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The Snitch: PlayStation has acquired a publisher with 'S' in the name

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James Sawyer Ford

James Sawyer Ford

Member
TheDreadLord said:
SE acquisition don’t make much sense if you put in perspective to the strategy that Sony has followed. If they go for acquiring something it will be for a GaaS/MP experienced studio.
Click to expand...

Square has a massive MMO Live Service game with Final Fantasy.

It makes sense, IMHO. And I think Sony would be able to add a lot of value with the strength of their first party studio support system.
 
THE DUCK

THE DUCK

voted poster of the decade by bots
0neAnd0nly said:
I mean, catch me 2 years ago and I would 100% have said that (and have said that) on here.

With the current climate of Microsoft buying everything major? No, I wouldn’t care any longer. Whole industry is going to total crap. Nothing stopping this train now.
Click to expand...

That's a definate double standard, either its bad for the industry or its not. It's just going to be very convenient that all of the sudden all those who condemned the Activision deal will be A-ok with Sony buying square.

No doubt they will just try and hide behind them being smaller, regardless of the talent and key IP's they have.
 
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Bridges

Bridges

Member
It's obvious
Bookworm_Cover_Art_CD-ROM.jpg

PopCap x Book Worm

The reboot we've all been waiting for, and he already has access to the announcement trailer
 
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TheDarkPhantom

TheDarkPhantom

Member
Hopefully PlayStation gets Square but I won't make any assumptions. The gloves are officially off, lots of acquisitions on the horizon, it is what it is
 
Fake

Fake

Member
Would be better SEGA just for the ATLUS, but there is no indication of aquisition here?
Maybe a Slim.
 
thicc_girls_are_teh_best

thicc_girls_are_teh_best

Member
THE DUCK said:
That's a definate double standard, either its bad for the industry or its not. It's just going to be very convenient that all of the sudden all those who condemned the Activision deal will be A-ok with Sony buying square.

No doubt they will just try and hide behind them being smaller, regardless of the talent and key IP's they have.
Click to expand...

There's a thing called context...

I don't cheerlead consolidation. But considering the intent with Microsoft's 3P acquisitions, which is (in large part) to cut Sony off from their closest big 3P partners, then I don't see why Sony don't go and lock down/secure those partners. Square-Enix is one of them; if they don't, Microsoft will keep trying until they eventually do. PlayStation simply getting the games on their platform doesn't mean much when the publisher is now also their chief direct competitor, and Sony's no longer able to pursue partnerships and deals with those publishers because Microsoft will never let them post-purchase.

In that context, plus since historically Sony's shown to manage their IPs much better than Microsoft has, then yeah I'm not gonna be upset about Sony acquiring Square-Enix or any other publisher, for that matter. My only problem would start to kick in if Sony stoop to Microsoft's level in enabling toxic console warriors, shills, influencers & media to get the deal approved, or openly attack & threaten regulators turning everything into a politicized circus.

Because that (alongside internal revelations that show they clearly want to drive PlayStation out of business by just buying their way to the top) is what really made me become against the ABK acquisition over time.
 
sainraja

sainraja

Member
THE DUCK said:
That's a definate double standard, either its bad for the industry or its not. It's just going to be very convenient that all of the sudden all those who condemned the Activision deal will be A-ok with Sony buying square.

No doubt they will just try and hide behind them being smaller, regardless of the talent and key IP's they have.
Click to expand...
Sort of like you are right now over something which is just a rumor. 😄
 
0neAnd0nly

0neAnd0nly

Member
THE DUCK said:
That's a definate double standard, either its bad for the industry or its not. It's just going to be very convenient that all of the sudden all those who condemned the Activision deal will be A-ok with Sony buying square.

No doubt they will just try and hide behind them being smaller, regardless of the talent and key IP's they have.
Click to expand...
No double standard.

Check my post history.

Both things ahead can be true:

It is bad for the industry.

One company has forced it to become a necessity.

Both can coexist. I hate it all.
 
Kakax11

Kakax11

Banned
Pretty sure SE is a tiny bit too much for Sony to buy out, Sony's strategy of locking exclusive titles for their systems is perfect for them so they can spend their money on 1st party titles


buying out SE is pretty damn risky actually looking at their recent titles since 2018, more than half of them didn't turn profit at all, some turned little profit and probably 3 titles turned major profits (FF7R/FF14/FF16 possibly)
 
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ulantan

ulantan

Member
Kakax11 said:
Pretty sure SE is a tiny bit too much for Sony to buy out, Sony's strategy of locking exclusive titles for their systems is perfect for them so they can spend their money on 1st party titles


buying out SE is pretty damn risky actually looking at their recent titles since 2018, more than half of them didn't turn profit at all, some turned little profit and probably 3 titles turned major profits (FF7R/FF14/FF16 possibly)
Click to expand...
Defensive buy also exclusive dragon quest will win them major ground in Japan.
 
Kakax11

Kakax11

Banned
ulantan said:
Defensive buy also exclusive dragon quest will win them major ground in Japan.
Click to expand...

Hmmm Sony are good in Japan, also DQ becoming a console exclusive breaks my heart :( the best JRPG SE did since forever was DQ11

Then again Japan is dominated by Nintendo titles, Sony got nothing to do their but hope for the best, If FF7R came out on Switch it would've sold x4 it did on PS4/ps5/PC combined in Japan
 
Varteras

Varteras

Gold Member
fatmarco said:
Isn't there already massive issues with western companies attempting to buy Japanese publishers though?

Admittedly it has happened in other industries with car companies.
Click to expand...

From what little I've gathered, Square is one of the few major Japanese gaming companies to which there are no issues with Japan's foreign investment rules. The other being Capcom. As I understand it, that is because they are the only two who did not have ventures that fell into protected categories when Japan got really defensive of their economy during COVID. So while there are other potential issues in trying to buy them, there does not appear to be a government issue.

TheDreadLord said:
SE acquisition don’t make much sense if you put in perspective to the strategy that Sony has followed. If they go for acquiring something it will be for a GaaS/MP experienced studio.
Click to expand...

Square has now done two successful MMORPGs. Some would argue those are what helped spread the concept of GaaS.

Square also has a pretty strong mobile presence. Something Sony wants too. Also, Sony, not too long ago, said they were going to make strategic investments, with an emphasis on IP.

They want those transmedia opportunities and Square has a fair few to pull from.

In addition to it almost certainly being a defensive move if they do it, there are other good reasons why Sony would want to own them.
 
THE DUCK

THE DUCK

voted poster of the decade by bots
thicc_girls_are_teh_best said:
There's a thing called context...

I don't cheerlead consolidation. But considering the intent with Microsoft's 3P acquisitions, which is (in large part) to cut Sony off from their closest big 3P partners, then I don't see why Sony don't go and lock down/secure those partners. Square-Enix is one of them; if they don't, Microsoft will keep trying until they eventually do. PlayStation simply getting the games on their platform doesn't mean much when the publisher is now also their chief direct competitor, and Sony's no longer able to pursue partnerships and deals with those publishers because Microsoft will never let them post-purchase.

In that context, plus since historically Sony's shown to manage their IPs much better than Microsoft has, then yeah I'm not gonna be upset about Sony acquiring Square-Enix or any other publisher, for that matter. My only problem would start to kick in if Sony stoop to Microsoft's level in enabling toxic console warriors, shills, influencers & media to get the deal approved, or openly attack & threaten regulators turning everything into a politicized circus.

Because that (alongside internal revelations that show they clearly want to drive PlayStation out of business by just buying their way to the top) is what really made me become against the ABK acquisition over time.
Click to expand...

Yes but if you really look at everything that was revealed, there is no white knight here. Both companies would kill anyone to get ahead. Buy companies, sign exclusives, each with their own version of a game sub service. No saints, just greed.
Sony would just as happily run MS out of the business as the other way around. One just happens to have more cash.

As to managing companies, yes, Sony seems to have been more successful, but I don't know what to attribute that to, them or the companies they bought.
 
Embearded

Embearded

Member
This is where the industry is going now.

Both of them should have invested in new IP. This is the only real win for us consumers. There isn't a single thing PS owners wim from this move.
 
James Sawyer Ford

James Sawyer Ford

Member
thicc_girls_are_teh_best said:
There's a thing called context...

I don't cheerlead consolidation. But considering the intent with Microsoft's 3P acquisitions, which is (in large part) to cut Sony off from their closest big 3P partners, then I don't see why Sony don't go and lock down/secure those partners. Square-Enix is one of them; if they don't, Microsoft will keep trying until they eventually do. PlayStation simply getting the games on their platform doesn't mean much when the publisher is now also their chief direct competitor, and Sony's no longer able to pursue partnerships and deals with those publishers because Microsoft will never let them post-purchase.

In that context, plus since historically Sony's shown to manage their IPs much better than Microsoft has, then yeah I'm not gonna be upset about Sony acquiring Square-Enix or any other publisher, for that matter. My only problem would start to kick in if Sony stoop to Microsoft's level in enabling toxic console warriors, shills, influencers & media to get the deal approved, or openly attack & threaten regulators turning everything into a politicized circus.

Because that (alongside internal revelations that show they clearly want to drive PlayStation out of business by just buying their way to the top) is what really made me become against the ABK acquisition over time.
Click to expand...

This is where I'm at. Generally, I'm opposed to consolidation/acquisitions, but in a post-Activision world Sony must start protecting their moats to ensure longevity and relevancy. It's not enough to rely on 1-2 big AAA Sony first party titles per year from their current collection of studios, especially when their rival can now likely double that number AND is offering them at a highly subsidized cost on GamePass which is a war Sony cannot compete in.

The best moves would be to acquire smaller companies that play to their strengths while also featuring some Live Service properties. Square/Capcom are obvious targets. CDPR is a riskier target, due to less properties and less cadence of content, but it would fill a WRPG niche. FromSoft is also another candidate but may be difficult to acquire.

I personally wouldn't touch EA/T2. Ubisoft is a possibility but they have a lot of problems and limited IP that are relevant. IMHO, I would aquire Square/Capcom/From for a princely sum of $18+B and consider that an adequate moat for the time being, with considerable IP that goes back decades, and where Sony can instantly add significant value.
 
nightmare-slain

nightmare-slain

Member
I don't think so. Probably just a tease for the PS5 Slim. If it's happening this year we should be getting an announcement soon. I'll finally buy a PS5 if we get a slim :)
 
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