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[FightyF]

Yeah...I know, I'm talking as if it's easy. There is pride involved, which makes it damn near impossible.

But if there is anyone who can guarentee a large degree of success in Japan, that can trickle into other markets, it's Square/Enix with their FF titles.

And I guess that's all that needs to be said. It'd be nice, it makes sense, if you are gonna buy out ANY developer, these guys would be it...it's just that it's impossible.

 

[Doogdogg]

Yeah...I know, I'm talking as if it's easy. There is pride involved, which makes it damn near impossible.

But if there is anyone who can guarentee a large degree of success in Japan, that can trickle into other markets, it's Square/Enix with their FF titles.

And I guess that's all that needs to be said. It'd be nice, it makes sense, if you are gonna buy out ANY developer, these guys would be it...it's just that it's impossible.

M$ tried. Squenix has the balls to ask for 2 billions.

 

[MassiveAttack]

MS tried to acquire Square back in 2001. At the time, Square offered a percentage of the company at a price so high that even MS was scared off. I don't recall the exact figures. There were a few articles discussing the proposed deal. Following MS' failure, SONY came in and purchased 16% of the company's shares, effectively bailing them out of serious financial trouble following the massive failure of the FF movie.

 

[Drexon]

Oh yeah, they totally blew the FF movie and had to compensate with FFX-2.

 

[Littleberu]

Yeah...I know, I'm talking as if it's easy. There is pride involved, which makes it damn near impossible.

But if there is anyone who can guarentee a large degree of success in Japan, that can trickle into other markets, it's Square/Enix with their FF titles.

And I guess that's all that needs to be said. It'd be nice, it makes sense, if you are gonna buy out ANY developer, these guys would be it...it's just that it's impossible.

I hope you never THOUGHT only 1 quarter of a second to go into marketing. PLEASE.

 

[Deg]

MS have alot of money but they also have to manage stuff other than Xbox. An example is Windows or Office. Its unrealistic to expect MS to just buy out half the indiustry even if they technically could. I am sure they may flex their muscle now and again but i am sure higher ups will need far more convincing after the Rare mess and uneccessary loss(aka incompetency).

 

[MassiveAttack]

According to a Red Herring article written by Dean Takahashi, MS tried to acquire Square back in 1999. At the time, Square offered 40% of the company for $2.5B - a sum which Square knew would kill off MS's interest immediately.

The article also discussed MS's attempt to acquire SEGA just prior to E3 2002. In a complex series of transactions, SEGA would use the cash earned via the acquisition to acquire Square as well.

If anyone can locate the article, post a link.

 

[Makura]

Companies have to be willing to sell, correct? I'm not aware of how hostile takeovers occur, but I imagine that would be difficult to do to a company like Square.

 

[MassiveAttack]

Here's the article from July 2002.

 

[BeOnEdge]

why doesnt MS just buy 3 golden HATS?

 

[ge-man]

You also have this issue of talent to figure. There was a thread a few days ago about MS attempts or dreams of getting Nintendo. There was a large debate about MS financial ability to buy them out, but I think there was some what of a consesus over the importance of MS having the consent of Yamauchi, other significant shareholders, and the employees that make are the driving force behind NCL' games. I'd imagine that a similar obstacle is there for a takeover of Square. IP doesn't matter much when the talent leaves or is on a creative decline for various reasons.

 

[Baron Aloha]

LOL @ thread title change.

 

[Lord Error]

The article also discussed MS's attempt to acquire SEGA just prior to E3 2002. In a complex series of transactions, SEGA would use the cash earned via the acquisition to acquire Square as well.

I remember that article. I also remember people who worked at Square at that time who laughed at the ridiculousness of the whole idea behind that article.

 

[Crazymoogle]

If MS has a hope of buying the planet, they should at least try to buy EA first.

 

[Senretsu]

The article also discussed MS's attempt to acquire SEGA just prior to E3 2002. In a complex series of transactions, SEGA would use the cash earned via the acquisition to acquire Square as well.

Sega-Square!
Square-Sega!
Square-ga!
Service Squares!

that sure would have been something

 

[Lazy8s]

Marconelly:

I also remember people who worked at Square at that time who laughed at the ridiculousness of the whole idea behind that article.

Employees and other people close to a company many times have little knowledge or perspective on major business dealings before they get announced publically. While SEGA was still moving forward independently with their rebuilding plans a year or so back, only the top couple of executives within the company had any knowledge that negotiations were taking place with Sammy about a merger before it was revealed to the financial press.

It's not farfetched at all that Microsoft would use a Japanese company like SEGA as a means to make an investment into Square.

 

[Lord Error]

It's not farfetched at all that Microsoft would use a Japanese company like SEGA as a means to make an investment into Square.

See the thing is, that was supposed to be a hostile takeover (you know, that thing that happens in TV shows and pretty much nowhere else) - noone in Square was supposed to know about it - but *come on*, it had chance of happening less than a snowball's chance in hell - that's how ridiculous the whole idea was. It sounded like a 'bright' idea that came out of minds of drunken pre-elementary school fanboys... day after they decided to build a spaceship to Alpha Centauri..

 

[disabledHeliocentric]

I'm not sure if Microsoft is really smart or incredibly stupid. On the one hand, if they can gobble up enough blue chip developers that'll eventuall give their first party line up more prestige than Sony's. On the other hand, that hasn't happened yet. Rather, Sony's organization and managemnet of their development resources seems ingenious compared to the numerous missteps of Microsoft. So, I'm leaning towards the conclusion Microsoft is incredibly stupid for not finding small and undervalued developers and then leaning on them real hard to put out and being patiently confident in their plan, like SOny has done with ND, Insomniac, Sucker Punch, Incog, Polyphany etc. etc. etc.

 

[FightyF]

*LOL* @ title change

Thanks for the info guys! Very interesting...

I hope you never THOUGHT only 1 quarter of a second to go into marketing. PLEASE.

I'm not kidding, I think I'd be awesome at marketing. Really awesome.

 

[jarrod]

So, I'm leaning towards the conclusion Microsoft is incredibly stupid for not finding small and undervalued developers and then leaning on them real hard to put out and being patiently confident in their plan, like SOny has done with ND, Insomniac, Sucker Punch, Incog, Polyphany etc. etc. etc.

Polyphony, ND and Incog are Sony from what I understand. Insomniac and Sucker Punch are still 3rd party developers though.

 

[Defensor]

Insomniac and Sucker Punch are still 3rd party developers though.

I hope those two studios become apart of SCEA like Naughty Dog soon. Both have proven to be a great asset to Sony and IMHO, Sony missed their chance on snatching up Rainbow Studios :/

 

[disabledHeliocentric]

Polyphony, ND and Incog are Sony from what I understand. Insomniac and Sucker Punch are still 3rd party developers though.

Yeah, but Insomniac and Sucker punch have special arrangements with Sony who publish their games exclusively. My point being rather than buy Vivendi-Universal Sony just grabbed ND and Insomniac. Why doesn't Microsoft try to find some developers like, say, Swinging Ape who did the under rated Metal Arms...?
Or if they want a publisher go for Eidos or try to get closer to UBIsoft and use that to solidify the NA and EU which is what they'll have to do for Japan to jump on board, imo.

 

[jarrod]

Well, to Microsoft's credit they have made a few good buys.... in fact I'd say scooping up Bungie ranks as a better aquisition than anyone Sony's ever bought out. Rare was a blunder but hey, it's not like it really hurt MS at all.