Zenimax Media/Bethesda

No way on any huge acquisition only if something can’t miss lands as a easy buy or something they have a eye on is about to be acquired by someone else and MS feels they have to move.

🤔

sega it is, they have had a long relationship somewhat similar to that of Bethesda and it honestly felt like it came out of nowhere...no leaker or source that feared their identity/livelihood even came close
 
They probably will evaluate each game on its own. If Starfield is single player only it probably makes sense for it to be xbox/pc only. Something like ESO probably is probably better for them if its in as many places as possible. So its a tough answer for Spencer to give right now.
 
They probably will evaluate each game on its own. If Starfield is single player only it probably makes sense for it to be xbox/pc only. Something like ESO probably is probably better for them if its in as many places as possible. So its a tough answer for Spencer to give right now.
ESO, yes I do agree. You can also put fallout 76.
For anyone else to think that games like ES, Doom, Wolfenstein will be on other platforms will be disappointed.
If Elder Scroll won't do it, Doom will.
 
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Ubisoft is worth about 3 billion dollars I believe so yeah they could afford it. Why though? Do they really want to make Ghost Recon, Assassins Creed and The Divison Xbox exclusives?
Remember that a lot of their titles made big on xbox.
Ghost Recon, Raindow six 3 and black arrow, also Splinter Cell.

On the original Xbox this was the game to play on Xbox live.
 
Much as I'd like even the chance of splinter cell being put into better hands, I don't see the ubisoft thing happening.

Different situations, but they staved off (what I think was called) a hostile buyout and comments of the time lead me to believe the leadership wants to remain ubisoft, not ubisoft brought to you by ______, for the forseeable future.

That's also a bit of a nightmare scenario. I don't think any company should have that much influence over their market. Remember folks, funny twitter accounts for multibillion dollar corporations are not your friends.
 
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Obviously the rumor is madeup but I would again return to an earlier point where I would ask is there a point where them buying companies is clearly not good?

They clearly have the studios to compete and make gamepass high quality. They don't need Ubisoft.
 
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It's not like discussing the rumors and applauding it or not will make a difference. These companies will do what they need to if the Google, Tencent and Amazone are looking to enter the market or buy developers.
 
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It's not like discussing the rumors and applauding it or not will make a difference. These companies will do what they need to if the Google, Tencent and Amazone are looking to enter the market or buy developers.

They may and those will be the mega corporations people won't applaud

Which says it all.
 
You can't just "acquire" a publicly traded corporation. Letter of intent maybe.

The acquisition of ZeniMax/Bethesda won't be complete for months to half a year.
Very true. There might have been some signalling announcement that got leaked somehow. Personally I think this one is a rumour and that's all.
 
What's your point then, considering these developers and publishers are looking to sell to the bigger compsanies, if the right offer comes along?

The point is we shouldn't want it to happen even if its inevitable and there is nothing we can do.

And it also doesn't mean Microsoft is evil and needs defending.

I don't prefer they buy Sega over Ubisoft. I prefer they both stay independent and so should everyone.
 
The point is we shouldn't want it to happen even if its inevitable and there is nothing we can do.

And it also doesn't mean Microsoft is evil and needs defending.

I don't prefer they buy Sega over Ubisoft. I prefer they both stay independent and so should everyone.

All of this is predicated on the assumption that one, these studios have the viability to remain independent, and two, they wouldn’t be looking for a buyer.

Regardless, MS didn’t force them into it, they were open to the purchase.
 
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The point is we shouldn't want it to happen even if its inevitable and there is nothing we can do.

And it also doesn't mean Microsoft is evil and needs defending.

I don't prefer they buy Sega over Ubisoft. I prefer they both stay independent and so should everyone.

Tbh I’m more than happy with the Studio’s MS have under their belt. Saying that, as someone who is happy with Gamepass and will gladly pay my monthly fee as I do Netflix, Prime Video, if MS were to say buy Ubi or SEGA, that just means more games I won’t have to pay £60 a pop for. That’s the equivalent to free games to Gamepass subscribers. Why should we be against it when it might save me as much as the price of a console over the generation?

Over the next generation I could definitely see myself buying 2-3 Assassin’s Creed, Watchdogs, The division, Beyond Good and Evil, Ghost Recon and Far Cry. These games alone would cover the cost of a console for money I’m already committed to spending.
 
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The point is we shouldn't want it to happen even if its inevitable and there is nothing we can do.

And it also doesn't mean Microsoft is evil and needs defending.

I don't prefer they buy Sega over Ubisoft. I prefer they both stay independent and so should everyone.
Even if you want it to be, the business model is changing and those won't stand a chance because when they sell their games at $70 a pop, people will go to the subscription model.

MS buying them will be beneficial for gamers like me that is covered by the same company.

You might not see it now but down the road Sony will slowly will fade because they don't have the infrastructure or $$$ to compete with these trillion dollars companies.

Hell, I won't be surprised if the get bought out them self.
 
Even if you want it to be, the business model is changing and those won't stand a chance because when they sell their games at $70 a pop, people will go to the subscription model.

MS buying them will be beneficial for gamers like me that is covered by the same company.

You might not see it now but down the road Sony will slowly will fade because they don't have the infrastructure or $$$ to compete with these trillion dollars companies.

Hell, I won't be surprised if the get bought out them self.

Do you think the hypothetical outcome of Sony going away sounds like a good thing for gaming?
 
Even if you want it to be, the business model is changing and those won't stand a chance because when they sell their games at $70 a pop, people will go to the subscription model.

MS buying them will be beneficial for gamers like me that is covered by the same company.

You might not see it now but down the road Sony will slowly will fade because they don't have the infrastructure or $$$ to compete with these trillion dollars companies.

Hell, I won't be surprised if the get bought out them self.


PS4 is at about 120 million consoles sold and have a chance at coming close to PS2.

I could also post exclusive game sales from Nintendo and Sony if need be.

MS is the only one flip flopping all over like a dead fish with diamonds in its belly.
 
I think the Ubisoft rumors are complete bulls***. Ubisoft has 2...maybe 3 times the number of employees of Microsoft's entire gaming division including the addition of Bethesda. Don't see a Ubisoft, EA, or 2K happening nor do I want to. Those publishers are able to make whatever games they want to and are all financially healthy. In contrast, most Bethesda single player games outside of their Elder Scrolls and Fallout IPs didn't have a market which is why they were trying weird stuff like Youngblood and 76 while taking moneyhats on their new single player IPs to off-set the risk.

The point is we shouldn't want it to happen even if its inevitable and there is nothing we can do.

And it also doesn't mean Microsoft is evil and needs defending.

I don't prefer they buy Sega over Ubisoft. I prefer they both stay independent and so should everyone.

Nah. Entire market is restructuring and due to that, a lot of companies are finding themselves out of position. These companies either need to restructure and re-strategize or sell. We saw that with Bethesda figuring that they were either going to have to turn single player studios into GAAS studios or sell. It's ironic hearing people complain about "consolidation" and how this is making gaming worse when in actuality, over the past decade the middle class of gaming died along with a lot of AAA diversity. Market has been consolidated when less than 10 companies made all the money and 2 of them (Valve and Apple) weren't even making games or helping developers. 1 of them (Epic) makes most of their money off of 1 game. Activision makes the majority of their profit off of 1 IP. In contrast, Bethesda will be better under Microsoft and making games for a subscription. Where they were at, studios like Arkane and Tango were at risk of being consolidated.

Microsoft investing in a subscription model has created a platform where AA games and non GAAS single player games can survive. There are more developers and investors entering the industry than are getting bought up because there is more opportunity. When Sony has had complete market dominance in the AAA space 2 out of 3 generations, has 0 competition in more than half the world and was able to have 100s of exclusives they never funded, nobody thought it was a problem. Now that there's competition, a new model and more opportunity for games that were struggling to find a market to exist, everyone's suddenly worried about "consolidation". Vertical consolidation can lead to better products. Horizontal consolidation (like Microsoft trying to buy Sony) would be anti-competitive and we shouldn't want that.

On that note, both Capcom and Sega have struggled to find markets for most of their IPs. Capcom actually put themselves up for sale this generation and didn't get takers. They were saved by the success of Monster Hunter World. Even RE has under-performed except for the RE2 remake. Monster Hunter World is more of a GAAS single player game. These companies will have to either re-structure, find success with GAAS or partner with a subscription. Many will align with subscriptions (either through partnerships or vertical consolidation) and that will actually create a landscape that allows for more diversity of AAA games.
 
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