Microsoft rumored to be buying...... [2020-04, 2020-07, 2020-11]

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Was there talk of them selling of the studios piecemeal?

What would happen with the licenses?

MS could do with a fighting studio (KI but they could go external), but I guess that would come with MK also.

No idea but both companies may want to sell studios to recoup costs.

If they split the studios evenly then it might be easier for other companies to purchase. Maybe MS wants the MK ip and teams so they can get those games and reboot KI . Maybe sony wants the teams behind Gotham Knights for a new franchise.

I also think it may be easier to get long term contracts for the IP rights
 
I don't know if we had a dedicated thread for the AT&T/WB and Discovery subject, but I know we talked about it some here. It's such chaos. Perfectly typical AT&T.

If you're wondering why there hasn't been any communication out of WB about what is going on with the studios, the reality is that no one knows what is going on. If there's someone at WB games who does know, we haven't found them.


AT&T had a town hall for all its warnermedia employees to talk about the new merger. Roughly 90% of the time was spent talking about stock prices.
I JUST WANNA KNOW IF WE ALL STILL HAVE JOBS
Seriously, there are rumors that WB games is being split up, with some teams staying with ATT and some going to the new WM/Discovery hybrid.

Literally just tell me who I'm working for.
Our studio head very calmly expressed similar frustration with the town hall, but reassured us that no games are being cancelled that we know of, and our day to day should be the same.

Even he doesn't seem to know anything about the game split rumor, though.

 
Honestly MS should pay whatever it takes to get NetherRealm studios and the Mortal Kombat IP.

It has such a huge hardcore and mainstream following. I would even consider keeping it multiplatform but use it as leverage to get Game Pass on PS/Switch.

Also NetherRealm would be a fantastic studio for Killer Instinct which would be exclusive.
 
Honestly MS should pay whatever it takes to get NetherRealm studios and the Mortal Kombat IP.

It has such a huge hardcore and mainstream following. I would even consider keeping it multiplatform but use it as leverage to get Game Pass on PS/Switch.

Also NetherRealm would be a fantastic studio for Killer Instinct which would be exclusive.

See I kinda think MS should just buy DC comics and warner games from Warner Brothers / Discovery mess and then they can license the IP for movies while making games based on the ip
 
See I kinda think MS should just buy DC comics and warner games from Warner Brothers / Discovery mess and then they can license the IP for movies while making games based on the ip
Buying the whole enchilada would be expensive! But yes if they don't mind getting into the film and tv industry it would be a bold move. Actually it could be really smart as content it king but I doubt HBO/Discovery would want to part with their biggest asset?
 
Buying the whole enchilada would be expensive! But yes if they don't mind getting into the film and tv industry it would be a bold move. Actually it could be really smart as content it king but I doubt HBO/Discovery would want to part with their biggest asset?

The current rumor is that dc comics and warner games are up for sale outside of the merger
 
Buying the whole enchilada would be expensive! But yes if they don't mind getting into the film and tv industry it would be a bold move. Actually it could be really smart as content it king but I doubt HBO/Discovery would want to part with their biggest asset?

Yup. The DC comics IP is amongst the most valuable that Warner own. They fudged a bunch of the films but they can bring them around as they did before (the Nolan Batman trilogy) but they need to stop trying to mimic Marvel. If Microsoft want some cool exclusive superhero games - ala Spider-Man - just license the IP and make those games.
 
Idly listening to Brad Sams recap the Xbox stratagy points from the pre e3 press briefing. His takeaways were that MS will look to grow number of studios further as Gamepass grows.

He also took it that MS are still open to more things like Flight Sim /Asobo where they partner on projects. It's not just outright buying studios.
 
Idly listening to Brad Sams recap the Xbox stratagy points from the pre e3 press briefing. His takeaways were that MS will look to grow number of studios further as Gamepass grows.

He also took it that MS are still open to more things like Flight Sim /Asobo where they partner on projects. It's not just outright buying studios.
Asobo is going to be high on the wanting to buy list soon. I have a strong feeling Asobo will be delivering quite well over the next few years. Insomniac was a steal for the 250+M they paid for it. I can't imagine someone looking at Asobo thinking they aren't a buy right now.
 
Asobo is going to be high on the wanting to buy list soon. I have a strong feeling Asobo will be delivering quite well over the next few years. Insomniac was a steal for the 250+M they paid for it. I can't imagine someone looking at Asobo thinking they aren't a buy right now.

The price might be far too high for most. I'm relatively confident that MS made Asobo an offer, and likely a pretty generous offer. However, it's clear that, at least currently, Asobo desires to remain independent.

If MS are paying Asobo as well as their 1st party studios along with future guarantees, then coupled with their desire to remain independent, there may be no amount of money that would sway them to give up their independence.

Insomniac also greatly desired independence and turned down offers from Sony, MS, and other publishers over the years. The main reason they finally relented was that their previous slew of games weren't profitable enough to continue funding games independently. Uncertainly about their future viability if they remained independent they decided to become a Sony 1p developer. At least if they were going to lose their independence, it was going to be with the publisher that they've had the best partnership with in the past.

Back to Asobo, if Asobo finds itself in a similar situation and looking at their past development history, they've worked with MS pretty frequently starting from 2012. I'd imagine if there is any publisher that they would give up their independence for, it would be MS.

That said, I don't see it happening unless they decide they don't want to be independent anymore.

Regards,
SB
 
That makes sense. As of right now the Avalanche deal for Contraband appears to be a similar type arrangement.

Might be more to it. New rumors say Microsoft is buying Avalanche Studios Group. They have 3 internal studios: Avalanche Studio, Expansive Worlds & Systemic Reaction. Basically, they get Just Cause, theHunter, Contraband & Second Extinction. Not as exciting at Bethesda, but a decent buy. Second Extinction is pretty decent for Game Pass, But I definitely want to see more of Contraband.

Tommy McClain
 
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