Once the news broke out that Microsoft was looking to buy out Bethesda, most of us were taken aback. But upon further thought, we realized that it was a decision that made a lot of sense for everyone involved. It seems as though that was just the start, with Microsoft supposedly looking to acquire both Konami and SEGA as well.

Now, the main question is simple: why? Answering it, however, requires a bit of granular analysis. The rumors of Microsoft buying out SEGA have been circulating online for what feels like a lifetime. Still, it seems as though they might not be the only venerable game developer that Microsoft is interested in. Konami is yet another huge name in the industry, with a slew of legendary IPs under their wing: Bomberman, Castlevania, Contra, Metal Gear, Pro Evolution Soccer, and Silent Hill (to name a few).

And it’s not like SEGA’s line-up is any less impressive: Sonic, Yakuza, Total War, Bayonetta, Football Manager, Super Monkey Ball, Phantasy Star, Virtua Fighter, and many others.

It’s no secret that Microsoft isn’t exactly moving the needle in Japan. Heck, we’re putting it mildly here. They’ve sold around 1,500 units of the Xbox Series S/X and just 10 Xbox Ones during the last week of February. That, in short, is quite abysmal. Contrast it to over 3,000 PlayStation 4s and over 33,000 PlayStation 5s, and you start to get the bigger picture. However, the Nintendo Switch is in a league of its own, with over 78,000 units sold during that single week.

A glance at these metrics tells you all you need to know. Microsoft is an afterthought if even that much. They’re just not selling enough units in a region that is quite big on gaming (to say the least). What’s the best course of action? Well, for now, the answer seems clear: buying out as many game developers as they can so that their console becomes a more enticing option. Of course, they can’t just buy out any developer and hope for the best. They need to pick and choose the right ones to impact particular markets and regions.

Konami and SEGA fit the bill, but they’re not the only ones. Still, buying them out would be a wise move on Microsoft’s part. Whether they’ll opt for these two companies specifically remains to be seen, but at least we know they’re on a shopping spree and have the money to back it up.

Either way, we’ll bring you more news as the situation develops.



Posted: Mar 16, 2021 7:18 pm
Related Forum: Xbox Forum

Source: https://www.esportstalk.com/news/microsoft-supposedly-looking-to-acquire-konami-sega/