Swift_Star
Banned
Nobody knows. The guy is a fanboy cheerleading for MS monopoly. There is another thread by him suggesting Sony should use DirectX for their games.
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Will Microsoft end up buying Crystal Dynamics and Edios after Activision deal?
- Thread starter In Cold Blood
- Start date
FF:Enhanced_Reality
Member
I'm on the fence. I think this is testing the waters but if Microsoft acquire Embracer then it'll be the biggest load of bullshit. Embracer own tonnes of IP and studios. It's bad enough that Microsoft argue they're not a poor third place in the console market and don't compare to Sony or Nintendo in size and ability to compete. This would be straight out monopolising.
diffusionx
Gold Member
Microsoft shills are weird. Consolidation is bad for the industry and bad for gamers.
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splattered
Member
It would only be a monopoly if buying all this stuff shot them to first place in the console wars, which we all know wouldn't happen no matter who or what they buy.
Then you’d probably be in support of them getting more studios. We’ve seen success from Sony filling up their own first party gaps with purchased exclusivity for deathloop, Ghostwire, Forspoken and Final Fantasy…not to mention purchases to expand into under-represented genres.
Sounds like you want MS to follow suit to plug holes in their pipeline.
The idea that new dev teams like the Initiative and Playground’s Fable team without a ton of employees are outsourcing heavily for AAA production is confusing to you?
You also think it’s more efficient to strip devs off internal projects vs hire experienced devs from outside?
This explains many of your posts, I suppose.
Ehh. Embracer is master of consolidation, but I doubt people had problem with them aquiring CD/Eidos
TheGodfather07
Member
Of course they will. If 3rd party ip is up for Grabs, Microsoft will be there. Look at all their acquisitions. Most of them are multiplatform studios.
drganon
Member
Acquisition begging is alot of xbox fanboys favorite game apparently.
Tiago Rodrigues
Member
Why are we talking about MS buying Crystal Dynamics? Weren't they just acquired and after MS used that same studio for one of their games? Clearly Embracer has plans for them right?
This would make zero sense, it doesn't fit embracers strategy at all, which is to gobble up under-utilised but memorable IP, and then try to maximise the potential of that IP via console and pc (and soon film/tv if I recall). They dissolved one of the studios from that acquisition (worth pointing out they dissolved it, not sold it) because they were focussed on mobile games and as such did not fit that vision.
Excluding subcontracting to MS, my guess for what their next stuff via that acquisition would be (and tho many may hate them, for a somewhat risk adverse studio remakes will make a lot of sense, especially as some haven't had new entries for many many years);
The remakes take less resources than a completely original game, and could be done, or at least some work on them could be done in parallel to work with MS on their stuff.
Once the Microsoft stuff is done, wrap up the remakes, release them, which will serve to reintroduce audiences to those IP, and if they are successful, green light original sequels/spin offs. If they are unsuccessful, then they might green light more subcontracting work, or more likely IMO just resigned the teams from those that failed to find an audience to support whichever of the above actually saw success, and double down on that success.
Excluding subcontracting to MS, my guess for what their next stuff via that acquisition would be (and tho many may hate them, for a somewhat risk adverse studio remakes will make a lot of sense, especially as some haven't had new entries for many many years);
- AAA release of the almost complete next tomb raider.
- A Remake of either deus ex, or deus ex invisible war. Cheaper than making from scratch, probably in UE5, as the mankind divided engine hasn't been touched for ages, due to the relevant studio/s being focussed on 3rd person action games in recent years.
- Relatively faithful remakes of tomb raider 1 and 2, built in the latest tomb raider engine.
- A remake, probably of soul reaver...as opposed to legacy of kain, soul reaver has greater recognition. Prob in whatever guardians of galaxy was made in. Tho there's tools in UE5 that I expect would make the world shifting a bit easier.
The remakes take less resources than a completely original game, and could be done, or at least some work on them could be done in parallel to work with MS on their stuff.
Once the Microsoft stuff is done, wrap up the remakes, release them, which will serve to reintroduce audiences to those IP, and if they are successful, green light original sequels/spin offs. If they are unsuccessful, then they might green light more subcontracting work, or more likely IMO just resigned the teams from those that failed to find an audience to support whichever of the above actually saw success, and double down on that success.
mansoor1980
Gold Member
he will buy everything in the industry
Iced Arcade
Member
No we don't need that. That would be too much.
Competition is good even if you are only a fan of 1 party.
DeepEnigma
Gold Member
It's their favorite exclusives.
graywolf323
Member
I mean it's because they're GamePass fanboys more than anything else, never mind that Microsoft doesn't have to buy studios to get games on GamePass, but that guarantees it & they don't care about anything else except having more things to play on "The best deal in gaming!™"
Captain Toad
Banned
Umadbro
Neo_game
Member
lol no. Microsoft needs to first start releasing games on their current games project. If for whatever reason it is taking time hire more staff, outscore or what not to get those things done first. That should be the priority. They have more than enough game studious already they need to improve their productivity and quality if anything.
John Wick
Member
200 million is chump change. So Sony could have bought them themselves and then sold them onto MS for double.
//DEVIL//
Member
I am baffled why they didn’t either . To have both tomb raider and uncharted is a lock for this genre exclusive to Sony .
I honestly don’t get it why neither didn’t
eastcoastkody
Member
please papa microsoft.......revive dead ass Avengers.
FF:Enhanced_Reality
Member
Microsoft have been downplaying just how much the impact is going to have acquiring ABK and Bethesda. It should mean that with their studio acquisitions MGS would be huge by comparison. If they bought Embracer, they would easily be the biggest entity in the market. They would own an incredible amount of IP and developers.
Just because they don't sell the most consoles per year doesn't mean that what they're doing is fair competition and not monopolising. You can split and pie chart, form any set of data but the fact remains they've gained a tonne of studios from these acquisitions, not just developers but internal software for outsourcing, engine development, asset production etc.
If Microsoft were to acquire Embracer. Look at it rationally. Break it down. Look how much Embracer actually own and how big they've grown. You add that onto Microsoft who are still playing the victim in the hopes that it'll get this deal to go through and surely and reasonable person would admit that its too much.
ResilientBanana
Member
No Asobo would be next considering Plague and Fight Simulator. Their tech would do wonders for Forza among other games.
R3claimer117
Member
This seems like something they’re interested in with these studios because of the kind of games they make and what they want to do. Also the Gallagher factor cannot be denied here buying crystal and having become the initiative and having Lara and Joanna under him. While having edios Montreal coalition and beenox up in Canada would be major for them to have those teams bouncing off of each other other. Sucks activision blizzards is probably holding them back with a lot of moves as well cause after abk anything else wouldn’t need to be on this scale or be near this kind of money.
In Cold Blood
Banned
I think once MS gets AKB over the line they really only need to tie up a few lose ends, being both genre and talent.
For genre I think it's safe to say they really only need some more action adventure games, and possibly some more Japanese content. I would have said they need a platforming studio but will have Toys for Bob, so that's ticked.
The other part of it to keep talent thay rely on. For instance Asobo with the on going Flight Sim contract and their ability for adventure games.
Next up would be Certain Afinity because they are balls deep with Microsoft and they wouldn't want to lose them to Sony or another publisher.
Avalanche studios is needed to help build games in the backlog of MS. They can do another Rage for instance. They are already doing Contraband so it makes sense.
Outside of those maybe IO Interactive and Platinum Games.
That's all they need.
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In Cold Blood
Banned
You arnt comparing a reboot made by Sabre to what is going to be the biggest new franchise ever created by Bethesda are you? For real?
Sure Jan.
You don't think there is a little bit more at stake with Starfield?
ChorizoPicozo
Member
If they learned the lesson the answer will be: YES.
El Muerto
Member
Why would MS buy those studios when they were just acquired by Embracer? That makes 0 sense. Embracer already gauged interest about a new Legacy of Kain entry with a survey a couple months ago. If anything MS will probably create an exclusivity agreement for upcoming games with Embracer.
TheThreadsThatBindUs
Member
You can't buy something if the owner doesn't want to sell.
thicc_girls_are_teh_best
Member
Well if that's the case, they already have enough. ABK gives them both of those things; treasure trove of older games they can release in the service (also an excuse for Xbox-branded re-releases of older Guitar Hero, Rock Band, DJ Hero etc. controllers), and King with mobile games like Candy Crush (oh and COD mobile).
They're good for a long while IMO.
Are you secretly confirming that Sony have acquired Ember Lab, Square-Enix, Capcom, and Supermassive Games?
Hot damn!
Square-Enix have opened up investment programs (or something like that) for outside investors to pour into specific studios they own. So, I think Sony will invest a ton into the studios that produce the mainline Final Fantasy titles and maybe some of the smaller games. I can see Nintendo investing into some of the other Square-Enix studios, with Sony & Nintendo splitting investments into the studio that makes the Dragon Quest games.
Ironically that does give Microsoft a window to invest in certain Square-Enix teams/IPs themselves, but I don't know if they'd have enough time to actually do that given the current hold-ups with the ABK acquisition investigation.
IIRC Square-Enix sold those studios but Embracer Group covered at least some of the debt those studios had? Which might explain how they picked them up for so cheap in the first place. Might've misheard about that though.
Can definitely see both things happening. Smaller-scale I can see Sony acquiring Ember Lab, the team behind Sifu, Deviation, and MAYBE Arc System Works if they want some in-house fighting game talent.
Anything WRT publishers, I'm not even going to entertain right now. What happens, happens there. I'm more curious about 3P publisher mergers, actually.
I'm trying to think of what Konami brings to Capcom outside of pachinko and having a lot of cash that can probably help with game funding.
Those would be good strategies on MS's end. I can see them acquiring Certain Affinity tbh, and maybe Avalanche. Realistically I don't see them acquiring any Japanese groups other than Platinum, but that could be complicated as Nintendo have a working relationship with Platinum for the Bayonetta series, though IIRC Sega still own the IP rights to Bayonetta so maybe the three parties could work something out?
At the very least though though, they should certainly keep up partnerships with the studios you just mentioned.
splattered
Member
Despite their growth it still wouldn't put them in first place or create a monopoly... and this thread was discussing just purchasing the studious/ip from the western square studios that embracer purchased, not Embracer in its entirety.
Oddvintagechap
Member
this doesn’t make sense.
This implies Embracer will fail in buying it up.
This implies Embracer will fail in buying it up.
BennyBlanco
aka IMurRIVAL69
I wouldn’t be surprised
Gamer_By_Proxy
Member
I can't believe anyone really believes this. Just cause you work with someone doesn't mean you're going to buy them.
S0ULZB0URNE
Member
Aren't they owned by that super big publisher who's buying all these companies?
If so? No
If so? No
Punished Miku
Gold Member
Embracer is a house of cards. Saints Row didn't do so hot and they seemed genuinely shocked. I think they've already closed one studio as well.
S0ULZB0URNE
Member
That's the Publisher!
If Embracer has CD... I don't see MS getting them any time soon.
itsjustJEFF
Member
If the A/B doesn't get approved, then they might make the move. If the A/B gets approved, they may want to but will likely hold off for a little while at least. I only say that cause of how much scrutiny that A/B deal is under. If you're under the microscope of "anti-competitive" dealings and barely squeak by it's probably not best to acquire some more, at least for a little bit.
Punished Miku
Gold Member
I don't either. But they really don't even have to. They have ex-Crystal studio leads building The Initiative, and they're co-developing with CD. If anyone wants to just get a job at The Initiative they can switch over I'm sure. I don't MS is buying them either.
Mibu no ookami
Member
Embracer did NOT cover the debt.
I guarantee you Sony will buy a major publisher by the end of 2023.
A lot of cash and some quality IP goes a long way.
In Cold Blood
Banned
It was quite genius by MS to put Sony off buying Edios themselves.
Both CD and Edios have contracts in place to develop MS games for the next 2 or 3 years with Fable and Perfect Dark.
No way Sony spends 300 million to then have to spend the next 3 years of these studios lives developing Xbox exclusives.
Not too sure Embracer really want these studios spending their time making two Xbox exclusives when they could be making another Tomb Raider games on multiple platforms.
Both CD and Edios have contracts in place to develop MS games for the next 2 or 3 years with Fable and Perfect Dark.
No way Sony spends 300 million to then have to spend the next 3 years of these studios lives developing Xbox exclusives.
Not too sure Embracer really want these studios spending their time making two Xbox exclusives when they could be making another Tomb Raider games on multiple platforms.
I honestly don't think Sony has any interest in Eidos Montreal and Crystal Dynamics. They have plenty of similar minded studios. Literally, if your gaming preference is third person action adventure games, you already have PlayStation console. What could CD and Eidos Montreal bring to pull more people over? Not much, I think. Even with Perfect Dark/Fable co-development, I think that if Sony wanted them, they would outpay Embracer.
For Sony it is more logical to buy either another studios they have relationship with, or to invest in some live-service game companies since this is an area that Sony itself is really weak. And we saw how combination of Crystal + live service game ended up.
In Cold Blood
Banned
For the money they got sold for Sony would have been interested.
Microsoft would have bought them if they hadn't of been trying to buy ABK.
Griffon
Member
MS has bought enough shit.
If they can't release good games with what they already have, they should just give up.
That's the point of Antitrust laws, so that a billionaire company cant just buy wholesale a dominant position into a market they're shit at. Destroying all fair competition before it even started.
If they can't release good games with what they already have, they should just give up.
That's the point of Antitrust laws, so that a billionaire company cant just buy wholesale a dominant position into a market they're shit at. Destroying all fair competition before it even started.
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I disagree. Because yes, 300 million is not much money in grand scheme of things. But you are also taking all those employees on your payroll. And especially Eidos Montreal is studio on the level of Naughty Dog in terms of size. And only IP that could have some value to Sony is Tomb Raider thanks to cross-media potential. And what is worst, no game is coming from those studios in next 2-3 years so it's not like they would helped Sony immediately. My point is. If Sony was really interested, they would have bought them, because they can easily outspent Embracer Group.
And I agree, that if Microsoft was not in the process of acquiring ABK they would have bought them.
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oldergamer
Member
People here dont realize most game studios are 1 to 2 games away from closing down. Its a difficult industry to get noticed.
Consolidation is normal and far better then studios just going away like they did in past years. It just seeds the creation of new studios. Also good to see some unionized labor is finally happening which isnt a bad thing.
Embracer always had plans to sell at some point. So i wouldn't be against the idea as ms are already paying team salaries.
Consolidation is normal and far better then studios just going away like they did in past years. It just seeds the creation of new studios. Also good to see some unionized labor is finally happening which isnt a bad thing.
Embracer always had plans to sell at some point. So i wouldn't be against the idea as ms are already paying team salaries.
PixelatedBeast
Member
Yes, I too dream of becoming rich, and my family owning most of the biggest houses and everyone else has to live in small houses or pay rent to live with us. How is that not fair?