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Microsoft to "continue to invest in new gaming studios and content to expand our IP roadmap" in 8K filing.

https://microsoft.gcs-web.com/node/30786/html

Gaming

Our gaming platform is designed to provide a variety of entertainment through a unique combination of content, community, and cloud. Our exclusive game content is created through Xbox Game Studios, a collection of first-party studios creating iconic and differentiated gaming experiences. We continue to invest in new gaming studios and content to expand our IP roadmap and leverage new content creators. These unique gaming experiences are the cornerstone of Xbox Game Pass, a subscription service and gaming community with access to a curated library of over 100 first- and third-party console and PC titles.

The gamer remains at the heart of the Xbox ecosystem. We continue to open new opportunities for gamers to engage both on- and off-console with both the launch of Xbox Cloud Gaming, our game streaming service, and continued investment in gaming hardware. Xbox Cloud Gaming utilizes Microsoft’s Azure cloud technology to allow direct and on-demand streaming of games to PCs, consoles, and mobile devices, enabling gamers to take their favorite games with them and play on the device most convenient to them.

Xbox enables people to connect and share online gaming experiences that are accessible on Xbox consoles, Windows-enabled devices, and other devices. Xbox is designed to benefit users by providing access to a network of certified applications and services and to benefit our developer and partner ecosystems by providing access to a large customer base. Xbox revenue is mainly affected by subscriptions and sales of first- and third-party content, as well as advertising. Growth of our Gaming business is determined by the overall active user base through Xbox enabled content, availability of games, providing exclusive game content that gamers seek, the computational power and reliability of the devices used to access our content and services, and the ability to create new experiences through first-party content creators.

Issue is whos left to buy that is relevant enough to have a high ROI that isn't an off-limited brand like Take Two or Namco?

I'm also concerned abut consolidation, with Sony thinking about scooping up Square (or part of it) and Microsofts continued search for acquisitions, It's feeling like there's a lack of independence.
 

Kokoloko85

Member
Theyv’ve done a smart job of acquiring the right IP. IP’s like Minecraft, Elder Scrolls, Diablo, Doom, Call of Duty, Quake etc will always have a place in gaming.

I preferred the business model of mostly making studios, buying studios and making new IP, Im not a fan of Publishers buying out publishers and owning IP they didn’t create. But its the market today I guess.

But its the smart path for MS to stay in video games, otherwise they would have zero hype right now.

Even if these popular IP’s don’t do amazing or drop off, they can always make a come back if done properly and will always do decent. So MS’s Plan to acquire IP and publishers is cementing there stay in video games.

Plus teams like Ninja Theory and Obsidian can bring new IP’s that Xbox needs
 
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There are dozens of studios they could acquire lol

IO interactive and stoic studios are already working on Xbox exclusives off the top of my head (pretty sure a few other 3rd parties are as well)

Ubisoft seems more and more likely to be acquired, embracer group is kind of positioning themselves to be as well.... Both carry great ip's
 
I'm still pissed they didn't buy the Western Division of Squeenix, so now they need to buy Embracer so they can get Edios Montreal and Crystal Dynamics. While they're at it they need to pick up Asobo.
Western squenix would have been a great acquisition, certainly for the price, but I don't think they can make any until the Activision deal is done.

Asobo would be great too.

I don't have any specific proof of this, but I get the STRONG impression from everything I hear/read about them that getting acquired is actually embracers end game (not that there's anything wrong with that)... Let's just hope it's Microsoft or Sony and not tencent/Amazon/Apple/Google.... Lot of great ips could become tainted
 
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Couldn't "investing in new gaming studios" also mean expanding their new additions? (i.e. the studios they've acquired since 2018), Or creating new ones? That being said I'm always in favor of Xbox and Sony acquiring small and mid-sized studios, and big ones in very limited cases, so as long as they're not just buying up every studio in existence. So I'm happy with this news as it means potential for more content for me and more Game Pass additions, and the improvement in quality of the studios that get bought. I'd definitely rather they focus on the smaller studios and building them up rather than another massive publisher (Really I would've rather they spent the Activision money on a bunch of other studios, unless of course they decide to revive Tony Hawk and Guitar Hero in which case I'm all for it). Couldn't care less about 8K but there's always going to be a push for more pixels so it's whatever
 

IntentionalPun

Ask me about my wife's perfect butthole
Continuing to invest in "new gaming studios" is not "We are going to buy studios."

I think you are reading that wrong... not that MS isn't also looking for acquisitions, but that filing is not about acquisitions?
 

yurinka

Member
https://microsoft.gcs-web.com/node/30786/html



Issue is whos left to buy that is relevant enough to have a high ROI that isn't an off-limited brand like Take Two or Namco?

I'm also concerned abut consolidation, with Sony thinking about scooping up Square (or part of it) and Microsofts continued search for acquisitions, It's feeling like there's a lack of independence.
I think they will continue acquiring, but that the sentence doesn't imply it. Maybe with "We continue to invest in new gaming studios" they meant that plan to open new studios, or maybe are talking of the studios they are currently acquiring (Activision Blizzard King) or the ones acquired in recent years.

In fact if we look at a longer part of the paragraph, they may also mean that they support 3rd party studios by paying them to put their games on GP, not related to acquisitions: " We continue to invest in new gaming studios and content to expand our IP roadmap and leverage new content creators. These unique gaming experiences are the cornerstone of Xbox Game Pass, a subscription service and gaming community with access to a curated library of over 100 first- and third-party console and PC titles"
 
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4k is overrated, 1440p is more than enough.
Enough is a pretty low bar.... Staring at the wall with a bit of imagination is more than enough too! See I can also be stupid

More resolution is always good, but at a certain point after(emphasis) 4k the returns become extremely diminishing

However, tvs continue to get larger for cheaper, so it absolutely makes sense that Microsoft would want to plan for the future
 
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Hendrick's

If only my penis was as big as my GamerScore!
I'd rather they focused on making games with the studios they already have
Girl Why Dont We Have Both GIF
 
Larian, asobo, acid nerve… studios ms can invest in that can use the money. Idc about publishers but studios I love that struggle with output due to budget. Utilize your wallet on them.
 

The_Mike

I cry about SonyGaf from my chair in Redmond, WA
See I can also be stupid
You already were in your other post, you don't have to repeat it.

Theres just too much diminishing return from 1440p to 4k, performance and higher textures and settings are superior with 1440p on locked hardware.
 

oldergamer

Member
There are dozens of studios they could acquire lol

IO interactive and stoic studios are already working on Xbox exclusives off the top of my head (pretty sure a few other 3rd parties are as well)

Ubisoft seems more and more likely to be acquired, embracer group is kind of positioning themselves to be as well.... Both carry great ip's
Nah its bound to be warner bros
 

oldergamer

Member
I think they will continue acquiring, but that the sentence doesn't imply it. Maybe with "We continue to invest in new gaming studios" they meant that plan to open new studios, or maybe are talking of the studios they are currently acquiring (Activision Blizzard King) or the ones acquired in recent years.

In fact if we look at a longer part of the paragraph, they may also mean that they support 3rd party studios by paying them to put their games on GP, not related to acquisitions: " We continue to invest in new gaming studios and content to expand our IP roadmap and leverage new content creators. These unique gaming experiences are the cornerstone of Xbox Game Pass, a subscription service and gaming community with access to a curated library of over 100 first- and third-party console and PC titles"
I think u may be reading too much into it. They have no need to be that subtle in what they mean. Take them for thier word that they will continue to aquire studios
 

teezzy

Banned
They bought all the right studios that fit their Xbox brand from elder scrolls to CoD. They are very calculated when it comes to acquisition and not a mindless shopping spree the Sony fanboys insist it is.

This. So much this.

Xbox is about FPS and WRPGs. Same sort of games which the PC is known for. They're just extending that vision.

I play Xbox and PC because I love those games.
 

12Dannu123

Member
They bought all the right studios that fit their Xbox brand from elder scrolls to CoD. They are very calculated when it comes to acquisition and not a mindless shopping spree the Sony fanboys insist it is.

Agreed. Its very calculated, its clear they're aiming to acquire the most popular IPs, this is so they bolster Game Pass and get the casual audience to sign up to Game Pass. If they get GTA, FIFA, AC, they will be the dominate player in cloud gaming and subscription services.
 

yurinka

Member
I think u may be reading too much into it. They have no need to be that subtle in what they mean. Take them for thier word that they will continue to aquire studios
If you take the sentence literally then it doesn't talk of acquisitions but about investmnents. And talk about "new studios", not old and sttablished ones.
 

JohnnyFootball

GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
Well, yeah.

What else is anyone expecting them to say ? that they're gonna put a full stop in studio investments ?
I'd rather they say they're committing to investing in the studios they have by putting competent management in place so that every fucking game doesn't constantly get delayed or development hell.
 
Co-signed.

Give them bigger budget and make an internal equivalent of a Supermassive Games studio to create smaller narrative/choice focused games.
I just hope they never take any inspiration from Supermassive. That cg cinema look does put me off honestly. But they should try to run with some shows with seasons.

My only complaint is I wanted an option for more difficult QTEs with all the buttons.
 
You already were in your other post, you don't have to repeat it.

Theres just too much diminishing return from 1440p to 4k, performance and higher textures and settings are superior with 1440p on locked hardware.
Get a bigger TV, sit closer, or better yet, stare at the wall
 
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They bought all the right studios that fit their Xbox brand from elder scrolls to CoD. They are very calculated when it comes to acquisition and not a mindless shopping spree the Sony fanboys insist it is.
This right here. Regardless if some of these games are on all platforms, all that money goes right back to Xbox gaming division (hopefully lol).
 

DaGwaphics

Member
They bought all the right studios that fit their Xbox brand from elder scrolls to CoD. They are very calculated when it comes to acquisition and not a mindless shopping spree the Sony fanboys insist it is.

Very true. People are always pointing out how far up the Xbox sales charts CoD is, well there's one good reason for that acquisition.
 
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