this post was submitted on 27 Jun 2023
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Microsoft explored buying Sega, Bungie, Niantic, and IO Interactive, wanted to "spend Sony out of business" | Zynga and Supergiant Games were also targets (www.techspot.com)
submitted 2 years ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
15 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

A 2020 email from Xbox chief Phil Spencer to both Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Microsoft CFO Amy Hood requested approval to approach Sega Sammy about a...

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago

Embrace, extend, and extinguish. Classic microsoft. I do believe their first shot at what they are going to attempt now was Games For Windows Live, trying to centralize their position with PC and XBox when it comes to gaming.

Of course, that was a horribly executed mess and when it turned out nobody wanted to engage with that stuff, now it will most likely end up being "Microsoft Store with Microsoft account required" affair. For now they are going to play nice and show how fine they will play with Steam and Epic and how they will not make everything exclusive to MS Store and Xbox...

Until they buy out the major players because this time it seems they've decided to throw serious money at the problem. The fact that that for a good while the only country opposing Activisions acquisition by Microsoft was UK is a damn disgrace. It's not about "just call of Duty", quite frankly I did not play an Activision game in 6 years or so, but microsoft gaming market dominance won't be good for anybody.

(Especially me playing everything on linux with proton)

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Do they actually think they can do that?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Not that it's a fair comparison because both companies are much more than their gaming divisions, but... Sony's market cap is around $114 billion. Microsoft's is $2.49 trillion.

If MS really decided they wanted full control of the console gaming space, they absolutely have the means to spend Sony into oblivion.

All that said, you'd like to think that government regulators would step in and stop the acquisition train in its tracks if they did try to buy everything up like that.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Definitely, the Activision acquisition has already been blocked so far in the US by the FTC, and looks to be on very shaky ground there.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Initially it was only the UK opposing it. While I may put my tinfoil hat for this, I wonder if the EU Commission was paid off or just clueless. I read their supposed reasoning for this, and all it focuses on is "game streaming" because apparently that's a thing that EU Commissions cares or knows anything about. Worked out real good with Stadia, didn't it.

So what I suspect will happen, if the acquisition goes through is that microsoft gonna set up a shitty game streaming service nobody will want to use, eventually make everything exclusive to ms store and xbox and laugh at the clueless bastards that allow that to happen.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago

It all depends on whether they got caught. Problem is, Microsoft has always been on the monopoly radar because of Windows and their suit in 2001 They were kinda screwed from the start.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago

Where are Digital Research, Word Perfect and Lotus 123 today?

They were all killed by illegal means by Microsoft, and I can say and write that without risking lawsuit of slander or libel, because it's proven true.

Microsoft will use illegal means if necessary, and take the court battle if necessary, and drain their competitors until they die.

Law enforcement against monopolies has become a joke. Last attempt to actually uphold it was during the Clinton administration. Now more than ever money comes first, and consumers second.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Why not just buy Sony itself, would be easier...

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago

I think it's very likely that it would be blocked by regulators. Even the Activision purchase might not go through.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago

I would guess that buying Sony would be massively more expensive than buying any of the other companies listed.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

The thought of Microsoft buying Supergiant is the stuff of true nightmares.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago

I'm not sure any game will ever top Bastion for me

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Niantic

I fucking wish, those fuckers are running PoGo to the ground.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 years ago (1 children)

From day one.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago

It’s been worse recently, and the debacle with the interaction distance that just happened? Yeah…