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[Companion Cube]

I don't see this happening.

If it does, I hope Tencent or something buys it. Better keep it Multiplatform.

Tencent has a 40% stake in Epic. Epic Games Store recently got exclusivity for Kingdom Hearts and World Ends With You on PC from Square-Enix. S-E has been focused primarily on Sony systems. Sony and Epic have been publicly jerking each other off this last year leading to two investments in the last 10 months from Sony to Epic for a total of $450 million...

Tencent/Epic is in cahoots with Sony to take Square-Enix and keep them on PS5 and EGS.

 

[Whitecrow]

Time for Jim Ryan to show his worth.

What worth

If MS gets it, I'm done with consoles.

I will never buy a console from company playing this dirty, just burning billions to starve the competition.

 

[odhiex]

This was proven to be a fake rumour, it seems.

 

[Wizz-Art]

I’d like to point out that after the Bethesda acquisition we’ve seen multiple Xbox partner studios decide to remain independent or take offers from other huge corporations in the form of investments. If Xbox aligned studios are unwilling to gobbled up by them

First time ever hearing this, what are you talking about?

 

[Bernd Lauert]

Damn, Square shut that shit down 100%. There isn't even a sliver of abmiguity in that statement.

 

[Bo_Hazem]

If anything this will fit Sony just perfectly. MS? Well, they'll be protected mostly by the Japanese government, and if the deal was too risky they might even buy the company themselves like they did with Vaio from Sony.

 

[ToadMan]

Maybe you should check their accounts before making such a delusional statement, they are making more money than Disney, AT&T and as much as Amazon were making in 2018.
They also have more cash than Tencent.

Their biggest purchase was less than half of what SE is worth without premium and not accounting for a bidding war.

Its not impossible but I seriously doubt its Sony who gets them in the end.

I don't think anyone is buying Sqeenix right now.

Go look at the share price - it's been rising steadily since last week. This cat was out of the bag (if indeed the cat was alive) long before it appeared on Bloomberg and then GAF. Already rose by several percent and this rumor is pumping it today.

If there was a story here, it has been and gone - publicly traded companies negotiating acquisitions don't let the markets catch on because it drives up the price and neither MS or Sony or anyone else is going to get into a bidding war, not to mention Sqeenix will choose their groom for themselves. If it was gonna happen it would've been like zenimax - bolt from the blue no one was expecting.

EDIT : Oh there's Sqeenix statement...

 

[bitbydeath]

Again, where do you get those numbers from? Of course they wouldn't pay that much, nobody would.

The price to outbid Sony, SE don’t come cheap and they’d have to throw out a hefty amount to out them. Doesn’t matter as it’s debunked now anyway.

 

[Bo_Hazem]

I don't think anyone is buying Sqeenix right now.

Go look at the share price - it's been rising steadily since last week. This cat was out of the bag (if indeed the cat was alive) long before it appeared on Bloomberg and then GAF. Already rose by several percent and this rumor is pumping it today.

If there was a story here, it has been and gone - publicly traded companies negotiating acquisitions don't let the markets catch on because it drives up the price and neither MS or Sony or anyone else is going to get into a bidding war, not to mention Sqeenix will choose their groom for themselves. If it was gonna happen it would've been like zenimax - bolt from the blue no one was expecting.

EDIT : Oh there's Sqeenix statement...

I think they're a bit too expensive, but Sony is a protected company by the Japanese government and they'll definitely lease the price for them if needed. They can as well milk all the IP's in series/movies/mobile gaming to rapidly recover from a potential $13-14B price. Sony has more than $44B cash on hand as well, and gaming is one of its main businesses and profitable.

 

[hemo memo]

It's possible Microsoft is forcing Sony's hand here on purpose. If they run the price up on SE, and Sony overspends, Playstation probably won't be adding new studios anytime soon. MS can then probably purchase the Japanese IPs they're so hellbent on getting (I thought the ACG rumor was bullshit but maybe they really are interested in Konami IPs). They could potentially purchase Sega as well, unless the Japanese government gets involved. Sony won't be in a position to defend their turf sadly.

SE already said rumor is false.

 

[Elog]

I think that is an interestingly worded PR. From someone that has been deeply involved in several similar processes, what they are stating is 1) that no bid has been received and 2) they are not looking into divesting the gaming business as a whole or in parts.

If there is a discussion between the controlling shareholder, i.e. Yasuhiro Fukushima, and an external party the PR does not cover that.

And if there is such a discussion, Mr. Fukushima most likely is thinking mostly about legacy and that his company lands in safe hands now when he is old. One way to do that is to sell his controlling stake to someone he trusts. In my mind that rules out both MS and Tenecent for cultural reasons but could involve Sony. If (big if) there is such a discussion a soaring share price based on speculation is actually a problem that needs to be solved. That is achieved with the PR.

So my take-away is that if there is a discussion ongoing it is between controlling shareholders and some counter-party - not the whole company per the PR - and the only real counterpart in that is in my mind Sony (if such a discussion is being held).

 

[ChuckeRearmed]

I think that is an interestingly worded PR. From someone that has been deeply involved in several similar processes, what they are stating is 1) that no bid has been received and 2) they are not looking into divesting the gaming business as a whole or in parts.

If there is a discussion between the controlling shareholder, i.e. Yasuhiro Fukushima, and an external party the PR does not cover that.

And if there is such a discussion, Mr. Fukushima most likely is thinking mostly about legacy and that his company lands in safe hands now when he is old. One way to do that is to sell his controlling stake to someone he trusts. In my mind that rules out both MS and Tenecent for cultural reasons but could involve Sony. If (big if) there is such a discussion a soaring share price based on speculation is actually a problem that needs to be solved. That is achieved with the PR.

So my take-away is that if there is a discussion ongoing it is between controlling shareholders and some counter-party - not the whole company per the PR - and the only real counterpart in that is in my mind Sony (if such a discussion is being held).

This PR statement is mainly to deal with stock price increase due to the rumors. The discussion is 100% ongoing, but now it is just under the wraps.

 

[turtlepowa]

The price to outbid Sony, SE don’t come cheap and they’d have to throw out a hefty amount to out them. Doesn’t matter as it’s debunked now anyway.

Neither of them would go that high, not even close. It would be low and single digit. But you are right, for now we have a statement.

 

[Krizalidx11]

Maybe you should check their accounts before making such a delusional statement, they are making more money than Disney, AT&T and as much as Amazon were making in 2018.
They also have more cash than Tencent.

Yeah, they paid those devs who didn't work for 2 months when Covid19 hit last year, their PC releases got effected by it and pushed them all to 2021, Days Gone PC release was planned to hit a year ago but Covid19 happened, they make money like everyone else but they spend it back at a lot of things, mind telling me why they stopped developing smaller non-AAA games? they got no money to gamble on smaller non-cinematic games

 

[Burythelight]

The Sony fanboys are having a melt down and nobody has bought anyone yet Square are looking to be bought, and good luck to whoever buys them. It's not the end of the world people.

I only see microsoft fanboy aggressive post like yours.

 

[Papacheeks]

Sony has more to offer than just cash.... think about it.

Their film division. If Square wants to make a animated film for Kingdom hearts Sony studios could do it. Same with making another Final fantasy film.

 

[Dick Jones]

Their film division. If Square wants to make a animated film for Kingdom hearts Sony studios could do it. Same with making another Final fantasy film.

I believe Kingdom Hearts could only be a Disney project to work.

 

[OrionNebula]

Quick, efficent PR from Square. No ambiguity + clear the air

Sony Playstation should take notes how it’s done...

 

[Heisenberg007]

Yeah, they paid those devs who didn't work for 2 months when Covid19 hit last year, their PC releases got effected by it and pushed them all to 2021, Days Gone PC release was planned to hit a year ago but Covid19 happened, they make money like everyone else but they spend it back at a lot of things, mind telling me why they stopped developing smaller non-AAA games? they got no money to gamble on smaller non-cinematic games

Smaller games as in developing Destruction All Stars, Sackboy, Concrete Genie, and Dreams? Or supporting smaller studios and games, such as Little Devil Inside, Kena, Godfall, Maquette, Oddworld: Soulstorm, Sifu?

 

[Dick Jones]

 

[Thirty7ven]

Look at what certain fanboys have accomplished, gaming is now about bidding wars.

Pathetic.

 

[KingT731]

Another clickbait Bloomberg article. Not surprised here.

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

Square-Enix basically only releases games on Xbox because MS pays them to at this point. And if MS doesn't pay them to, well, then you have Nier Replicant remaster. Nier Automata didn't get that Xbox port until after MS opened the wallet for example. And it's not the only franchise like this, the vast majority of Square-Enix Japan's catalog has long been Playstation or Nintendo only. DQ doesn't exist on Xbox and FF barely exists on Xbox. Even FF7 Remake didn't get released on Xbox which is kind of hilarious, that's how not relevant Xbox is to Square-Enix Japan.

The only thing MS would really get out of an SE acquisition would be basically the old Eidos (now Square-Enix Europe) properties like Tomb Raider and Deus Ex and I really doubt MS thinks making TR and DX Xbox-only will magically drive sales and bring Xbox to world domination.

Exactly. Which is all the more reason I think Microsoft buying Square-Enix wouldn’t make a lick of sense financially for either side. Games like Final Fantasy and Dragonquest would literally die and even games like Tomb Raider and Deus Ex won’t make much of an impact. Most people just associate them those games with Sony or Nintendo generally.

To be truthfully honest though, I doubt anyone will acquire Square-Enix though anytime soon, if ever unless they are on the verge of bankruptcy or something.

 

[Papacheeks]

I believe Kingdom Hearts could only be a Disney project to work.

I don't. Sony already has a working relationship with Disney. And kingdoms hearts at least the first 2 entries had a lot of Square characters. I think they could do a collaboration. And Disney/Sony could split the revenue and Sony could get kick back by producing it, and agreeing to let it reside on Disney+.

 

[cormack12]

Time to have a discussion about ethics in gaming journalism.

 

[Dick Jones]

Time to have a discussion about ethics in gaming journalism.

Jason must have gotten a nice chunk of a bonus for fucking over CDPR last year. I wonder did Bloomberg invest in CDPR after tanking the shares.

 

[ripeavocado]

Another "success" from Weazel News?

 

[Topher]

Bloomberg published a bullshit story?

 

[Saber]

Its dead but this is a good thing in my book

It's pretty good news for me. I like the way Square Enix is now, no need for any company to buy it.

This thread is a embarassement and even the OP seems to be a hard fanboy warrior more interessed in the meltdowns than the info itself.

 

[Elios83]

Bloomberg is quickly becoming corporate/financial clickbait and drama material.

 

[JORMBO]

Damn, if they aren't for sale then I can't slip my offer in.

 

[Thirty7ven]

MS buying SE doesn’t even make sense because the portfolio doesn’t match.

 

[MadPanda]

Game Pass is a digital only service that potentially can exist solely to prevent people from purchasing physical media, as Microsoft gets most of the profits off of them.

Do you realize that most of the games sold for PlayStation are digital, that Sony has made a cheaper digital only console and that Sony gets more money from digital games?

 

[onesvenus]

Exactly. Which is all the more reason I think Microsoft buying Square-Enix wouldn’t make a lick of sense financially for either side. Games like Final Fantasy and Dragonquest would literally die and even games like Tomb Raider and Deus Ex won’t make much of an impact. Most people just associate them those games with Sony or Nintendo generally.

Games like those would move consoles and their fans would buy another system. Remember what happened when FF went from Nintendo to Playstation?

 

[Guilty_AI]

Guilty_AI : Bloomberg does not report about Dubious and Vague Rumors.

Turns out thats exactly what they do after all

I ain't trusting any of these outlets or journalists unless they provide some real, concrete info on the matter

 

[Captain Toad]

These rumors lately are becoming stupid. They almost all are complete BS, but people here act like they're factual.

 

[ZehDon]

This was proven to be a fake rumour, it seems.

Nice to see Bloomberg Japan manufacturers just as much bullshit as... well every other Bloomberg office, it seems.

 

[ChuckeRearmed]

MS buying SE doesn’t even make sense because the portfolio doesn’t match.

Portfolio of what? MS needs diversity for Game Pass. And Square can provide a nice set of JRPG.

 

[Saber]

These rumors lately are becoming stupid. They almost all are complete BS, but people here act like they're factual.

Yeah. What worries me in Gaf is that rumors here are taking as a fact for console warriors. They never doubt anything, just go straigh for console warring. And when its proven to be fake, people then move to the next one.

 

[Kuranghi]

It's Friday, and people who aren't good at actual news have to rumormonger to make the day.

But hey, two anonymous "bankers" said that, must be true.

Of course, we can expect the usual carousel of "I knew too!" and corny opinion pieces on this throughout the weekend.

PS: some need to be reminded that not all businesses *want* to be bought. It takes two parties to have a sale.

A lunch of bankers, no doubt.

 

[Blond]

that they stole to nintendo

They didn’t steal anything, the cartridge was the limiting factor considering it had a fraction of the storage space compared to the CD room

 

[FranXico]

 

[Reality Czar]

Bloomberg bankers rumors are untrustworthy?

Say it ain’t so...

 

[SJRB]

It seems it has been an absolutely pathetic week for videogame "journalism" as a whole.

 

[Bryank75]

If someone made trades based on this article before it came out...they should be prosecuted to the highest extent.

 

[Fake]

More fake than me.

 

[Dick Jones]

If someone made trades based on this article before it came out...they should be prosecuted to the highest extent.

It was that fucker Cliff Barnes

 

[Metnut]

The statement from Square doesn’t mean the Bloomberg story isn’t true. It was worded very carefully.

Its more likely that they had some preliminary discussions, but it never got to the formal offer stage (which is typically very late in an M&A transaction).

 

[SaucyJack]

Bloomberg is quickly becoming corporate/financial clickbait and drama material.

for example .....

How to bullshit like Bloomberg: a guide to $AAPL clickbait — Roughly Drafted

roughlydrafted.de

 

[Interfectum]

The best part about this whole thing are the Xbox sycophants on Twitter who pretend to be insiders were like "huh cat's out of the bag, I heard about this months ago"

LOL stfu