So, there's a few ways to look at this one.
Obviously, the most apparent is this is (likely) a move by Sony to foster even more porting of PlayStation titles to PC, and I don't think that simply means PS4 games. I've been under the impression now that at least all non-story driven, multiplayer-centric 1P games will be Day-and-Date between PS5 and PC, starting with TLOU2: Factions, and these kind of acquisitions further support that idea. Those are the kind of games that benefit most from having the largest possible playerbase from jump, which means more revenue, which means more profit. Getting those Day-and-Date between console and PC also keeps the online userbase even in terms of content and skillsets, which are critical to ensure a healthy community.
While Nixxes also provides some tech support and assistance with game design and whatnot, honestly that's not the main reason Sony acquired them, because their 1P studios already support each other and they have their ICE teams which further do such, and they seem to do a good job at it. What they don't have is a team specialized in handling PC ports of big games, and that's where a studio like Nixxes comes into the picture.
However there are some other ways to look at this, because from a messaging POV this acquisition kind of flies in the face of what Ryan & Hulst have been saying for a while. Or maybe better to say, what a "certain segment" of the fanbase have been insisting for a while when it comes to the nature of Sony's acquisitions. The main talking points they've been using are that Sony does acquisitions of companies that have "essentially" exclusively done work for Sony in the past anyway, and have a strong history of developing games for their platforms.
Nixxes fits neither of those.
Yes, they've done a lot of ports to PlayStation platforms over the years, but they've also done a ton for other platforms. In fact, if you check their wiki, most of their work has been with Microsoft platforms, either Windows or Xbox consoles. So if we were to go by majority to insist an association, that would seemingly favor Microsoft here. One of the other talking points used by a certain segment of the fanbase have been that these acquisitions should primarily be justified via how "organic" they are. This implies the working relationship history between the company buying and the one being bought, and generally has assumed quantity when used as a talking point. But again, you can check the wiki listings and see that for those who cling to that talking point, it doesn't work for them in this instance if they wish to use it as a means of justifying this acquisition over some other type of acquisitions.
Additionally, Nixxes hasn't really "developed" any games of their own, as they have handled ports throughout their history. This makes them similar to Bluepoint, with the differentiation being that Bluepoint has also done remakes of games, particularly recently like with Demons Souls. Given there's a strong likelihood Sony are also (or have already) acquired Bluepoint, it just lends further credence to the idea that Nixxes' acquisition is focused mainly on PS ports to PC, although it doesn't rule out them developing an original title in the near future. But the reason I bring all of this up is because for a "certain slice" of the fanbase/gaming community, they have essentially centered their idea on Sony's acquisitions targeting developers; even under the label of studios, the focus has seemingly been around developers, which implies they create their own games. At least so far, that isn't the case for Nixxes.
Really though, out of those two it's the first main point which draws up some other implications. Now, this is just me speaking to the folks who have tried framing certain acquisitions as being "bad" out of emotive or badly placed ethical arguments, or try saying certain other acquisitions are "bad" because they are consolidating a market or taking options away from players. Now I ask those same people...where's that same energy? Because if you want to look at it from a point of bad faith and pessimism, does not Sony acquiring Nixxes result in consolidation of the porting side of the gaming market, locking away a studio who's usually handled ports for many other developers to now only handling ports for Sony's developers? Does that not remove an option for other developers who'd like a company to port out to platforms like PC? What about PC players who preferred Nixxes handling ports of non-Sony 3P titles to PC, does this not now remove an option for them?
For Microsoft, does this not now remove an option for them WRT ports to PC (as you can tell I'm being somewhat facetious here because we know they handle these ports themselves now, but I'm just showing how STUPID many of these "ethical"/emotive/market consolidation arguments have ALWAYS been)? I though removal of options for other companies and gamers that used to enjoy them was considered "anti-consumer", "monopolistic", even "illegal"? I mean, weren't we constantly told these things only maybe nine months ago? Or are these segments of the community still going to cling to arbitrary things like the size of the studio, or if they're a publisher or not, as if these arbitrary elements suddenly determine if options are being shifted around/removed, or determine how "organic" an acquisition is?
So yeah, I'm not holding back anymore with those particular folks if they continue to make frankly ignorant statements on these things that boil down (for them) to defending or attacking a plastic box, even if that means any amount of goalpost-shifting, double standards, hypocrisies you name it. As I've said before, I personally have no issue with these acquisitions, regardless who's doing them, so long as human/civil rights aren't being violated or they aren't hostile takeovers. Because as long as those things aren't involved, it's usually likely that the parties involved are 100% consenting to each other's terms, have considered their best interests and those of employees who would be affected, and are doing everything by the book legally-speaking. And that's really all that should truly matter to those of us on the outside of these happenings.
It's a good thing Sony's acquired Housemarque, Nixxes and (most likely) Bluepoint. It's a good thing Microsoft's acquired Zenimax/Bethesda, Ninja Theory, Obsidian etc. I don't root for acquisitions, but I'm not gonna drag my feet through the ground kicking & screaming against them out of factors that just don't factor much at all, either. And, I'm not going to be a hypocrite and conjure up BS reasons why "this" acquisition is totally fine, but fearmonger if this "other" acquisition is happening, etc. Because I'm an adult, and understand (decently enough) how these sort of business deals happen, why they happen and so forth.
It would be nice if some other folks across the internet could be a bit more mature about this stuff. Maybe now they'll start.
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Not mention games on PC are cheaper and the contradicting statement from Sony that 1st party games are best on playstation.....
