And MS won't outbid Sony just because they can- it has to make financial sense.

No….and I agree. But They will just out of them on the biggest Ip. You lot seem to forget what company you are talking about….. we can talk shit here all day…. But we know what time it is when them checks need to get written. We just went through this with ABK and I have no doubt you’ll be cursing ME from here to high water when they announce that one.

 

[RickMasters]

This guy expects Sony to make a huge purchase as impactful as ABK but, Sony were given the same opportunity when ABK pitched the deal to them and they denied it. Yet, Sony is gonna take another huge deal as impactful as ABK.

Um....okay?

This is what people forget. But hey…. We are gonna get a bunch of gaffers telling us how Sony will sell a part of themselves to by T2…… good luck with that fantasy. People should just temper their expectations and expect a square Enix purchase at best.



The PS is a great console but Sony don’t roll bank like that.

 

[simdog461]

No….and I agree. But They will just out of them on the biggest Ip. You lot seem to forget what company you are talking about….. we can talk shit here all day…. But we know what time it is when them checks need to get written. We just went through this with ABK and I have no doubt you’ll be cursing ME from here to high water when they announce that one.

I'm not saying microsoft won't try and make a move for T2 one day.

But I'm saying if Sony was to, MS won't just outbid them just because they can.

Otherwise Sony would never had gotten Bungie because Microsoft could've "just outbid them".

 

[simdog461]

This is what people forget. But hey…. We are gonna get a bunch of gaffers telling us how Sony will sell a part of themselves to by T2…… good luck with that fantasy. People should just temper their expectations and expect a square Enix purchase at best.



The PS is a great console but Sony don’t roll bank like that.

This is a very normal part of how major M&A's work.

Sony is also actively looking to sell off it's financial arm to free up more cash.

 

[DrFigs]

This is what people forget. But hey…. We are gonna get a bunch of gaffers telling us how Sony will sell a part of themselves to by T2…… good luck with that fantasy. People should just temper their expectations and expect a square Enix purchase at best.



The PS is a great console but Sony don’t roll bank like that.

I want you to know this is wrong. Phil Spencer saw that Activision was going through a tough time because of the sexual harassment stuff and took the opportunity to make a bid.

Hence why in the Jim Ryan emails he says that this will be a huge management problem for microsoft and not "damn i can't believe we lost the bid"

 

[NikuNashi]

I mean...duh?
They released three game since merger that were Xbox exclusives at launch.
One bad game that obviously didn't move a needle (Redfall)
One niche but great game that is not a system seller (Hi-Fi Rush)
One game that could be considered system seller (Starfield). But impact of Starfield is currently unknown because no data from September were published

They published some numbers, xbox was still #2 behind Playstastion in US for September HW sales, sales were single digits up YOY for Sep.

So unfortunately it did not move the needle.

 

[Deerock71]

Sony buys CDPR. Nintendo buys Squeenix. PROFIT.

 

[FalsettoVibe]

I never said they will open their wallet for anything. I said GTA is highly valuable and they will outbid the entire room for it. Stop going on mad excursions. You know what I said…..

So you mean to tell me that if Take-Two goes up for sale that without a shadow of a doubt, MS would be the one to make that acquisition? Like 100?

If you say yes then you are a liar. No one outside of MS knows this. And you don't know how much they are willing to spend for this perceived value you're talking about.

If you say no then your entire argument is pointless.

 

[ResilientBanana]

Microsoft doesn't because they don't have to.

But most big acquisitions are not cash only. Gaming or otherwise.

Go look up how Disney financed their fox purchase, hell look up how Take Two themselves financed Zenga (which was worth roughly 1/2 their market cap).
They certainly weren't all cash

Sony won’t.

 

[simdog461]

Sony won’t.

ok

 

[Jen_yakzua]

Sony won’t.

The CEO Yoshida and CFO Totoki disagree

 

[GHound]

My personal expectation is for them to acquire a company that makes tiny little patches of grass so they can give them out as a bonus with PS+ Premium.

 

[Ansphn]

Not every game needs to be like those two.

Larian's strength is the CRPG genre.

Would you want God of War to be a first person game?

Before I can answer you. Answer my question. Have you played Witcher 3? I don't understand why you refuse to answer it. I can't even make my point if you keep ignoring a simple question.

 

[simdog461]

Before I can answer you. Answer my question. Have you played Witcher 3? I don't understand why you refuse to answer it. I can't even make my point if you keep ignoring a simple question.

I've platniumed both the Witcher 3 and God of war 2018 + Ragnarok.

 

[Doom85]

Yes i am. I think Balders gates potential is tapped out to only PC right now. If they want to also sell on consoles, a hybrid solution and eventually transition to 3rd person over the shoulder would be the future of Baldurs gate. If Playstation purchases Larian, they can hire 150 more developers to help Larian remake Baldurs gate 3 into a 3rd person RPG.

Why do you think Baldur’s Gate 3 won’t sell on consoles?

Baldur's Gate 3 is now a best-selling pre-order on PS5

Its success on PC continues to increase too

www.gamesradar.com

Baldur’s Gate 3 Ranks Second in PlayStation Store’s Top PS5 Downloads for September 2023

According to Sony's recent charts, Larian Studios' acclaimed RPG had strong digital sales for PS5 in North America and Europe.

gamingbolt.com

Also, remaking BG 3 would be a massive time waste. The game has already been a massive success and beloved by many, remaking it to something very different makes no sense whatsoever. The game is meant to be as close as replicating a D&D campaign into video game form. Changing it into a 3rd person action RPG would completely undo that.

Stop thinking the game needs to be something it was never meant to be. This would be liking looking at gameplay of Mario Wonder and thinking, “okay, but can also we make a version where he shoots enemies with a gun? That might appeal to more people!” Like, no. Just…NO.

 

[Ansphn]

I've platniumed both the Witcher 3 and God of war 2018 + Ragnarok.

Okay why was that so hard. So Balders gate 3 and what made it special looking like Witcher 3 with the combat of Witcher 3 + GOW. With the cinematics, smooth combat + everything special about Badurs gate 3 with it's freedom of choice and 100s of endings. That would be the best RPG of all time imo.

Balders gate now with over the top view and point and click action is not for everyone. That's why if Sony purchase Larian, Balders Gate 3 would be a Remake with 3rd person over the shoulder. Don't Balders gate offer this 3rd person but not all the time? If so, they just need to tweak that to all the time. And bring in a team to upgrade the combat to be similar to Witcher 3 and GOW.

People who want to play the classic way can just player the original version while people who want the better experience would go with the remake.

 

[Kokoloko85]

Sony will buy an indie and think there are doing the peoples work…

I don’t think that Sony needs to respond to MS.

They should before they realise all the IPs they worked with are gone.

 

[Taur007]

Sony will respond with the Spider-Man 2 release that will sell 25+ million copies and take PS5 console sales and revenue to new heights, and let's be honest, considering how things are going, even that would be more than enough.

They better, cause I suspect a drought coming after sm2, besides wolverine which is looking like 25, what is their slate looking like?

 

[simdog461]

Okay why was that so hard. So Balders gate 3 and what made it special looking like Witcher 3 with the combat of Witcher 3 + GOW. With the cinematics, smooth combat + everything special about Badurs gate 3 with it's freedom of choice and 100s of endings. That would be the best RPG of all time imo.

Balders gate now with over the top view and point and click action is not for everyone. That's why it Sony purchase Larian, Balders Gate 3 would be a Remake with 3rd person over the shoulder. Don't Balders gate offer this 3rd person but not all the time? If so, they just need to tweak that to all the time. And bring in a team to upgrade the combat to be similar to Witcher 3 and GOW.

People who want to play the classic way can just player the original version while people who want the better experience would go with the remake.

That would require the game to be remade pretty much entirely from scratch and probably in a different engine.
Completely re-do how the combat works, remove most of the strategic ways to play, re design the party system, alienate pretty much the entire fanbase, and reinforce the (silly) idea that all Sony 1st party games look and feel the same.

The system that they used for the console version struck a perfect balance between usability with a controller and staying true to how it plays on PC imo. If you haven't played it I STRONGLY urge you to do so.

On a side note, the Witcher 3's combat was... fine? It certainly isn't what made the game so revered. It was the world, the characters and the meaningful ways player choices impacted the story- all of which BG3 has in spades.

 

[simdog461]

They better, cause I suspect a drought coming after sm2, besides wolverine which is looking like 25, what is their slate looking like?

Helldivers 2, FF rebirth, Silent Hill 2 remake (these two not 1st party, but all the same), Marathon, rise of the ronin, Concord, Death Stranding 2, Fairgame$.

All either confirmed or potentially next year.

Then there's obviously stuff we don't know about.

 

[Taur007]

I do think Sony will make an acquisition in Korea, but that's not in response to Xbox.

Sony literally doesn't care about Xbox at this stage, it seems like. The last time they saw them as competition was when they were revamping PS Plus. Other than that, Sony just keeps doing its own thing because Xbox hasn't posed real competition to them in more than a decade now.

They don't care so much they pay to keep games of the console/sub