EA, or Something Else Totally Insane
Let’s kick this article off by just addressing the elephant in the room right away. The Polygon report that went out yesterday specifically name-dropped EA as a company that Microsoft would consider acquiring. Of course they would though, obviously, if it were feasible, why wouldn’t Microsoft at least explore or look into acquiring a company like EA? They would instantly have a stable of popular games that could give the Xbox One some much-needed ammunition to compete with Sony and Nintendo on console exclusives. However, the likely exorbitant cost, and potential issues with licenses (don’t forget, Disney and the NFL work with EA), would all be serious hurdles that would need to be figured out. Still, the thought of games like Anthem, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Star Wars, Madden, and FIFA all being exclusive to the Xbox One or future consoles from Microsoft is just bonkers.
A company like Ubisoft might be slightly easier to pull off, and that would give Microsoft access to franchises such as Watch Dogs, Far Cry, Assassin’s Creed, and Just Dance. Maybe not as varied as EA’s offerings, but for some, that lineup might be even more appealing.
I don’t want to even think about the shitstorm that would go down if Microsoft somehow pulled off owning Square Enix and all future Final Fantasy and Kingdom Heart games. I seriously don’t even want to talk about that.
You can run down a few other of the biggest publishers such as Activision-Blizzard, 2K Games, and Bethesda, and yeah, while Microsoft would be thrilled to have them on board, logistically it would be extremely difficult to pull off for the same reasons as EA. Acquiring Activision-Blizzard or EA, in particular, would probably be incredibly complex and extra difficult to do, even more so than the others. So rather than rattle off a who’s who of major game publishers for this list, which would be predictable and mostly uninteresting, let’s instead look at some middle-tier publishers and developers. These acquisitions would still make a huge splash, but are a little more in the realm of possibility.
Although again, EA’s name is being tossed around. So if you can Microsoft, totally go ahead and acquire them or anyone else you want.
Let’s move on by digging up an old fun rumor.
SEGA
5 Companies Microsoft Should Acquire to Fix Their Exclusive Problem Instantly
Back when the Dreamcast was floundering, and before Microsoft formally entered console gaming with the Xbox, the bigwigs in Seattle floated the idea of outright acquiring SEGA. This would allow them to instantly have a company to produce hardware for them under their belt, without having to actually spend the money to produce it themselves. This, of course, never happened.
Fast-forward to 2018, and if it’s indeed true that Microsoft is interested in acquiring someone, SEGA could still make a lot of sense. SEGA has perhaps one of the most diverse, and beloved IPs of any publisher. SEGA games have appeal not only in Japan (not that Microsoft really seems concerned about that market anymore but still), but also in the United States, Europe and worldwide as well. Right out the box, they would have an internationally recognized mascot in Sonic, a steady stream of highly acclaimed JRPGs thanks to Atlus (assuming that would come along for the ride), a MMO in Phantasy Star Online that English-speaking countries have been begging for years for, and all of the classic retro IPs that get nostalgia bones tingling. And all of that is just scratching the tip of the iceberg for the sake of keeping the word count in this article down.
SEGA has done a lot since the commercial failure of the Dreamcast to rebuild its reputation and become a stable and respected publisher. If Microsoft could find a way to make SEGA’s properties exclusive to the Xbox One and beyond, that would be a huge home run.
Like any other publisher on this list, however, it would take obscene amounts of cash to tear SEGA away from its close partnership with Nintendo, and Atlus with Sony. Which again, is the perfect time to remind everyone that all of these entries are kind of crazy, but Microsoft is one of the few companies out there with enough cash to pull something like this off.
Capcom
Capcom would be another home run acquisition that would instantly bolster the Xbox One’s exclusive lineup with a diverse set of IPs. Like SEGA, Microsoft would have access to a beloved mascot in Mega Man, the new hotness which is Monster Hunter: World, and, of course, other beloved franchises such as Resident Evil, Street Fighter, and Dead Rising (which Microsoft had exclusively for a while). And, if Microsoft really wanted to do everyone a solid and get the masses hyped up about this acquisition, they could finally bring back Power Stone from the grave.
Keeping Street Fighter and Resident Evil off of Sony consoles going forward would be a huge blow to the PlayStation brand, and if Microsoft wanted to give cracking into the Japanese video game market one last go, coming in armed with the incredibly popular (in Japan, but now also kind of worldwide) Monster Hunter might be its best chance to finally get traction.
Konami
While it might be blasphemous to even think of a world where Metal Gear games are not on Sony platforms, it’s more possible than ever right now. Series creator Hideo Kojima is gone, and there could be some sour grapes about Sony whisking away Konami’s main man the first chance they got. Konami hasn’t been shy about their feelings about the whole split, and could see an alignment with Microsoft as a way to gain some stability in an uncertain post-Kojima era, while also sticking it to Sony and Kojima.
Aside from the obvious in Metal Gear, other prominent IPs that Microsoft could be interested in adopting would be Castlevania, Pro Evolution Soccer, and Silent Hill.
Scoop Up a Bunch of Developers: CDPR, Platinum Games, and More
OK so this list has kind of gone off the rails in terms of sticking to just “five” as we’ve named dropped way more than five. However, rather than trying to broker a mega deal with one of the big dogs of video game publishing filled to the brim with IPs ready to go, Microsoft could instead use its capital to make a number of key purchases.
This list in general is just outlandish, but now that Microsoft seems to finally be acknowledging the problem and realizing that its own first-party studios are not enough to keep up, Microsoft could be inspired to go on a supermarket sweep of developers worth scooping up. Like potato chips, you can’t just have one or two, if Microsoft is going to forgo purchasing a publisher that has built-in IPs out of the box, then they will need to pick up a hefty amount of developers each with one or two major IPs under their control. CD Projekt Red is red hot right now following the success of The Witcher games, and the hype surrounding its next project, Cyberpunk 2077. That’s a company that you could envisioning trying to cash out now while their value is as high as it may ever be.
Platinum Games is another option that adds a developer that is flush with unique ideas, and a willingness to tackle anything that comes their way. Although the whole Scalebound situation was a bit messy, there have been worse problems solved with a truck load of money.
There are a number of options that you could dream up here. The point being, if trying to acquire a major publisher or developer doesn’t work out, if Microsoft is serious about patching up its exclusivity problem, expect this to be a route it chooses to go in.
What would be your dream scenario or what do you think is the best fit? Let us know in the comments below.
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