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Xbox is very unlikely to be able to buy big Japanese studios, claims analyst

JLB

Banned
This whole thread is about Sony can't buy JP publishers because they are just as American as MS.
Im talking only about Playstation the product, just in case it was not clear enough in my previous 20 comments.
Sony as a corporation is more Japanese than ramen.
 

Topher

Gold Member
The one making the point is actually Jack Tretton, Mr. Topher. He explicitly says that PS1 to 3 was a box design in a centralized way by Japan, and from PS4 they started to shape the console from consumer and third party devs opinions. Now doing a 2 + 2 = 4, where are most of consumers and third party devs of Playstation? Bingo! There you have the answer.

If your point is that PlayStation has become more focused on western consumers then I agree with you. Pretending it make PlayStation "more american than a big mac" is just more hyperbole and the video doesn't make that case at all.
 

EverydayBeast

thinks Halo Infinite is a new graphical benchmark
You're going to see video games everywhere more or less, Nintendo Mario Kart is on apple iphone's, they have emulators, hackers putting games on everything, "Big Japanese studios" should be on Xbox, Microsoft is making life easy for gamers and developers this generation.
 
Sony gamers really overestimate the popularity of Japanese games. When fans beg Sony to buy Japanese studios I do wonder why.... Most of the ones they seem to want (capcom, square enix, from software) release all games on that console, and I'd hazard a guess 90% of them sell mostly on PlayStation anyway.

Sony buying a Japanese studios makes no sense because they won't gain anything. Microsoft buying a Japanese studio will almost go nowhere because the Japanese don't really like selling big companies to an American business. Also when you look at the money Japanese games don't tend to sell that well in the West (other than Nintendo games, which are child friendly and disneyfied).... Microsoft would be buying them for very little gain, other than potentially getting a few extra customers for a very niche genre.
 
There’s really no point in Microsoft spending money trying to acquire Japanese publishers/companies anyway. We all know how Japanese games are received and sell on their platforms unfortunately. They should just stick to what they are known for which is primarily Western style games which is fine for most gamers.
 

Holammer

Member
If you can't buy a Japanese studio there's a workaround.
Start a new studio and just headhunt everyone important and the big names, give 'em a 15-20% raise, promises of more and all the funding they could ever dream of.
That's what Netease did when they recently poached Sega's talent by grabbing Nagoshi and a bunch of others. It might sound insane, but Japan *is* a low wage country with decades of economic stagnation and weird ass cultural norms make pay raise discussion difficult.

If you have the pockets, you can dismantle existing companies in the industry on the cheap.
 

SNG32

Member
I think this was a given. I don't think Microsoft probably even considered purchasing any third party Japanese publisher. Japanese games don't sell well on the console and a few japanese exclusives on game pass wouldn't change that. I think it more beneficial for them to play to there strengths in the western market and try and dominate on the west or atleast close the gap. A japanese investment wouldn't do them any favors.
 

Spacefish

Member
If you can't buy a Japanese studio there's a workaround.
Start a new studio and just headhunt everyone important and the big names, give 'em a 15-20% raise, promises of more and all the funding they could ever dream of.
That's what Netease did when they recently poached Sega's talent by grabbing Nagoshi and a bunch of others. It might sound insane, but Japan *is* a low wage country with decades of economic stagnation and weird ass cultural norms make pay raise discussion difficult.

If you have the pockets, you can dismantle existing companies in the industry on the cheap.
Microsoft learnt the hard way that all the money in the world can't buy you a competent dev. All their AAA devs they built from scratch are mediocre and constantly underperforming, despite luring some of the most talented people in the industry. Stealing a few key people gets you fuck all. Pre-empting the closure of japan studio was a once in a decade opportunity to bankroll a new studio but the time has passed.
 

TidusYuna

Member
The idea of keiretsu is that companies help and protect each other, which obviously makes hostile takeovers very hard. There is nothing stopping one company from buying another company if everyone is on board though. I still doubt we see Microsoft buy one of the big Japanese gaming companies just because most are part of a conglomerate, and so the company is valued much higher than just their gaming assets.
 

JLB

Banned
But they lost some of the talent before acquiring them.

https://www.windowscentral.com/ghos...irector-ikumi-nakamura-leaves-tango-gameworks

Ghostwire Tokyo Creative Director Ikumi Nakamura leaves Tango Gameworks​

From The Evil Within to the upcoming Ghostwire Tokyo, Ikumi Nakamura has been with Tango Gameworks. Now, she's announced that she is leaving.

I dont see how this somehow makes an acquisition more, or less unlikely.
BTW, In almost all acquistions, independent of the region, rest assured there will be two things: resignations and layoffs.
 

JLB

Banned
If your point is that PlayStation has become more focused on western consumers then I agree with you. Pretending it make PlayStation "more american than a big mac" is just more hyperbole and the video doesn't make that case at all.
Yeah... whatever. I think my point is clear, yours as well so rest can figure what to believe.
 

Topher

Gold Member
Yeah... whatever.

Peace Out Reaction GIF
 
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Ill say that if xbox does get a JP studio the literally hood of there games being playable on a modern console and uncensored will be way higher then current sony you can play every Dead or alive games on the xbox series x you can play any DOA games outside of 5LR and 6. Xbox got all the Ninja gaiden games plus the sigma remasters play station your stuck with the ps now versions. Xbox had all the FF games in Back compact FF7,8,9,10,12,13,13-2,13-3,15 and type 0 ps5 play station FF7R,FF15. XBOX KOF 12,13,14 and 15 PS 14. I guess sony rather remaster Uncharted for the 4 time or sell you another version the TLOU1 again for $70 o well.
 

The Alien

Banned
Don't really think they need to.

Make some a number of great deals with Japanese pubs/devs (like they have already with Sega) and get these games into GamePass in US and Asian markets to drive subs.

I'd imagine entering into extremely aggressive partnerships would be a cheaper path of least resistance than a Japanese acquisition.
 

Kokoloko85

Member
Check the org structure of Sony and the nationality of leaders.
Check whether Sony is investing more in western or japanese studios.
Check to which market Sony sent more Playstation units (btw: "Play Station", really japanese name).
Japanese market is mobile oriented, Playstation 5 is a mastodont that barely fits on a regular japanese department.

Playstation at this point is more american than a big mac.

Its still a Japanese company
 

yurinka

Member
Toto seems to be an expert in ancient Japanese culture, maybe he was the one of the glorious Final Fantasy XIII post.


A video of a japanese showing a playstation is the fundamental proof of Playstations´s being fundamentally japanese. Lol.
Xbox and Playstation are western products directed to western audiences. The rest is a fairy tale.
Sony's Playstation division is just as western. So I dont see much advantage to Playstation. Sony Japan could buy a company but they are not Playstation. Sony is weird.
No. Sony, SIE and PlayStation always have been Japanese and ruled from their HQs in Japan, even if as most global corporation they have regional divisions and offices in a lot of different countries.
 
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Azelover

Titanic was called the Ship of Dreams, and it was. It really was.
It would be a terrible deal for a japanese publisher, being sold to Microsoft.

Aside from culture and all that, Microsoft's presence in the japanese market is minimal. There wouldn't be much of an advantage, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
 
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lachesis

Member
Sony is indeed a Japanese company. Incorporated in Japan, HQ is in Tokyo and traded in Tokyo stock exchange.
And... SIE is multinational corporation owned by Sony, like Sony Music ans Sony Pictures.

However I will think of SIE being a Japanese company if they start making Japanese games with Japanese talents in Japan other than GT - like Dark Cloud, or Gravity Rush, or Ico or even freaking Jumping Flash.
Right now, it's like calling a pizza joint as a Japanese restaurant - just because the owner is Japanese.

Like Hermen Hulst said in a interview, they are still a Japanese company, "in some ways"
 

squarealex

Member

DrAspirino

Banned
Japanese companies are traditionally highly resistant to being acquired from overseas, with many insulated from takeover attempts by a Japanese system called ‘Keiretsu’.

Keirestu sees a business group formed by member companies from different industries, so that they can essentially look out for each other because they own small portions of the shares in each other’s businesses.

Toto said any attempt at a hostile takeover “would be a suicide mission” because “everybody would leave instantly”, adding: “I would bet my house this will not happen, ever.”

If it were for Platinum Games, they actually want to be acquired by Microsoft (or work "closely for them" otherwise). :messenger_tears_of_joy:

Also, Sharp is chinese-owned now (Foxconn), so it seems this guy has his facts half-wrong half-right.

Curious and interesting times we're living in, right?
 

TidusYuna

Member
I dont see how this somehow makes an acquisition more, or less unlikely.
BTW, In almost all acquistions, independent of the region, rest assured there will be two things: resignations and layoffs.

I never said that it would make an acquisition less likely. Dr. Serkan Toto is the one claiming that an acquisition of a large Japanese publisher by Microsoft being a bad investment because employees would leave. I'm not sure if any of the top talent from the studios Microsoft Purchased left, but I'd imagine any purchase they've made recently, they retained the top talent that made the IPs successful. Of course Resignation and Layoffs will happen but you wouldn't buy Kojima Productions if Kojima was going to leave. There are certain people you need to stick around.
 
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Papacheeks

Banned
Ill say that if xbox does get a JP studio the literally hood of there games being playable on a modern console and uncensored will be way higher then current sony you can play every Dead or alive games on the xbox series x you can play any DOA games outside of 5LR and 6. Xbox got all the Ninja gaiden games plus the sigma remasters play station your stuck with the ps now versions. Xbox had all the FF games in Back compact FF7,8,9,10,12,13,13-2,13-3,15 and type 0 ps5 play station FF7R,FF15. XBOX KOF 12,13,14 and 15 PS 14. I guess sony rather remaster Uncharted for the 4 time or sell you another version the TLOU1 again for $70 o well.

Cool story.
 
Toto seems to be an expert in ancient Japanese culture, maybe he was the one of the glorious Final Fantasy XIII post.




No. Sony, SIE and PlayStation always have been Japanese and ruled from their HQs in Japan, even if as most global corporation they have regional divisions and offices in a lot of different countries.
Playstation main HQ is in California, it isnt in Japan anymore that is my point, Japan is now just a regional division. Sony, itself, has Japanese games companies that dont make games for Playstation.
 
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Papacheeks

Banned

So you use vgchartz, a opinion piece on gamingbolt, and pushsquares article about games coming to pc that we’re on PlayStation. As in as games become more popular have them on more platforms?

Good job providing nothing of value when the actual information out there points to issues with suppliers and independent resellers sending PS5 s sold in Japan to other Asian markets.

From your same source:https://www.pushsquare.com/news/202...-sold-almost-1-million-units-in-japan-in-2021
 
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So you use vgchartz, a opinion piece on gamingbolt, and pushsquares article about games coming to pc that we’re on PlayStation. As in as games become more popular have them on more platforms?

Good job providing nothing of value when the actual information out there points to issues with suppliers and independent resellers sending PS5 s sold in Japan to other Asian markets.

From your same source:https://www.pushsquare.com/news/202...-sold-almost-1-million-units-in-japan-in-2021
And from yours:

PlayStation’s perceived struggles in Japan have been well-documented for some time. While the hardware figures aren’t quite as bad as is often made out, the bigger issue for Sony is that its software can’t get a foothold – there have been numerous occasions over the past year where Nintendo Switch games have dominated all 30 spots on Famitsu’s retail software charts, which obviously isn’t ideal.
 

Papacheeks

Banned
And from yours:

And if you actually did some research that last part becomes clear where software discrepancy comes from.

Overall PlayStation has sold less and less in Japan because of shift in mobile devices. But software from Japan still sells gangbusters on PlayStation…… in other regions.

Monster hunter, street fighter, resident evil final fantasy, persona yakuza series all selling consoles in the west.
 
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Sony PlayStation shut down their Japan Studio, why would they go back buying another Japanese company?

They prioritize Western market, they want to cinematize their games, they moved their HQ to Cali, they want to mingle with the Hollywood, etc, ….spending billions on Japanese company is not making any sense
 

Topher

Gold Member
Sony PlayStation shut down their Japan Studio, why would they go back buying another Japanese company?

They prioritize Western market, they want to cinematize their games, they moved their HQ to Cali, they want to mingle with the Hollywood, etc, ….spending billions on Japanese company is not making any sense

Some Japanese owned IPs are very popular in western markets......such as Resident Evil and MGS.
 

Papacheeks

Banned
Sony PlayStation shut down their Japan Studio, why would they go back buying another Japanese company?

They prioritize Western market, they want to cinematize their games, they moved their HQ to Cali, they want to mingle with the Hollywood, etc, ….spending billions on Japanese company is not making any sense


How well has square, Capcom, arc systems, Namco done game sales wise?
 

yurinka

Member
Playstation main HQ is in California, it isnt in Japan anymore that is my point, Japan is now just a regional division. Sony, itself, has Japanese games companies that dont make games for Playstation.
they moved their HQ to Cali

No, their Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. HQ continues in Tokyo, Japan since 1993. In 2016 they founded a subsidiary of SIE Inc named SIE LLC, which is the one that has the HQ in Califonia. SIE LLC belongs to SIE Inc and has the same bosses and so on (ex: Jimbo is top of both). People like Jimbo, Hermen and Yoshida aren't based in California.

Sony and SIE always have been Japanese companies even if they open or acquire subsidiaries, offices and studios around the world.

Sony PlayStation shut down their Japan Studio,
They didn't shut down Japan Studio. They restructured it rebranding it, changing the management and many workers to focusing it more into its internal team Team Asobi, and branched off its Japanese XDEV team to continue publishing Japanese 2nd party games (as they did with Death Stranding Director's Cut after the restructuring) but now -as of now do all their XDEV teams around the world- as a separate office/team that reports to/are part of XDEV global team instead to a local gamedev studio.

Now both teams are highly growing like all the other SIE teams.
 
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Some Japanese owned IPs are very popular in western markets......such as Resident Evil and MGS.

How well has square, Capcom, arc systems, Namco done game sales wise?

No, their Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. HQ continues in Tokyo, Japan since 1993. In 2016 they founded a subsidiary of SIE Inc named SIE LLC, which is the one that has the HQ in Califonia. SIE LLC belongs to SIE Inc and has the same bosses and so on (ex: Jimbo is top of both). People like Jimbo, Hermen and Yoshida aren't based in California.

Sony and SIE always have been Japanese companies even if they open or acquire subsidiaries, offices and studios around the world.


They didn't shut down Japan Studio. They restructured it rebranding it, changing the management and many workers to focusing it more into its internal team Team Asobi, and branched off its Japanese XDEV team to continue publishing Japanese 2nd party games (as they did with Death Stranding Director's Cut after the restructuring) but now -as of now do all their XDEV teams around the world- as a separate office/team that reports to/are part of XDEV global team instead to a local gamedev studio.

Now both teams are highly growing like all the other SIE teams.

You all need to move on now, PlayStation has moved on, they've left Japan. Japan market has moved on too. The divorce is finalized, sealed. They're over PlayStation, just look at weekly Famitsu software ranking

There's lots of great Western developers Sony could/should be buying, They should focus on them
 
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Topher

Gold Member
You all need to move on now, PlayStation has moved on, they've left Japan. Japan market has moved on too. The divorce is finalized, sealed. They're over PlayStation, just look at weekly Famitsu software ranking

There's lots of great Western developers Sony could/should be buying, They should focus on them

What part of "Some Japanese owned IPs are very popular in western markets" do you disagree with?
 

Papacheeks

Banned
What part of "Some Japanese owned IPs are very popular in western markets" do you disagree with?
He's a moron and has no clue. Like I doubt he looks at NPD. Where Resident evil, monster hunter world were charting and selling primarily on Playstation platform.
 
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