Embracer Studio Acquisitions and Divestitures
- Thread starter cheapchips
- Start date
I guess Square-Enix said fuck it! Saw the money pit getting bigger....
Value starting to make more sense.
This NFT stuff I just don't get it personally, but enough big brains and big companies seems to see it. And their lot more clever than me.
Or its some kind of global mass delusion.
Time will tell.
Indeed. I don't see it either, well at least not being beneficial to consumers. The way they're salivating over it makes me think it's going to be
Yeah. Not to toot my own horn but I saw this happening 6 months ago, although I really though it would be Microsoft. The constant news of their western games underperforming, People Can Fly not getting paid on time (ever?), and the sale of Nixxes really had me believing that Square Enix was going to abandon the west. I just thought it was going to be Microsoft because of their close working relationship. Outriders launching directly into Gamepass, Tomb Raider timed and gen7 exclusivity, Crystal Dynamics working on Perfect Dark, and Guardians moving to Gamepass as soon as sales had dried up led me to believe that.
Still, Embracer owning them would mean that the games will remain cross platform releases. And maybe we get some old IP revivals. Chuck Rock 3. The world is ready.
Johnny Awesome
Veteran
In the end I think MS didn't want to rock the boat on the Activision-Blizzard deal and was fine with Embracer getting them and not Sony. This way MS gets the games without paying for them. They don't really need to own Lara anymore when they have Joanna Dark and Senua.
There are better companies that are willing to sell that are better than the left overs of Square. Expect more purchases from MS later this year (maybe one in june)
The most recent thing that I could find is this Japan tightens regulations to prevent technology outflow | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News
Don't take the following as me being aggressive.
Let us not forget that Sony has a Japanese legacy. We have gone through a discussion like this in the Scalebound thread. I don't think Sony will have a problem getting SE's purchase approved. I don't even think that Microsoft, if they wanted to purchase SE, would have that much trouble getting the sale approved...not saying that Microsoft should buy them, just saying that if they wanted to, I don't think it would be a big deal. No bigger than Microsoft purchasing Activision, and that is a heap of bull crap they need to go through. Those Japanese regulations usually have to do with National Security. Since the likes of Tencent have been able to purchase Japanese game companies I don't think there will be much of an issue with Sony purchasing SE.
The feeling is that Sony would want Square-Enix and all of their IPs(The ones that did not get sold) exclusively in their camp. They are already paying for Final Fantasy exclusivity. They might want to lock up both Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest permanently. The purchase of Square-Enix makes more sense to me than Sony purchasing Bungie. (To tell you the truth, though, I have a theory about that for a different time). Square-Enix Japan is a Japanese company that, for the most part, usually delivers in Japan and worldwide, especially for Sony, so that would be a huge get. The western studios under Square-Enix Japan's direction does not appear to be delivering so the sale of them could be the first stage of setting up the purchase if Square-Enix outright.
I believed Microsoft would offer the purchase Crystal Dynamics but only after Perfect Dark finished development. Maybe Embracer could sell CD to Microsoft later at a profit.
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Some slides hilighted from BenjiSales, might have been part of the lengthy Embracer video I didn't watch all of. Curious if the "deeper strategic relationship with 1 or more platforms" equates to Microsoft / GamePass or more about typical moneyhats.
D
Deleted member 11852
Guest
I don't even understand why Sony would want Square-Enix. When you look at Sony's acquisitions over the last ten years, not one was about acquiring IP, it was all about engineering capability. The biggest spend was Insomniac, where Sony already owned Ratchet & Clank and Disney own Spider-Man. And look at how long most IP lasts under Sony. The IP franchises that last more four games are damn rare so Sony acquiring somebody for IP doesn't look like it makes sense to me.
edit: typos.
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If you look at many of Sony's purchases most of them have been with studios that they have had a long close relationship with except some of the moves they have been making lately with Nixxes and Bungie. I was about to include Valkyrie Entertainment but turns out they worked on 2018 God of War and are working on Ragnarök.
SE Japan makes a great deal of sense as I can't think of another publisher that has a closer relationship with the Sony brand. Unlike many of Sony's past first party Japanese titles, their titles sell very well in Japan and do well around the world. They are a publisher that Sony generally can count on. Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest are institutions in gaming or at the very least institutions in Japan. They have been regular million sellers since before the PlayStation brand. These are some of the reasons why I think that if they are up for sell Sony likely has Dibs.
Yikes!
D
Deleted member 11852
Guest
I can't help but think that Nixxes were likely on Sony's radar since having worked with Guerrilla Games on Killzone Shadow Fall for PS4's launch. Guerrilla are based in Amsterda, Nixxes in Utrecht (not far), Herman Hulst was MD of GG at the time and is/was Head of PlayStation Studios at the time of acquisition. But yeah, Sony generally acquire studio's they've worked closely with but again, it's about acquiring engineering capability.
I think the same is true for Bungie, I think this was entirely about grabbing somebody who has delivered successful multiplayer GaaS products. I just cannot reconcile Sony owning Final Fantasy and churning out Final Fantasy games for another 30 years, it's just not what they do. I guess time will tell..
Silent_Buddha
Legend
That's one thing that a developer mentioned when hobnobbing at GDC this year. The cost of AAA development was getting so high that some of the best AAA talent are leaving the studios they work at to go and start their own studios with a focus on a AA budget. The main reason was that it would allow them more creative freedom and the advent of UE5 greatly closes the gap between the visuals achievable with a AA or even indie budget compared to a AAA budget. They'd still be a step down in terms of visuals, but at a far cheaper cost while being able to make the games that they wish they could make but can't due to the limitations imposed by AAA budgets (the more expensive development gets, the more conservative publishers get WRT what they will approve).
It's why we see so many AAA studios and publishers looking for a way out by seeking out someone to buy them.
Basically only Sony and Microsoft are in a position to greenlight "riskier" large AAA production budgets now.
Regards,
SB
It's why we see so many AAA studios and publishers looking for a way out by seeking out someone to buy them.
Basically only Sony and Microsoft are in a position to greenlight "riskier" large AAA production budgets now.
Regards,
SB
ChuckeRearmed
Regular
Are there though? I doubt Microsoft is interested in the whole WB (maybe NRS), T2 is too expensive and they wanted to have a foothold in Japan and aside Capcom, no one else there is really that worth it.
Why wouldn't Microsoft want Monolith and Traveler's Tales, much less Rocksteady?
ChuckeRearmed
Regular
What do those studios offer without IP?
TT was a good option before Microsoft went after ABK. Now TT is the best option for T2 as T2 got Lego license not so long ago.
I can see Rocksteady if Batman IP attached to it (whether by license aggreement or something similar, we heard some rumors about that). Without it it is just a workforce.
The fact that Microsoft did not go after Square Enix West for Tomb Raider and Deus Ex IP means that any independent Monolith IP (I guess FEAR and Condemned) is not that really that important there.
If it were 2018-2019 I could believe that Microsoft would go after them. But after Square Enix West - I don't believe that Microsoft will go after such studios (unless it is an extremely defensive play).