Lognor
Banned
Okay, it sounds like you're not understanding how contracts can work. Sony would still supply the budget, deadlines, etc. That does not preclude Bungie, for example, from being able to choose their projects. That might also include Sony being able to decline to fund it. Does that help for you to understand?For all we know Sony, seeing the multi-platform success of God of War, MLB the Show, Horizon Zero Dawn and Death Stranding could have been happy to acquiesce.
What does that look like in reality? Sony can generally direct them but Bungie can choose what they work on? I’m not being obtuse here but that doesn’t sound very well thought out. Who is the boss and makes the final decision when push comes to shove?
Need and want are 2 separate things. They wanted to be acquired by MS, then Activision and now Sony. Some developers don’t want to be independent.
Again, if Bungie suggested it and the numbers financially make sense for Sony I see no reason for them to oppose.
Let’s not forget MS are also allowing Activision to continue publishing CoD on Switch and PS also. That’s not because Activision are the boss, it’s because financially it makes sense for MS.
And yes, clearly Sony acquiesced because the deal went through and future Bungie games will be on Xbox day one. Now it is extremely doubtful that Sony looked at their other multiplatform successes (WHICH DO NOT INCLUDE XBOX!) and said, yeah that sounds great. We love that idea. If that was the case, GOW, HZD, Uncharted, etc. would be coming to Xbox. But we both know that's not happening.
You're right. We know Bungie went to Microsoft and asked if they would make them an offer. Microsoft refused. We don't know why, but maybe they were asking for too much, OR maybe Bungie's demands were too steep for Microsoft (i.e. day and date releases on PS5). We just don't know. We do know Microsoft passed, and maybe we can assume it wasn't solely due to the cost. We've seen the amount of money Microsoft has been throwing around. They can afford it!
As for Microsoft's situation with Activision, that might have more to do with getting the deal approved. Even with those stipulations we are already seeing some congress members push back. Microsoft seems to be trying to make it as easy as possible for regulators to approve.