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Rumor: sony in talks to acquire take-two interactive

DanielsM said:
I guess the rumor is $130+, which is a good premium, also mostly cash, which is kind of shocking to me, if true. (not sure I believe this, but not impossible either)
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Assuming you're not talking $130, you're speaking $130 billion which Sony doesn't have as a whole without going bankrupt.
 
Calibos said:
Especially these days with Anthem's big thud hitting the pavement from plummeting off the hype tower. Although, Apex and all the Sports franchises probably could give Take-Two's IPs a run for their money.


All I know is this type of large scale acquisition of either company seems bad for the industry. Although in MS's world, it seems like IPs they own will be available on many different devices so...


Phil should pick up the phone too.
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It certainly hurts with regard to competitive development within a genre subset (see: sports games). But as platforms are becoming more and more device-agnostic, there is some philosophical foundation in arguing for Sony/MS/Nintendo to become dominate holders of IP (in the same vein as movie studios). It might also lend some stability to the industry in contracting studios to work on projects out of the stable of content rather than expending capital on the creative process if properties aren't designed to be converted into regular franchises.

Yet, all of the above is assuming Sony is making this offer with a broader plan in how to shape the industry. Realistically, the crown jewel of the acquisition is clearly Rockstar and the annual installments of 2K sports titles (from a revenue standpoint). Each routinely is in the top 5 of total sales each year and generates hordes of money in microtransaction content. If the acquisition is purely motivated by those numbers, it will definitely be a problem for the industry to have Sony possessing so many resources and properties underneath its umbrella.
 
I don't really care so long as these franchises still get PC releases, but if Sony took control I would be doubtful. Kind of wanting MS to poach it then as they'd certainly come to PC then.
 
Arkage said:
I don't really care so long as these franchises still get PC releases, but if Sony took control I would be doubtful. Kind of wanting MS to poach it then as they'd certainly come to PC then.
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Or how about nobody purchases them, they stay where they are, and we all enjoy the games?

*a wild Google appears*

;)
 
The fact that there is some specific details around the rumour (ie offering $130/share, mostly cash deal) kinda makes me think there is something to this.
 
Won't happen for either company. It's not only the company worth, but the yearly operating costs of those franchises. I would imagine that nba license and face/ body scanning is expensive to keep up with. Not to mention the budgets games like gta and rdr require. If there is any truth, MS would probably outbid sony easily. If not, you would probably see competition hit an all new level. MS owns Havok which most games use in one way or another. No one wants to see this get dirty. That said, this isn't happening anyway.
 
Sony buying Take Two? Wonder what that would look like...

* imagines a really good Single player with a disappointing Multiplayer *

So... RDR 2! I'm ok with that
 
Musky_Cheese said:
Sony buying Take Two? Wonder what that would look like...

* imagines a really good Single player with a disappointing Multiplayer *

So... RDR 2! I'm ok with that
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Or in an even better timeline, a Single Player game with no tacked on Multiplayer draining resources and people to design!
 
bitbydeath said:
MS isn't out of the game yet.

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So after buying a few almost dead studios for pennies Microsoft is going to get in a bidding war with sony to buy take 2 for 15 billion plus? Like I know they CAN but I don't think xbox has this limitless, infinite budget like some people think. Xbox made 4 billion in revenue last year, sony made 17 billion. That's why you see Microsoft going after A and AA Studios. Its not that they cant afford them, its that they just don't make that much relative to others so theyre not going to spend that. This is my opinion of course.
 
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demigod said:
What does Vivendi and Atari even have gaming wise?
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You mean Vivendi and Infogrames.

Also the answer to your question is nothing. Infogrames even sold Alone in the Dark to THQ Nordic, they have nothing left at all. They basically jsut put out the annual Atari plug in plays with the same 40 games over and over again or license them out to third-parties to make plug in plays with the same 40 games over and over. Also the Ataribox indiegogo which never came out because Infogrames scammed people out of money. I think they have a couple mobile games or something on IOS/Android.
 
Dabaus said:
Xbox made 4 billion in revenue last year, sony made 17 billion. That's why you see Microsoft going after A and AA Studios. Its not that they cant afford them, its that they just don't make that much relative to others so theyre not going to spend that. This is my opinion of course.
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Stop fanboying in every thread about MS, even if it's not about them, and realize that profits and revenue aren't the same.

Also MS has revenues of $10.3 billion gaming revenue last year, so...
 
CurryPanda said:
😂

But, Google is showing off their software/hardware next week at GDC. Take-Two would be perfect for their gaming business venture.
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They'd be perfect for any platform holder, and boy oh boy such an acquisition would give them a huge foot in the door. Still though, have you seen any of the stuff out there about search results changing following outrages, their internal beliefs about corporate responsibility, etc.? Publishing GTA as we know it would not fit their corporate culture.
 
I don't think Microsoft would want Take Two. They are a bit too big of a company. Microsoft's taking small bites and chewing thoroughly. Buying Take-two is like deep throating a hoagy, by comparison.
 
Dabaus said:
So after buying a few almost dead studios for pennies Microsoft is going to get in a bidding war with sony to buy take 2 for 15 billion plus? Like I know they CAN but I don't think xbox has this limitless, infinite budget like some people think. Xbox made 4 billion in revenue last year, sony made 17 billion. That's why you see Microsoft going after A and AA Studios. Its not that they cant afford them, its that they just don't make that much relative to others so theyre not going to spend that. This is my opinion of course.
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People always think some company division has access to the whole war chest, but it's not how it works.
 
Dabaus said:
So after buying a few almost dead studios for pennies Microsoft is going to get in a bidding war with sony to buy take 2 for 15 billion plus? Like I know they CAN but I don't think xbox has this limitless, infinite budget like some people think. Xbox made 4 billion in revenue last year, sony made 17 billion. That's why you see Microsoft going after A and AA Studios. Its not that they cant afford them, its that they just don't make that much relative to others so theyre not going to spend that. This is my opinion of course.
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Microsoft looks at the big picture, like Google. They all want streaming gaming services, and in order to have consistent software output, you need a lot of studios. And, in Sony's case, they can only afford medium sized studios. Especially with their budget at the moment. Things are going to be really interesting in the next ten years, that's for sure.
 
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NickFire said:
They'd be perfect for any platform holder, and boy oh boy such an acquisition would give them a huge foot in the door. Still though, have you seen any of the stuff out there about search results changing following outrages, their internal beliefs about corporate responsibility, etc.? Publishing GTA as we know it would not fit their corporate culture.
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I've seen that, yes. Who knows how they operate now? But they do have Phil Harrison as their gaming division head.
 
Afro Republican said:
Stop fanboying in every thread about MS, even if it's not about them, and realize that profits and revenue aren't the same.

Also MS has revenues of $10.3 billion gaming revenue last year, so...
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The overall point im making is that i don't think the Xbox division have access to the full MS vault seeing as how it is not a very profitable, even when doing "well" to the over all company. Based off the recent acquisitions that they've made so far, this is obvious. I think MS's "recommitment" to gaming is vastly over stated.

And lets say Microsoft was a real suitor between the 2, is Microsoft the one you want to manage all these new studios? That on top of all the others they've acquired, could they absorb that many developers and studios and not make a mess of things in such a short amount of time? Do sea of thieves, state of decay, recore, and crackdown 3 not give us any insight into the management style and quality control of Microsoft properties?
 
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Imagine TT and Sony teaming up to open a gaming store. Those two alone would have some of the biggest gaming franchises in the world. They would have millions of clients in a heartbeat.
 
This would be huge if Sony, Google or even MS acquired them, but I don't think this is happening.
 
Calibos said:
If you are going to say "Sony" you have to recognize Xbox is "Microsoft"

https://investorplace.com/2019/01/microsoft-stock-expensive-worth/




Just saying...Xbox making only 4 billion wouldn't allow them to buy many studios at all...However, Xbox isn't a standalone company.
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Yes, but companies don't invest HUGE money in divisions which are not their core business. The argument about Microsoft being the richest in town falls flat from the very moment they are not the top videogame producers and half their titles are medium-tier games at best.

Microsoft has been around in the videogame business for 3 gens and they have not invested as big as they are as a company so it's delusional to even suggest that they might buy 2K, at least as delusional as Sony buying it.
 
This makes all the sense in the world for Sony moving forward in the future as a game streaming service to have GTA and Red Dead as exclusives drive their monthly subscriptions . But its going to suck balls having Rockstar games being censored by Sony.
 
Cert.in.Death said:
It certainly hurts with regard to competitive development within a genre subset (see: sports games). But as platforms are becoming more and more device-agnostic, there is some philosophical foundation in arguing for Sony/MS/Nintendo to become dominate holders of IP (in the same vein as movie studios). It might also lend some stability to the industry in contracting studios to work on projects out of the stable of content rather than expending capital on the creative process if properties aren't designed to be converted into regular franchises.

Yet, all of the above is assuming Sony is making this offer with a broader plan in how to shape the industry. Realistically, the crown jewel of the acquisition is clearly Rockstar and the annual installments of 2K sports titles (from a revenue standpoint). Each routinely is in the top 5 of total sales each year and generates hordes of money in microtransaction content. If the acquisition is purely motivated by those numbers, it will definitely be a problem for the industry to have Sony possessing so many resources and properties underneath its umbrella.
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Agreed. It's very strange days when people have always said MS wants this giant walled garden. Now it seems they have given up on that and want to grow plants in everyone else's garden. Sony on the other hand, has become the walled garden that everyone else used to be against, but now want into because their growth is amazing and their fertilizer is excellent. I do hope that things in the industry continue to become more agnostic and that if Sony does grab TT, they don't choose to raise their fence even higher and miser up on those franchise tomatoes.
 
Jigsaah said:
I don't think Microsoft would want Take Two. They are a bit too big of a company. Microsoft's taking small bites and chewing thoroughly. Buying Take-two is like deep throating a hoagy, by comparison.
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MS has made some big ass acquisitions:

Github - 7.5B
Linkedin - 26B
Mojang - 2.5B
Nokia - 8.5B

I do see a lot of consolidation going forward, both in the game and movie industry.
 
Angry_Megalodon said:
Yes, but companies don't invest HUGE money in divisions which are not their core business. The argument about Microsoft being the richest in town falls flat from the very moment they are not the top videogame producers and half their titles are medium-tier games at best.

Microsoft has been around in the videogame business for 3 gens and they have not invested as big as they are as a company so it's delusional to even suggest that they might buy 2K, at least as delusional as Sony buying it.
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I would have agreed with this from 2013 to 2017. But now there is no way anyone can really say that MS isn't investing a moon's worth of cash into the Xbox division and platform and gaming. If it seems like a flat argument to anyone, they just need to dig deeper into the news cycle around MS for the past year. They had always dumped cash into gaming before 2013/2014...RROD, Exclusives and Marketing deals, Xbox Live infastructure Windows gaming initiatives, acquisitions etc...

I am looking like a total MS defender, and it's off topic, but facts are facts.
 
Dabaus said:
The overall point im making is that i don't think the Xbox division have access to the full MS vault seeing as how it is not a very profitable, even when doing "well" to the over all company. Based off the recent acquisitions that they've made so far, this is obvious. I think MS's "recommitment" to gaming is vastly over stated.
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I think this gets overlooked in the discussion. I thought I read that Playstation makes the biggest chunk of money for Sony at this point so an investment like this would kind of make sense in the gaming landscape. Xbox can still do well enough and be a tiny piece of the pie for Microsoft as a whole and not worth investing that kind of money into their gaming division as that isn't the focus of Microsoft the way gaming is for Sony
 
Calibos said:
I would have agreed with this from 2013 to 2017. But now there is no way anyone can really say that MS isn't investing a moon's worth of cash into the Xbox division and platform and gaming. If it seems like a flat argument to anyone, they just need to dig deeper into the news cycle around MS for the past year. They had always dumped cash into gaming before 2013/2014...RROD, Exclusives and Marketing deals, Xbox Live infastructure Windows gaming initiatives, acquisitions etc...

I am looking like a total MS defender, and it's off topic, but facts are facts.
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Not knowing what M$ has spent lately I can't say for sure, but I'd imagine getting the ok to buy the studios they have isn't anywhere near a 10th of what it would cost for TT.
 
Dabaus said:
The overall point im making is that i don't think the Xbox division have access to the full MS vault seeing as how it is not a very profitable,
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You have no info to make this statement. You just though their revenue last year was $4b when it was $10.3B. You barely have a point.


Dabaus said:
Based off the recent acquisitions that they've made so far, this is obvious. I think MS's "recommitment" to gaming is vastly over stated.
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Playground games would clearly be a big purchase based on the tools, team-size, and track record but let me guess you are going to omit them (and Ninja Theory which while much cheaper is still a good price likely) and focus mostly on Obsidian and the State of decay devs?

Also interesting you mention games like CD3 and Recore which aren't made by 1st-party devs yet attacking MS's first party acquisitions.
 
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Angry_Megalodon said:
Yes, but companies don't invest HUGE money in divisions which are not their core business. The argument about Microsoft being the richest in town falls flat from the very moment they are not the top videogame producers and half their titles are medium-tier games at best.

Microsoft has been around in the videogame business for 3 gens and they have not invested as big as they are as a company so it's delusional to even suggest that they might buy 2K, at least as delusional as Sony buying it.
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To me these large acquisitions in an up market are heavy risk, I think what makes TTwo more interesting is that their off their highs by quite a lot after RDR2 in the Fall. To me something medium size and more able to turn on a dime, say something like From Software and/or even Insomniac might be better fits at much reduce prices for Sony. I could see From Software if their new game does subpar, we're talking probably a tiny fraction of a TTwo deal. Just not sure why there is mad rush at the top. LOL

But I agree with you, I mean just because one can buy some studios doesn't mean you can manage them, which has been a huge issue with Microsoft. Buying things is easy for MS, they have lots of cash.

EA has a few more bombs and that share price is going to hit some rock bottoms. EA to me is basically worthless to a third party, imo. TTwo more value.

I'm not sure why Sony needs too many more studios, they have more good games than anyone right now, generally speaking.... they just keep rolling.
 
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iconmasterX said:
Hoeg? He's a business lawyer; he knows the difference between rumors and facts. Anyway, rumors are "news" in a loose sense.
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He said he doesn't know if Microsoft are also involved he just assumes that as a competent business they should be. He just recently mentioned something like that. Check his tweet interactions.
 
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Wasn't there a PS5 "leak" that alluded to GTA 6 being exclusive? Does this add any more credibility to that? I believe it was the "epsilon" leak. Do any of the specs line up with other things weve heard? Could be wortha revisit.?
 
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