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Mergers and Acquisitions |OT| Thread Merged

Acquisitions and mergers official topic

  • Is this thread organic enough?

  • The thread merging will lead to the collapse of the forums industry

  • Anti-trust laws should prevent people from creating threads

  • This gaming forum has not been bought out

  • The monopolization of OTs is bad for gaming discussion

  • Your post is in talks to be acquired by another forum


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kingfey

Banned
Why the fuck this thread even exists, nobody would like to see a oliglopoly. And besides konami, nobody would like to see the big publishers you love to be acquired. The only reason why i accepted the acquisition of activision Blizzard was because it was the only way Bobby koetick got fired.
We got sleepy guy here.

Sorry friend, gaming makes billions now. Companies buy other successful companies, because it generates them more money.

Xbox gained 16 studios, with tons of great Ips, which generates tons of money for them.

That is what acquisition does for companies like Microsoft.

With their money, they can buy anything they want. If they buy take 2, it's over for Sony and Nintendo. Since they will gain alot of studios, which will make tons of games for them.
 

laynelane

Member
That is what acquisition does for companies like Microsoft.

With their money, they can buy anything they want. If they buy take 2, it's over for Sony and Nintendo. Since they will gain alot of studios, which will make tons of games for them.

It's strange for me to hear takes like this. With the exceptions of Skyrim, Fallout 3, NV, and 4 - I have played none of the IPs recently purchased by MS. I also don't play anything by Take 2 or EA or Acti-blizz. Yet I still have tonnes to play and gain incredible enjoyment from these games. You do know there's lots of other games out there besides the ones developed by a handful of companies, right?

Edit: Correction: I have Evil Within in the backlog, haven't played it yet.
 
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Amornalx

Banned
We got sleepy guy here.

Sorry friend, gaming makes billions now. Companies buy other successful companies, because it generates them more money.

Xbox gained 16 studios, with tons of great Ips, which generates tons of money for them.

That is what acquisition does for companies like Microsoft.

With their money, they can buy anything they want. If they buy take 2, it's over for Sony and Nintendo. Since they will gain alot of studios, which will make tons of games for them.
That doesn't excuse that anyone should embrace that shit like it was something good. And besides, would you like to see your favorite developer to be acquired by a first Party studio.
 
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kingfey

Banned
That doesn't excuse that anyone should embrace that shit like it was something good. And besides, would you like to see your favorite developer to be acquired by a first Party studio.
meh, you are boring. You are thinking critically here. We dont use that here.
 

kingfey

Banned
It's strange for me to hear takes like this. With the exceptions of Skyrim, Fallout 3, NV, and 4 - I have played none of the IPs recently purchased by MS. I also don't play anything by Take 2 or EA or Acti-blizz. Yet I still have tonnes to play and gain incredible enjoyment from these games. You do know there's lots of other games out there besides the ones developed by a handful of companies, right?

Edit: Correction: I have Evil Within in the backlog, haven't played it yet.
The reason why I am saying that, is what these studios are capable of. Look at Sony 1st party studios. They GOT, HZD, and Returnal. These are new IPs, which those studios made. They have alot of followers, because of those new ips. Now look at the games they made before. You will see day and night.

That is what 32 studios will do for MS. while some studios will focus on certain IPs, other studios will build new IPs. Then you will have someone like Ubisoft, EA, Take2, Capcom, Square, Sega and WB. They have alot of studios, and alot of devs working under them. Since MS is a trillion dollar company, they can basically increase those studios, and fund them to make tons of new IPS, If they buy 1 of them. Simply having 40 studios would mean 1 AAA game every month, and couple of AA in the mix with MS money. That is what having alot of money does for you. Not to mention, 3rd party games will drop on that console too.

On other hand, Sony and Nintendo have limited budgets. If you take out 3rd party games, then you will have few games per year. Banger games, but small output. 3rd party games cover for their small output of 1st party games. Now you have a platform, which can make 1 AAA everymonth. That would be scary thought for them.

This is what happens, when a company spends alot of money. Unless FTC stops MS, they can basically increase their 1st party studios at faster pace. Before 2018, they had small studios around 5-6 1st party studio. Now, they will have 32 studios. All of that, from buying publishers, and studios with their money. Their next purchase could take those numbers in to 40 studios. Add small studios, and you are looking around 45 studios, who are using a trillion dollar company as funding.
 
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laynelane

Member
The reason why I am saying that, is what these studios are capable of. Look at Sony 1st party studios. They GOT, HZD, and Returnal. These are new IPs, which those studios made. They have alot of followers, because of those new ips. Now look at the games they made before. You will see day and night.

That is what 32 studios will do for MS. while some studios will focus on certain IPs, other studios will build new IPs. Then you will have someone like Ubisoft, EA, Take2, Capcom, Square, Sega and WB. They have alot of studios, and alot of devs working under them. Since MS is a trillion dollar company, they can basically increase those studios, and fund them to make tons of new IPS, If they buy 1 of them. Simply having 40 studios would mean 1 AAA game every month, and couple of AA in the mix with MS money. That is what having alot of money does for you. Not to mention, 3rd party games will drop on that console too.

On other hand, Sony and Nintendo have limited budgets. If you take out 3rd party games, then you will have few games per year. Banger games, but small output. 3rd party games cover for their small output of 1st party games. Now you have a platform, which can make 1 AAA everymonth. That would be scary thought for them.

This is what happens, when a company spends alot of money. Unless FTC stops MS, they can basically increase their 1st party studios at faster pace. Before 2018, they had small studios around 5-6 1st party studio. Now, they will have 32 studios. All of that, from buying publishers, and studios with their money. Their next purchase could take those numbers in to 40 studios. Add small studios, and you are looking around 45 studios, who are using a trillion dollar company as funding.

Your what-if scenario doesn't seem plausible. Mostly because the FTC is keeping an eye on this and you are assuming MS will keep pouring money into this without any factual knowledge of their plans. And it's irrelevant to my point anyway. There are many, many games out there and companies that are not for sale even if the would-be purchasing company is worth a lot of money. And there are many people, like me, that play games developed by non-western companies and will continue to do so because that's what we like. You continually bring up number of studios like that is the most important factor. For people who like the output of those studios and also GamePass, I can see why it would be important. But in terms of what I am trying to impart to you, it is not.
 
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kingfey

Banned
Your what-if scenario doesn't seem plausible. Mostly because the FTC is keeping an eye on this and you are assuming MS will keep pouring money into this without any factual knowledge of their plans. And it's irrelevant to my point anyway. There are many, many games out there and companies that are not for sale even if the would-be purchasing company is worth a lot of money. And there are many people, like me, that play games developed by non-western companies and will continue to do so because that's what we like. You continually bring up number of studios like that is the most important factor. For people who like the output of those studios and also GamePass, I can see why it would be important. But in terms of what I am trying to impart to you, it is not.
MS is all keen on gamepass, as everyone knows. They need content, so they will buy alot of studios. They will not stop it here. If ftc lets them buy Activision/blizzard, which is valued at $68.7bn, then there is no stop for them, buying smaller publishers like sega, which cost like $5b.

As for your 2nd point, You are talking about current games. No one knew Sony would make a game like HZD, from the studios, which made killzone franchise. or Insomniac with Spiderman, and now Wolverine. Or the infamous/slycooper makers making Ghost of tsushima.
Gaming companies these days make unique games. If you didnt like their old franchises, you might like their new franchises. I mean look at the numberS both these 3 studios put out. Those new games sold alot of copies, compared to the past games, which they made.

You might not like the current MS studio games, but once they provide new IPs like HZD/GOT, you might like them.
 
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laynelane

Member
MS is all keen on gamepass, as everyone knows. They need content, so they will buy alot of studios. They will not stop it here. If ftc lets them buy Activision/blizzard, which is valued at $68.7bn, then there is no stop for them, buying smaller publishers like sega, which cost like $5b.

As for your 2nd point, You are talking about current games. No one knew Sony would make a game like HZD, from the studios, which made killzone franchise. or Insomniac with Spiderman, and now Wolverine. Or the infamous/slycooper makers making Ghost of tsushima.
Gaming companies these days make unique games. If you didnt like their old franchises, you might like their new franchises. I mean look at the numberS both these 3 studios put out. Those new games sold alot of copies, compared to the past games, which they made.

You might not like the current MS studio games, but once they provide new IPs like HZD/GOT, you might like them.

You're right that I may like them. I also may not. I like Souls, Atlus, RE, Final Fantasy, God of War, etc. - basically single-player games for the most part. However, your original point was that MS has so much money and if they buy Take Two, it's over for Nintendo and Sony. I'm making the point that there is a wide variety of games out there and people with different tastes. Reducing that to whoever has the most money wins is not feasible and that's not even taking into account Nintendo and Sony have their own strengths, fans, and histories in this business.
 

kingfey

Banned
You're right that I may like them. I also may not. I like Souls, Atlus, RE, Final Fantasy, God of War, etc. - basically single-player games for the most part. However, your original point was that MS has so much money and if they buy Take Two, it's over for Nintendo and Sony. I'm making the point that there is a wide variety of games out there and people with different tastes. Reducing that to whoever has the most money wins is not feasible and that's not even taking into account Nintendo and Sony have their own strengths, fans, and histories in this business.
Take 2 has GTA. This basically means MS would have the marketing rights for that game, if they put gta on other platforms.
Casuals will buy xbox, because of gta6, which will increase the market share of xbox, like the ps4. In turn, alot of devs will put their games on xbox, like ps4.

That is the power of take 2. Who ever buys that company, will automatically win the casuals.
 

laynelane

Member
Take 2 has GTA. This basically means MS would have the marketing rights for that game, if they put gta on other platforms.
Casuals will buy xbox, because of gta6, which will increase the market share of xbox, like the ps4. In turn, alot of devs will put their games on xbox, like ps4.

That is the power of take 2. Who ever buys that company, will automatically win the casuals.

Right. I see this is pointless.
 

kingfey

Banned
Right. I see this is pointless.
Its pointless to you, but not to casuals.

So far, MS gained Zenimax fans. And now are gaining Activision-Blizzard's fans. You add take 2 fans, and that is basically alot of casuals.

To make it simple for you. Casuals are the ones that makes up 60% of consoles, aside of Nintendo. They were the ones, that kept xbox alive.
 

laynelane

Member
Its pointless to you, but not to casuals.

So far, MS gained Zenimax fans. And now are gaining Activision-Blizzard's fans. You add take 2 fans, and that is basically alot of casuals.

To make it simple for you. Casuals are the ones that makes up 60% of consoles, aside of Nintendo. They were the ones, that kept xbox alive.

No, talking to you about this subject is pointless. You're not getting what I'm saying and I don't believe you will. The idea that you actually believe you need to "make it simple" for me shows that. As well, your arguments basically boil down to stuff you make up that might happen in the future. You have no facts and wild speculations are not interesting to discuss for me.
 

kingfey

Banned
No, talking to you about this subject is pointless. You're not getting what I'm saying and I don't believe you will. The idea that you actually believe you need to "make it simple" for me shows that. As well, your arguments basically boil down to stuff you make up that might happen in the future. You have no facts and wild speculations are not interesting to discuss for me.
You saw what happened last gen. That is your clear example.
PS didn't win, because they had great games. They won, because they appealed to casuals.
They had fifa marketing, and call of duty.

They appealed the ps4 to the casuals, which made them the market leader.

Who ever owns those casuals, will win the market.

MS has Activision-Blizzard's. That is 1 down on their list.

Like I stated before, take 2 owns gta. GTA5 sold more than 160m copies. That is insane numbers for a single game.and who ever owns that company, will have massive customers under their system.

That is how big take 2 is.
 
You saw what happened last gen. That is your clear example.
PS didn't win, because they had great games. They won, because they appealed to casuals.
They had fifa marketing, and call of duty.

They appealed the ps4 to the casuals, which made them the market leader.

Who ever owns those casuals, will win the market.

MS has Activision-Blizzard's. That is 1 down on their list.

Like I stated before, take 2 owns gta. GTA5 sold more than 160m copies. That is insane numbers for a single game.and who ever owns that company, will have massive customers under their system.

That is how big take 2 is.

What is taking them like 20 years to make GTA 6? Same thing happening with Elder Scrolls
 

bitbydeath

Member
You saw what happened last gen. That is your clear example.
PS didn't win, because they had great games. They won, because they appealed to casuals.
They had fifa marketing, and call of duty.

They appealed the ps4 to the casuals, which made them the market leader.

Who ever owns those casuals, will win the market.

MS has Activision-Blizzard's. That is 1 down on their list.

Like I stated before, take 2 owns gta. GTA5 sold more than 160m copies. That is insane numbers for a single game.and who ever owns that company, will have massive customers under their system.

That is how big take 2 is.
Hard to say how things will play out, Absurd Ventures may take the GTA throne and ultimately be the better studio.
 

kingfey

Banned
Hard to say how things will play out, Absurd Ventures may take the GTA throne and ultimately be the better studio.
That studio will need alot of backing in order to produce a close quality like gta. Rockstar , unlike bethesda can make a huge open world, due to the staffing they have. Around 1k people worked on gtav, compared to skyrim 100 people.
 

EDMIX

Member
Hard to say how things will play out, Absurd Ventures may take the GTA throne and ultimately be the better studio.

Maybe.

We've seen some wild shit in gaming lol

GTA is just too big of an IP to topple, I think it would take like several entries of that new IP to really take on GTA. Most don't know who makes their games and they may not even care that the orginal GTA creator is even there, did they care when Crackdown was made by one of the original GTA teams? We don't even know if Dan even wants to do another game like that tbh as for all know they end up making a completely different concept.

GTA has seen many enter the genre doing many things like GTA, we've yet to see even 1 title come close to out doing them in features, quality, content or sales.

So its hard to say if they are a better studio as I don't buy that 1 or 2 people leaving suddenly means 2000 plus people that worked on Red Dead 2 or something are suddenly shit lol We'll have to wait and see on this one.

maybe-lavell-crawford.gif
 
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Panajev2001a

GAF's Pleasant Genius
Maybe.

We've seen some wild shit in gaming lol

GTA is just too big of an IP to topple, I think it would take like several entries of that new IP to really take on GTA. Most don't know who makes their games and they may not even care that the orginal GTA creator is even there, did they care when Crackdown was made by one of the original GTA teams? We don't even know if Dan even wants to do another game like that tbh as for all know they end up making a completely different concept.

GTA has seen many enter the genre doing many things like GTA, we've yet to see even 1 title come close to out doing them in features, quality, content or sales.

So its hard to say if they are a better studio as I don't buy that 1 or 2 people leaving suddenly means 2000 plus people that worked on Red Dead 2 or something are suddenly shit lol We'll have to wait and see on this one.

maybe-lavell-crawford.gif
You are right, but some key people and the people they influence and the people they influence and the overall strategic direction is sometimes undervalued in how much damage it can make although it can take some time to be clearly visible.

Few individuals in some teams are sometimes overstated in terms of importance, but there is a bit of a under appreciation of what they do as if those roles were not needed and were overpaid anyways (bit of envy there too).
 

EDMIX

Member
You are right, but some key people and the people they influence and the people they influence and the overall strategic direction is sometimes undervalued in how much damage it can make although it can take some time to be clearly visible.

Few individuals in some teams are sometimes overstated in terms of importance, but there is a bit of a under appreciation of what they do as if those roles were not needed and were overpaid anyways (bit of envy there too).

I mean sure but, GTA's concept has been around for so long, I'm doubtful it was some secret sauce only known to a handful of people. So I'm sure they have a lot to do with why GTA was successful, that doesn't mean what they put into that title will be gone when a sequel comes around as you need to consider, Ray Kroc doesn't fucking make every Big Mac sir, its not like the moment that man died, I guess all that great concepts at McDonalds is overz lol
 

Panajev2001a

GAF's Pleasant Genius
I mean sure but, GTA's concept has been around for so long, I'm doubtful it was some secret sauce only known to a handful of people. So I'm sure they have a lot to do with why GTA was successful, that doesn't mean what they put into that title will be gone when a sequel comes around as you need to consider, Ray Kroc doesn't fucking make every Big Mac sir, its not like the moment that man died, I guess all that great concepts at McDonalds is overz lol
Concept and evolution of it to keep it from being stale while still faithful is one risk, but execution is the bigger one. A massive project like that with thousands of people to align and keep productive is very hard not to descend into development hell quickly.
 

EDMIX

Member
Concept and evolution of it to keep it from being stale while still faithful is one risk, but execution is the bigger one. A massive project like that with thousands of people to align and keep productive is very hard not to descend into development hell quickly.

I don't think that will occur with the next GTA, but I do see that it is a valid point. We'll have to see how this all plays out and if Dan was the glue that really held that shit together lol For the most part I think they will be just fine as they take their times with main entries, something I think many in the industry need to start adopting tbh.
 

Panajev2001a

GAF's Pleasant Genius
I don't think that will occur with the next GTA, but I do see that it is a valid point. We'll have to see how this all plays out and if Dan was the glue that really held that shit together lol For the most part I think they will be just fine as they take their times with main entries, something I think many in the industry need to start adopting tbh.
Maybe not only Dan, I am more worried about Leslie Benz. Both of them and others well, we will see the quality of it and how generational knowledge passed on.

Btw, here is a good talk about it:
 

EDMIX

Member
Maybe not only Dan, I am more worried about Leslie Benz. Both of them and others well, we will see the quality of it and how generational knowledge passed on.

Btw, here is a good talk about it:


I'm working on some design stuff for a business I own and was just about to listen to a random Joe Rogan podcast before I started a session and here Panajev wit da MVP! lol

Thanks a bunch. Will start listening to it.


edit.

So after seeing the Youtube video (twas a good as listen and I recommend anyone interested in that sorta of thing to give a hear), I stand corrected.

Seeing how Red Dead Redemption 2 had a few odd changes that weird slow walk crap or even those insta fail missions vs just letting you play how you feel like it, everything isn't a default continuation 1.1 from the last onwards, enough of those changes and yes, GTA could suffer the same issues even if the know the concept and themes of GTA.

From one generation to the next, they may not maintain those ideas and functions over time and it could slowly morph into something simply called GTA, but many of the features missing or something.
So I believe more so its likely then not after listening to that.
 
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reksveks

Member
Sony's next earnings call was announced for. May 10th.

Don't know if it impacts things but damn the jpy lost alot of value in the last month.

1DHGOKW.jpg


If you are buying a Japanese company, in theory means nothing but a US company, it might do.

 
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winjer

Gold Member
I think Ubisoft needs a new direction, a new management. Even if that means new owners.
It's too bound up on remaking the same type of repetitive games. It has lost most of it's creativity and ability to make unique and good games.
They just keep making the same games over and over again, for the last decade.
Then there is the CEO's obsession with NFTs, to scam consumers.

Ubisoft went from being one of the very best videogame companies in the world, to being one of the worst, in about a decade.
 

STARSBarry

Gold Member
I mean with how they refuse to make anything apart from what has been designed by a committee to maximise sale and let series such as Splinter Cell rot because they can't think of a way to turn a stealth series into an open world action game where you climb towers to unlock map icons.

I think it's a positive, because when a new owner comes in they often want change, which is something Ubisoft have been incapable of implementing for a decade now.
 

phil_t98

#SonyToo
poss could be a bad thing in terms of acquisitions , they need to get the activision deal over the line befor lining up a big deal again. I think if they bought ubisoft it could make them look harder ar the deals and slow them down more
 

Godot25

Banned
I'm not surprised.
They have pathetic output considering they employs 20k people. Just to compare, EA have less then half of employees. And even Xbox with Bethesda and ABK will have less.

And their management and product planing is plain bad. PoP remake tragic reveal, BG&E2 still missing after 4 years, Skull & Bones missing after 5 years, tragic reveals of xDefiant and Ghost Recon Frontline.
FFS. It took them several years to make assetflip game (Rainbow Six Extraction). It just says something.
 
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Nico_D

Member
Honestly, I don't know which one to pick. Probably negative because who else would like to buy them other than someone who is interesting pushing more NFTs and all the usual Ubishit.
 
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