Chai86

Member
Jun 2, 2021
66
One company I think makes sense for Sony to acquire is CAPCOM. Why?

Sony needs to compete in these remaining genres.

Fighting: Street Fighter
WRPG: Dragons Dogma
Horror: Resident Evil
Retro: So many IPs to remake

Plus, they get Monster Hunter… the game that almost won them the handheld market and get them back into Japanese households.
 

Sidewinder

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,331
I hope they'll buy some talented VR studios, before Facebook does, to bolster their offer for PSVR2.

Ember Labs would be great too, they are a perfect fit for Sony. If they want to get bought, I'm sure buyers would queue up.
 

LinkStrikesBack

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 27, 2017
16,508
Before they shut down, please someone save Level-5.

Level-5 would have to want to be bought to start with, which doesn't seem to be the case, but so many of their games have been Nintendo (+Mobile) exclusive over the past decade+ that they're the only choice who even makes sense, but Level 5 willingly burnt that bridge themselves.

But they've hit gold with the Ni No Kuni mobile game, so they'll be fine for a while yet.
 

Izanagi89

"This guy are sick" and Corrupted by Vengeance
Member
Oct 27, 2017
14,960
Wonder if it will just be new rumors? What's interesting is that they mention they have an interview with Jim Ryan next week at EGX as well as Jade Raymond. Maybe we'll get some more info about what Haven is working on.

 

DCBA

Member
Dec 12, 2018
1,057
I hope they'll buy some talented VR studios, before Facebook does, to bolster their offer for PSVR2.

Ember Labs would be great too, they are a perfect fit for Sony. If they want to get bought, I'm sure buyers would queue up.
Still a bit salty that Ready at Dawn was bought by facebook. The Order wasn't as bad as the MC score suggests and their VR games are among the best.

I don't know if Ember Labs even wants to be bought. Probably depends a lot on if they want to increase the scope of their next games.
If they want to stay small and develop A-AA games with a lot of outsourcing, staying independent might be the best choice.
 

PlanetSmasher

The Abominable Showman
Member
Oct 25, 2017
117,303
I mean isn't that what they are doing? End of the day the aim is to lock out of other eco systems

They haven't bought anything that has a meaningful presence on other platforms in an extremely long time. There's a difference between "we bought this company" and "you'll never get to play the sequel to one of your favorite games again unless you buy our console now"
 

Scottoest

Member
Feb 4, 2020
11,442
They haven't bought anything that has a meaningful presence on other platforms in an extremely long time. There's a difference between "we bought this company" and "you'll never get to play the sequel to one of your favorite games again unless you buy our console now"

I don't blame anyone for feeling disappointment or sadness when a once-multiplatform franchise goes exclusive to a platform they don't have for any reason - whether due to acquisition or simply paid exclusivity, because the effect is exactly the same for the end-user. But there is nothing else tangibly different beyond that. They are business deals to create value for your particular ecosystem.

And when you buy a developer you aren't just buying their present - you're buying their future. A future in which they weren't going to necessarily maintain their status quo forever.
 

Iron Eddie

Banned
Nov 25, 2019
9,812
Don't like this adquisition race, but i like their approach better than just buying developers to own their IP to lock them into your ecosystem.
The Bethesda deal sure got people's attention! But hey, let's just ignore all the preceding events like Street Fighter, Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy, Wipeout and others that at one time or another became exclusive.

This industry was never designed to be tailored around the consumer, there is no "right approach", so it's a little late to be suggesting what's fair and what isn't. I also find it awfully tacky to be discussing these things now when Sony has created an empire of third party support whose whole mandate right from the start 30 years ago was to get the most access to third party support.
 

tzare

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
4,145
Catalunya
The Bethesda deal sure got people's attention! But hey, let's just ignore all the preceding events like Street Fighter, Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy, Wipeout and others that at one time or another became exclusive.

This industry was never designed to be tailored around the consumer, there is no "right approach", so it's a little late to be suggesting what's fair and what isn't.
Did i say the contrary? It is my point of uview. Exclusivity deals existed before Sony, and every platform holder has done them. Now this next step is not exclusivity, is consolidation. And i don't like it. And if i were to choose, going after relatively small creative teams is different than going after huge developers with stablished IP.

I mean isn't that what they are doing? End of the day the aim is to lock out of other eco systems
I think in this case is ensuring that don't end being bought by others. They have no valuable ip, but are a team that works well with PS.
If they bought Capcom, that would be to lock their IP .
 
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Iron Eddie

Banned
Nov 25, 2019
9,812
Did i say the contrary? It is my point of uview. Exclusivity deals existed before Sony, and every platform holder has done them. Now this next step is not exclusivity, is consolidation. And i don't like it. And if i were to choose, going after relatively small creative teams is different than going after huge developers with stablished IP.
Sony was already trying to pick apart Bethesda games too. They got Deathloop and rumors were going after Starfield. Your retort of course will be it's only timed exclusive. Well think for a moment why that's still a big deal? This practice served Sony well even during the Tomb Raider/GTA days. Are they not big IP's? Is Final Fantasy not a big IP?

It's just odd how now all of the sudden we are hearing Sony's direction makes more sense with acquisitions because they work closer to them or how Sony stopped doing this and that. Sounds great when they are the market leader to now be taking it easy! They never stopped anything, we still have big games like FFVII Remake not coming anywhere else and when it finally does it doesn't matter, most of the interest is when games come out first, that's why they keep doing it.

You do this enough over the years and guess what happens? Entitlement and expectations that this platform should get all the third party games while owners think about "maybe" getting another platform like the Switch or an Xbox or a PC. Sony is riding the high, they know it and why it makes it much easier for them to keep going after timed deals.
 

tzare

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
4,145
Catalunya
Sony was already trying to pick apart Bethesda games too. They got Deathloop and rumors were going after Starfield. Your retort of course will be it's only timed exclusive. Well think for a moment why that's still a big deal? This practice served Sony well even during the Tomb Raider/GTA days. Are they not big IP's? Is Final Fantasy not a big IP?

It's just odd how now all of the sudden we are hearing Sony's direction makes more sense with acquisitions because they work closer to them or how Sony stopped doing this and that. Sounds great when they are the market leader to now be taking it easy! They never stopped anything, we still have big games like FFVII Remake not coming anywhere else and when it finally does it doesn't matter, most of the interest is when games come out first, that's why they keep doing it.

You do this enough over the years and guess what happens? Entitlement and expectations that this platform should get all the third party games while owners think about "maybe" getting another platform like the Switch or an Xbox or a PC. Sony is riding the high, they know it and why it makes it much easier for them to keep going after timed deals.
I've never complained about exclusivity deals, despite not liking them. I would say it is kinda fun to see people complaining since... forever, re4 or ff7 days and now, since MS approach, oh well, it is good and normal business and we have to cheer them
You can't compare timed deals with full exclusivity or this new step, full adquisition. Lol
 

PlanetSmasher

The Abominable Showman
Member
Oct 25, 2017
117,303
I don't blame anyone for feeling disappointment or sadness when a once-multiplatform franchise goes exclusive to a platform they don't have for any reason - whether due to acquisition or simply paid exclusivity, because the effect is exactly the same for the end-user. But there is nothing else tangibly different beyond that. They are business deals to create value for your particular ecosystem.

And when you buy a developer you aren't just buying their present - you're buying their future. A future in which they weren't going to necessarily maintain their status quo forever.

I mean, like...I don't see the harm in Xbox or Playstation buying some tiny no-name studio and investing in them to build them up. They aren't a known quantity, they weren't providing value to anyone.

I have a bigger problem with going "I want to make sure my competitors never get to play this popular franchise ever again".
 

Iron Eddie

Banned
Nov 25, 2019
9,812
I've never complained about exclusivity deals, despite not liking them. I would say it is kinda fun to see people complaining since... forever, re4 or ff7 days and now, since MS approach, oh well, it is good and normal business and we have to cheer them
You can't compare timed deals with full exclusivity or this new step, full adquisition. Lol
I can and will because the ripple effect takes us to the same place. Which is you now have a situation where one platform is the one to own by default and the others are a maybe. That had to change and it is. Sorry but I have no patience for anyone who acts like one way is better. It is very easy to say let's platy nice now that Sony has all the leverage. Timed exclusivity simply doesn't have the same impact on Xbox. Sony owners are more likely to just wait it out and the only way to get their attention now is by offering true exclusive content. Building that within by creating new IP's takes a long time and the mismanagement of the past hurt its brand. To speed things up it is far easier to go and see what's out there. The acquisitions they made were not hostile takeovers.

It is the responsibility of the platform holder to secure content and if Sony is able to use its leverage (sales, history) to secure these deals they will and have. It is also the responsibility for the other platform holders to secure content and you have no say how they get it. Microsoft for example obviously has money to throw around more than the others, which is exactly what they are doing. Whether you like it or not doesn't matter, they are trying to get people into their ecosystem.

The only responsibility you have is to know what games have been officially announced (Which is why E3 and other events are still relevant to the consumer) and what studios each platform owns. All the other games were never guaranteed, only expected and this is where those timed deals come into play because PlayStation owners are finally in a position of we might not get this or that all because the competition has taken action. Sony still has their own studios that will making your God of War, your Gran Turismo and your Uncharted games.

Your problem is you are looking at it from the angle of why should I buy anything else, when in reality it should be I want to know what the others are offering too. That's not something many had to contemplate for a very long time. My answer is get used to it because why else would they be there. Why should Nintendo be your second choice all the time or Xbox be your last choice all the time? Nobody said you have to cheer them, just know that they are doing things to become an option. Those who cannot get past Microsoft as in name or it's history need to get over it. I can see why it's difficult for some because ever since they entered they kind of became Sony's nemesis because each was selling similar products and each were trying to get third party content. So playing nice was never there to begin with and Sony ended up winning that arms race, but now that things are starting to shake up some don't like it.
 

tzare

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
4,145
Catalunya
I can and will because the ripple effect takes us to the same place. Which is you now have a situation where one platform is the one to own by default and the others are a maybe. That had to change and it is. Sorry but I have no patience for anyone who acts like one way is better. It is very easy to say let's platy nice now that Sony has all the leverage. Timed exclusivity simply doesn't have the same impact on Xbox. Sony owners are more likely to just wait it out and the only way to get their attention now is by offering true exclusive content. Building that within by creating new IP's takes a long time and the mismanagement of the past hurt its brand. To speed things up it is far easier to go and see what's out there. The acquisitions they made were not hostile takeovers.

It is the responsibility of the platform holder to secure content and if Sony is able to use its leverage (sales, history) to secure these deals they will and have. It is also the responsibility for the other platform holders to secure content and you have no say how they get it. Microsoft for example obviously has money to throw around more than the others, which is exactly what they are doing. Whether you like it or not doesn't matter, they are trying to get people into their ecosystem.

The only responsibility you have is to know what games have been officially announced (Which is why E3 and other events are still relevant to the consumer) and what studios each platform owns. All the other games were never guaranteed, only expected and this is where those timed deals come into play because PlayStation owners are finally in a position of we might not get this or that all because the competition has taken action. Sony still has their own studios that will making your God of War, your Gran Turismo and your Uncharted games.

Your problem is you are looking at it from the angle of why should I buy anything else, when in reality it should be I want to know what the others are offering too. That's not something many had to contemplate for a very long time. My answer is get used to it because why else would they be there. Why should Nintendo be your second choice all the time or Xbox be your last choice all the time? Nobody said you have to cheer them, just know that they are doing things to become an option. Those who cannot get past Microsoft as in name or it's history need to get over it. I can see why it's difficult for some because ever since they entered they kind of became Sony's nemesis because each was selling similar products and each were trying to get third party content. So playing nice was never there to begin with and Sony ended up winning that arms race, but now that things are starting to shake up some don't like it.
I have no problem. I don't care about Bethesda at all for example. I know what i enjoy and buy accordingly.
I can have an opinion which is as valid as yours, and then I'll behave, as a consumer, as i see fit.
 

MentalZer0

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,361
It's gotta be another private dev/publisher, right? Looks like bying a public dev/publisher is not the trend lol
 

Nakenorm

"This guy are sick"
The Fallen
Oct 26, 2017
22,587
So I just got off work and people are still talking acquisitions. Is it because of new rumours or just based on what Hermen said yesterday?
 

Servbot24

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
43,515
Isn't Kojima still rumored to be working with XBox? Doesn't seem like buying Kojima Pro is likely if he's really doing that.
 

Liliana

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
3,375
NYC
You can't compare timed deals with full exclusivity or this new step, full adquisition. Lol

You also can't compare acquisitions of companies that want to be acquired and are selling to timed exclusives that only exist to keep games away from their competitors for 1 and now this "new step," 2 years (or renewing a contract to extend for another year which might as well be full exclusivity in perpetuity). The latter is scummy as shit, you just don't see it that way because of the shoe the foot is on.

Isn't Kojima still rumored to be working with XBox? Doesn't seem like buying Kojima Pro is likely if he's really doing that.

Yes. I wonder when it'll be announced.
 

SolidSnakeUS

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,869
Curious, what smaller dev is Sony close with that they have a long standing relationship with that they haven't purchased yet?

For people saying KojiPro, I think Kojima would rather do his own thing and be his own boss than be purchased.
 

Iron Eddie

Banned
Nov 25, 2019
9,812
You also can't compare acquisitions of companies that want to be acquired and are selling to timed exclusives that only exist to keep games away from their competitors for 1 and now this "new step," 2 years (or renewing a contract to extend for another year which might as well be full exclusivity in perpetuity). The latter is scummy as shit, you just don't see it that way because of the shoe the foot is on.

Yes. I wonder when it'll be announced.

I do wonder how things would have played out if we never saw any timed exclusive deals at all?
 

Dekim

Member
Oct 28, 2017
4,339
It is not just MS Sony has to worry about snatching up talent. Sony also have watch out for Tencent, Embracer, Amazon, Google (admittly to a much lesser extent now compared to ~2 years ago) and now Netflix. Talented studios are being bought at a rapid pace.
 

StudioTan

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,836
The whole "Sony only buys companies that mostly only made Playstation exclusives so their acquisitions are ok"argument is pretty weak since the list of major 3rd party studios that mostly made exclusives for Xbox is close to zero. The only one I can think of is Remedy and MS was not buying studios during that time in their history.
 

starfoxxxy

Gravity Is Hard
Banned
Mar 13, 2021
6,488
Sony are lacking in first party studios that can make WRPGs, so any PC dev that specialises in WRPGs on a similar small size like Obsidian would be perfect, but obviously keep the games on PC.

They should also have a FP JRPG, so same again.

So one European/American WRPG dev and a Japanese JRPG house for wholeness.

They should buy larian…..?😌
 

Host Samurai

Member
Oct 27, 2017
12,261
Sony would have to buy Kadokawa and if they did, it wouldn't be through Playstation, it would be Sony as a whole buying a massive company, as they control many things outside of From Software. So yeah, I don't see it.
We'll, they already own almost 2% of the company and Sony wants that anime. From Software would just be an extra bonus. I really wouldn't be surprised if they're next. I think there's a better chance of Sony buying them over Capcom, who's sitting on a truckload of IP's. Also Nixx is there to help Capcom with PC ports if the situation does come into fruition.
 

Deleted member 93062

Account closed at user request
Banned
Mar 4, 2021
24,767
Sony would have to buy Kadokawa and if they did, it wouldn't be through Playstation, it would be Sony as a whole buying a massive company, as they control many things outside of From Software. So yeah, I don't see it.
If anything, if we assumed From Software was independent for second... I think it's more likely Sony would buy Kadokawa then PlayStation get FROM individually tbh. Kadokawa aligns with everything Sony has been trying to achieve (dominance over anime), Kadokawa would help them massively in that department. Spike Chunsoft and FROM would be even better reasons for Sony to do it especially with PlayStation disappointing software sales in Japan. Not to mention, only having two studios (that don't have a lot of output) in Japan and which one seems to be dedicated to Astrobot (which I'm perfectly fine with, love Astro) could be another incentive.

Not saying it'll happen but Sony has put aside $18.3 billion for the next 3 years for "strategic investments" and Kadokawa seems like a very compatible fish for the Sony shark.
 

Minthara

Freelance Market Director
Verified
Oct 25, 2017
8,154
Montreal
If anything, if we assumed From Software was independent for second... I think it's more likely Sony would buy Kadokawa then PlayStation get FROM individually tbh. Kadokawa aligns with everything Sony has been trying to achieve (dominance over anime), Kadokawa would help them massively in that department. Spike Chunsoft and FROM would be even better reasons for Sony to do it especially with PlayStation disappointing software sales in Japan. Not to mention, only having one studio in Japan which seems to be dedicated to Astrobot (which I'm perfectly fine with, love Astro) could be another incentive.

Not saying it'll happen but Sony has put aside $18.3 billion for the next 3 years for "strategic investments" and Kadokawa seems like a very compatible fish for the Sony shark.

Polyphony is a thing.
 

Temascos

Member
Oct 27, 2017
12,615
I think they should buy Remedy. They make the same games!

I reckon a partnership game is happening after Remedy's finished up with it's current projects. They've got Crossfire X, and a few other projects with 505 Games to do before we're likely to even get a hint of a collaboration with Sony.
 

Jiraiya

Member
Oct 27, 2017
10,352
I mean, like...I don't see the harm in Xbox or Playstation buying some tiny no-name studio and investing in them to build them up. They aren't a known quantity, they weren't providing value to anyone.

I have a bigger problem with going "I want to make sure my competitors never get to play this popular franchise ever again".

Xbox has built a studio from scratch...acquired smaller studios and a publisher. Curious the only thing bad here is the only thing Sony hasnt done.
 

PlanetSmasher

The Abominable Showman
Member
Oct 25, 2017
117,303
They've built a studio from scratch...acquired smaller studios and a publisher. Really just sounds like semantics to make yourself feel better about who's doing it.

No, I'm pretty clear on my point. "Hey, you can never play this popular franchise again unless you buy our console" is bad. I would say the same thing if Sony bought Square Enix.
 

Jiraiya

Member
Oct 27, 2017
10,352
No, I'm pretty clear on my point. "Hey, you can never play this popular franchise again unless you buy our console" is bad. I would say the same thing if Sony bought Square Enix.

The same thing happens when smaller studios are bought too. Like i said...if you're ok with 1 type of acquisition....not liking another type usually boils down to whom you prefer to do it.