Xbox: 11 Studios Microsoft Might Buy Next
1. Sega
Japanese mega-developer, former Nintendo nemesis, and ex-console maker. Their long list of legacy titles includes Sonic the Headhog, House of the Dead, and the extremely popular Yakuza franchise. They also own Atlus, the prominent JRPG studio best known for the Persona series.
Why Likely:
While on paper the concept feels far-fetched, there are a number of factors leaning towards this being a REAL thing.
Firstly, Sega and Xbox have recently become major buddies: the formerly PS-exclusive Yakuza franchise has been brought over to Game Pass, while the next-gen version of the newest title, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, will be an Xbox Series X/S launch exclusive.
Secondly, Phil Spencer really wants to own a Japanese game studio. If they can afford Bethesda, Sega is a reachable possibility, and landing Atlus especially, would cause a major shift in the Japanese market for the Xbox game brand.
Thirdly, there's a whirlwind of rumors telling us it will happen... so there's that.
Why Not:
After Bethesda, could Microsoft afford to pick up a second mega-corp straight away? Certainly, the pandemic has brought a severe blow to Sega's profitable Japanese arcade market, which makes this deal happening now more likely than ever. But is it realistic?
Stranger things have happened.
Buying Temperature: Warm