Sony's future and possible studio/publisher acquisitions

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

I'm pretty sure KH4 will be PS5 exclusive like Forspoken, FF16, Foamstars, ect.. Sony has its pick of the litter with Square and will always pick Square's best games as exclusive this is why they dont need to e en buy them.

That may've been the case prior to the new S-E President coming onboard, but may not be the case going forward. I.e getting those games as timed console exclusives could cost them more, or may be off the table altogether.

There are many benefits that an acquisition of Square-Enix could get Sony that simply doing these timed exclusive deals will not. However, making significant share purchases and financial investments into Square-Enix can get a lot of those same benefits while avoiding the tribulations of review processes for an M&A.

The irony here being, I feel this is something Microsoft will try doing going forward if/when they acquire ABK, and they've already started in a way WRT Japanese 3P like Sega/Atlus. Better for Sony to get ahead of them on that front in a more expanded capacity than wait & be reactive. But, seems like waiting & reacting regarding these sorts of things is their MO :/

 

[shrike0fth0rns]

As you said it yourself, it will unfortunately lead to consolidation of the gaming industry, wether Sony does participate or not. So at least if this kind of destiny is inevitable , I want only Sony to secure Square Enix. I would really cry hard if someone like Tencent or worse would buy them. I mean it's like 90% of Square's audiences are on Playstation. So hence why not welcoming them already to the Sony family.

 

[avenovah]

Man, I wouldn't want to be in @Eternal_Wings's shoes when Microsoft buys Square Enix.

 

[On Demand]

When? You’re talking out of fear too I see.

 

[Eternal_Wings]

Man, I wouldn't want to be in @Eternal_Wings's shoes when Microsoft buys Square Enix.

Oof are you starting again with your doom & gloom preaching?
Forget about it, MS will never get a Japanese pub like Square. There a like a million reasons why this never will happen. We have discussed it more than one time.
Are you just here to rile up people?

 

[Puff]

I do not know if I should laugh or cry

 

[Eternal_Wings]

I do not know if I should laugh or cry

This is more related to the Sony (parent company). Sony is primarily an Electronics developer.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

This is more related to the Sony (parent company). Sony is primarily an Electronics developer.

I think the point being that it kind of reinforces the idea Sony doesn't value M&A strategies for SIE/gaming in ways to secure content and grow content pipelines leveraging vaulted or acquired valued IPs.

For example, it kind of disproves that they have to wait until November to do M&As, if they're announcing an acquisition in the ass-end of August.

 

[Eternal_Wings]

I think the point being that it kind of reinforces the idea Sony doesn't value M&A strategies for SIE/gaming in ways to secure content and grow content pipelines leveraging vaulted or acquired valued IPs.

For example, it kind of disproves that they have to wait until November to do M&As, if they're announcing an acquisition in the ass-end of August.

Japan has a different set of rules. Acquisitions in Japan always happen to be in certain periods. For example look past mergers & buyouts. Bandai and Namco, Squaresoft and Enix, Koei and Temco, Sega and Atlus etc. happened either in November, May for example. November is economically a special month in Japan. Anything outside of Japan can be announced anytime. In Japan sadly not.

 

[Zzero]

This is more related to the Sony (parent company). Sony is primarily an Electronics developer.

Sony hasn't been primarily an electronics developer for nearly 20 years now. Between Sony Pictures, Sony Music and Playstation they are clearly an entertainment company that also does tvs, audio and imaging a quirk of history. And honestly, at this point the tvs are a legacy business that they should probably divest. Sony tvs are okay but no better than their Korean competitors' while costing a bit more, and whats the market for that?

 

[Dabaus]

By the time Microsoft, tencent, embracer, and the saudis own all gaming studios, sony can be their headphones/sound engineers. Cool to to see!

 

[Eternal_Wings]

Sony hasn't been primarily an electronics developer for nearly 20 years now. Between Sony Pictures, Sony Music and Playstation they are clearly an entertainment company that also does tvs, audio and imaging a quirk of history. And honestly, at this point the tvs are a legacy business that they should probably divest. Sony tvs are okay but no better than their Korean competitors' while costing a bit more, and whats the market for that?

Lol no. Sony’s TVs become very popular. They share with Samsung and LG the Top 3 of most bought TVs. Sony maintains a high quality and not just TVs. Sony develops a lot of electronic hardware: TVs, Sound systems (sound bars, headphones, walkman), cameras, sensors, medical technology, optical systems like Blu-Ray players, mobile phones, even space related stuff and soon E-cars. Sony is primarily an electronics conglomerate. Yes Entertainment is also very big but it’s not the truth to say electronics being only a small part. PlayStation console is also electronics. The only thing they probably should adjust or sell is mobile phones.

 

[Danja]

Ubisoft.... When.?

 

[Eternal_Wings]

Ubisoft.... When.?

Oof you guys are not willing to understand. Ubisoft has a much deeper relationship with Microsoft and that’s no joke. See who has for nearly a decade or more the marketing rights to many of their games. Hell even that Ubisoft will have Activision Blizzard Cloud rights is probably due to Microsoft’s influence. French people also prefer American culture over Asian. If there’s a company who would acquire them it would be either Microsoft or Tencent (because of already owning stakes). Sony is not interested in Ubisoft, because their games are too similar. They are also in terms of assets a totally mess. 20.000 employees is too much for Sony to handle.

 

[Danja]

Oof you guys are not willing to understand. Ubisoft has a much deeper relationship with Microsoft and that’s no joke. See who has for nearly a decade or more the marketing rights to many of their games. Hell even that Ubisoft will have Activision Blizzard Cloud rights is probably due to Microsoft’s influence. French people also prefer American culture of Asian. If there’s a company who would acquire them it would be either Microsoft or Tencent (because if already owning stakes). Sony is not interested in Ubisoft, because their games are too similar. They are also in terms if assets a mess. 20.000 employees is too much for Sony to handle.

Playstation could use 20k devs since they wants a GaaS future.

Anyways open the check book and do a hostile takeover, quickly.

 

[Eternal_Wings]

Playstation could use 20k devs since they wants a GaaS future.

Anyways open the check book and do a hostile takeover, quickly.

I swear you guys want to see Sony becoming mediocre. Hell no thanks please. They should focus on buying Square Enix and Capcom. This would be a deadly combo.

 

[Puff]

Ubisoft.... When.?

Man I would even be satisfied with Ember Lab. Sony just doesn’t take gaming as seriously as Nintendo

I mean

Xbox is at Gamescom where is PlayStation? where is the market leader?!

 

[Danja]

I swear you guys want to see Sony becoming mediocre. Hell no thanks please. They should focus on buying Square Enix and Capcom. This would be a deadly combo.

Yes for Capcom. Let's wait to see how Game of The Year for 2024 = Foam Stars turn out first before... Then we will reassess Square Enix.

I don't get the hate for Ubisoft lol, but okay.

 

[Danja]

Man I would even be satisfied with Ember Lab. Sony just doesn’t take gaming as seriously as Nintendo

I mean

Xbox is at Gamescom where is PlayStation? where is the market leader?!

Playstation hates their fans. I think we can assume as much. The problem is the Playstation has been hijacked by the suits who doesn't understand the importance of community engagement. They treat their audience exactly how they see us... ATM machines..

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

Playstation hates their fans. I think we can assume as much. The problem is the Playstation has been hijacked by the suits who doesn't understand the importance of community engagement. They treat their audience exactly how they see us... ATM machines..

Real facts right here. And I'll be doing my part in return by not giving a flying pig about the fiscal reports or sales charts any more, unless there's a clear decline that starts to set in which can be attributed to certain strategies some of us have giving constructive criticism and concern over the past few years now.

I'm not gonna be a penny-counting cheerleader for any of these gaming companies. But like I've said, we can go about the internal studio issues with some of MS's teams, it's not like Sony haven't mirrored that. They're both being carried by very recent acquisitions gaming-wise so far this gen (Bethesda/Zenimax for Microsoft, Insomniac/Housemarque/Bluepoint for Sony). They're both going gung-ho on peripherals and accessories out the ass that would have made '80s NEC/Hudson and early '90s Sega blush. They both have gaming CEOs who are either insincere AF pretending to be a Good Guy Gamer™ or simply take their core audience for granted and see them as ATM machines (as you put it).

At least Microsoft seem to have some presence in enthusiast gaming spaces and with the games media though. At least they have a mascot/suit or two around interacting with the media and fans regularly. Cult of personality aside, I can give them credit on that. Sony's nonexistent in both regards. Nintendo's somewhat absent too in that regard but, Sony were the ones who set a lot of this community blueprint in the PS3 gen. Coincidentally, the gen where they almost had PlayStation become irrelevant, spurred the most innovation out of them in terms of services, community, and 1P software.

Why does it seem like these companies have to be pushed into market irrelevancy before respecting gaming customers even half as much as they care about their shareholders and investors?