Xbox head Phil Spencer and the bosses of various developers under the Microsoft umbrella have been talking more about Xbox Game Studios in a fantastic feature with GamesIndustry.biz.
As you can see from the title, Spencer also used this opportunity to explain that while the company is focusing on integrating the studios it has, it's still in the market for more opportunities:
"The Game Pass portfolio and subscriber base continues to grow. We're launching a new console. Last year was our biggest year ever on PC in terms of revenue as Xbox Game Studios. A lot of the business is doing really well, so we're always in the market for new opportunities with studios."
"We have really strong support from Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, and Amy Hood, the CFO. And there's been no signal at all that we should be slowing down, but just to go at a pace that is maintainable for us as a leadership team. We're always out there talking to people. But it has to be the right opportunity."
The rest of the article (which we highly recommend checking out) is packed with comments from the likes of Mojang studio head Helen Chiang and Double Fine boss Tim Schafer, explaining how their companies have been integrated with Xbox Game Studios, and what it's been like working as part of Microsoft in recent years.
What studios would you like to see Microsoft acquire in the future? Let us know in the comments below.
[source gamesindustry.biz]
Comments 14
I wonder if this is in relation to the rumours of them acquiring some WB studios. Its been very interesting to see the increased portfolio of studios Microsoft now has making games. I still think a Japanese company/focused developer is the missing piece to complete the puzzle. (Like when they had links to Team Ninja for DOA and Ninja Garden, or Lost Odyssey & Blue Dragon)
Definitely good news for Xbox fans. Game Pass continues to roll and XGS is killing it on Steam. Success will push studio expansion and acquisition.
Yeah they will be pumping out a lot of games next gen
I want them to acquire Koei Tecmo.
Really hoping they get those WB studios and licensing agreements. Not only for Batman and MK, but my favorite story franchise is Lord of the Rings and my kids love lego games. Bringing them all to gamepass would save me a ton lol
With the rumors of them maybe buying one or two Polish studios & the WB rumor.....this could be a time where they announce something at their July show.
I am hoping for a couple of new studio acquisitions. And if the WB rumor is true, it’s going to break the internet. 😂
It would be great for MS to acquire a few more AAA game developers like Rocksteady for example but the problem with WB is that the sale of those studio's would not necessarily come with the licences or IP's those studio's have made.
Part of the reason that those studio's are making games like Batman, Mad Max, Lego, Harry Potter etc is because WB has the 'movie' rights - like Sony Movies has the licence for Spider-Man. MS would need to negotiate with the License holder(s) to make games in those universes or with those characters.
Of course those studio's may have 'ideas' to create their own 'new' IP's and could bring spiritual successors to the MS Portfolio but whether we would see Batman exclusive on Xbox as Spider-Man is on PS, I don't know.
In Phil we trust
please please please team up with a Japanese developer!
( T_T)
I don't think it will happen, but CD Project Red would be a big one. More realistic would be IO Interactive. Hitman is one of the few remaining classic stealth series, and I really think Xbox would be a great home for it.
@BAMozzy I'd have to imagine that whoever buys them would have a deal in place to secure those rights for a significant amount of time. Especially when you consider that several titles around these are already in development and I suspect that even if Microsoft acquired them, those games will still launch multiplatform. Future titles would be a different story
@carlos82 Of course MS (if they were to acquire the studios) would honour any previous agreements and games in development - much like they did with other Studio's they acquired recently - The Outer Worlds and Wastelands 3 are two recent examples of games that were in development beforehand and are multi-platform.
The point I was making though is that a lot of the studio's don't have their own IP's/Licenses and those licenses do add value to a studio. MS would be buying 'talent' but not necessarily licenses and may well have to negotiate with WB for example to make Batman, Lego, Mad Max or Harry Potter games for example. If you don't own the license or IP, then that is another company taking a slice of the profit margin.
When MS acquired Ninja Theory, they also acquired any of their owned IP's//Licenses. Ninja Theory though don't own the license to DmC so can't make another DmC game. IP's are an Asset too - and THQ Nordic bought up a lot of IP's - like Kingdoms of Amalur, Carmageddon, Alone in the Dark etc because they are assets and I doubt that WB would be selling its 'licenses' to make Batman games to MS. Also I would expect them to want their licenses to be multi-platform to reach as many people as possible and maximise their 'profit' too as I expect them to get a percentage of every game sold.
MS could of course release games on multiple platforms too - like Minecraft but whether that's 'right' for them, owning Rocksteady for example just to make multi-platform Batman with some of the profit going to WB for the license, doesn't seem like a 'good' investment - unless of course, Rocksteady also make some exclusive games too, create new IP's that are 'assets' like Halo or Gears are...
All their existing licensing agreements will be sold with them though and the mentioned price range of 2-4B might be based on additional licnenses included
I think the games that come from under Microsoft’s umbrella. Halo series, Forza Motorsport series, Gears of War series and so on, however I wish they’d try and get rid of this loot box thing.
I know it’s not entirely Microsoft and that we don’t have to buy them but still
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