For now i think MS should foucs on these studios who have multiple teams.
People Can Fly.
Avalanche
Crytek
IOI
These are good teams, letting them go would not be big deal but it would be unfortunate.
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PCF would be a really easy one to get off the stock market too, 71% of their stock is owned by 4 people.
I would happily take any of the ones you listed lol
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I thought it might be good to go back to the most accurate leak about the Xbox series consoles and revisit the other information in it.
As well as nail the Xbox Series X and S console specs, it also named a number of studios that MS were in negotiations with to purchase. Seeing how accurate it was with the specs, I assume the acquisition targets listed are also correct. The studios mentioned were
- Asobo
- Platinum
- Relic
- Bluepoint
- IO Interactive
- Farm 51
- Turtle Rock
So Bluepoint are out.
Relic have worked closely with MS, being the developer of Age of Empires (Worlds Edge isnt a dev studio). With the success of the game, and there being a shortage of studios out there, MS might want to get them outright to continue the work on future AOE. They are owned by Sega, but maybe Sega could offload them.
Farm 51 went public and im not sure MS would look at them now. With all the AAA shooter studios they now have, I dont think Farm 51 offer anything. Big pass for me.
I think MS have tried to buy Asobo a few times but they havent looked to sell. I think its a studio that if they went to MS and said “Hey, we want to sell”, MS would be all over it. Maybe one for the future.
Turtle Rock just got bought by Tencent, so thats that.
Talks about IO Interactive continued to bubble along the last year, and possibly will be one to look at. They are a quality studio, and have some good IP in Hitman and the new 007 game. This would be the type of studio MS would want. Watch this page.
The last one is Platinum Games. I really think they could be a great option. They have that classic Japanese type game that Phil likes and has said they want to get more of. Some good game IP, and from the sounds of it they really want to work with MS again.
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That’s how I would also rate them.
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FH5s biggest market is China btw
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MS should really buy Mistwalker. They are a company in Hawaii and can then open a branch in Japan so Mistwalker can get back into console games.
I know they’ve been recently a cellphone game company, but there is a lot of growth potential with them.
As previous Xbox games Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey should be added to Game Pass and then given the sequel they both deserve.
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I’m almost concerned about if Sakaguchi plans on retiring soon though (he’s 59). Otherwise I’d agree Mistwalker would be a good bet.
https://twitter.com/RPGSite/status/1479588353792040962
seems going to mobile is working for them.
idk i can’t see this studio coming back for console gaming. plus the team is small.
Absolutely not
Mistwalker’s never actually “made” console games. Blue Dragon was Artoon and Lost Odyssey was feelplus (I believe these companies have been absorbed by Marvelous now). Mistwalker’s always just been the company doing the story, concepts, designs, etc while the aforementioned companies handled the bulk of building the game.
They acquire Mistwalker they need someone to build their ideas. They’ve never handled making a full fledged console game themselves.
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Interesting perspective in my Twitter feed
I see what they’re saying. When you finish a JRPG for example, that’s usually it. JRPGs typically don’t get continuous updates or DLC outside of costumes. There could be about 10-20 more hours of postgame content but again that’s it.
But more importantly
Something I want to add here is that it hurt a lot of Japanese 360 buyers when tons of the exclusives started going to PS3. There were images of people burning their Vesperia merch and breaking the disc in half, because it was going to PS3 and getting double the content that 360 Vesperia would never see. Eternal Sonata and Star Ocean 4 are also some games that went to PS3 with more content.
Basically, they were saying they felt like beta testers and bought a whole console just to beta test.
Mistwalker is a company living off a legacy they no longer can earn.
At best, we’d get ONE new JRPG from them by the end of this console generation, after they’ve staffed up and gone through production.
Microsoft’s ambitions are greater than this.
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Mistwalker doesnt make console games.
@pg2g reallly dont get people’s obsession with Mistwalker and Level 5 lol
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They’ll never become really the Netflix of gaming if they keep being crap for asian markets, localization, expanding services, actual games for the region, etc…we are still far far away from even basic levels, if Xbox will be at X1 western levels in Asia for the beginning of next gen (aka an underdog, but with decent presence), it will be a miracle.
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Quick poll to see if people think Microsoft is buying something in the next 12-14 months.
- No, Microsoft will wait until the A/B deal is done.
- Yes, Microsoft will try to buy another publisher during the pending deal.
- Yes, Microsoft will only buy studios, but no publisher.
- No, but if someone is trying is to buy an important publisher, they are making a counter offer.
- Yes, Microsoft will only buy studios, but if someone is trying is to buy an important publisher, they are making a counter offer.
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I think it more depends who is open to being purchased in that time, they didn’t finish the Zenimax acquisition then immediately go pursue Activision - there was a large gap then Activision became available and they bought them. So I don’t think “waiting” is the right way to look at it. I don’t think they’re waiting, but if a publisher became available they might make a move on them.
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Wait, what? Isn’t this merger even bigger than the buy of Activision?
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