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Machiavellian on 01 April 2023
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Kyuu said:
Machiavellian said:

That is not going to happen.  This is the landscape the console space is at.  Exclusive deals, exclusive games, exclusive IP.  Everyone of these companies play the game and its integrated into the console space.  MS isn't going to not purchase any company that comes up for sale that helps them to expand their business, grow GP and subs.  Sony would purchase a publisher in a moment and who knows if any are on the table.  Sony also has the right to take advantage of any deals that drop in their lap.  I keep saying this phrase but its still relevant.  Its business.  What you want as a gamer has nothing to do with what each one of these companies want or need to grow and be competitive.  Xbox gamers could cry a river of tears over 3rd party exclusives or if Sony purchase some big Japan publishers.  Sony gamers can cry a river of tears if MS grab another studio or publisher but at the end of the day, that is what each of them will do.  A company has the right to sell whenever they please and the only thing that is going to stop it is if the impact on competition in that space is severely impacted.

It might never happen but platform-exclusivity for big titles has been much less common compared to the old days, you'd think it makes everyone a bit more happy but nope, some cried rivers over any moneyhatted Sony exclusive and are now justifying the "response" of the competition regardless of the scale of it. Gamers aren't consistent with their own little philosophies, and may adjust to whatever their favorite company does and say it's the right thing.

In the end, Microsoft is doing both unprecedented acquisitions that aren't necessary, and timed exclusives for bigger sellers than what Sony has moneyhatted (albeit for shorter periods of time), yet not many on the Xbox side hold them accountable or call Phil Spencer out on his "games should be available for everyone" bullshit. In addition to Valheim, Series XS is also getting Ark 2 as an exclusive, the sequel to another game that sold over 16 million copies as of August 2019. Where is the outrage?

The truth is... Sony's meager moneyhatting has nothing to do with Playstation's dominance or why MS is doing what it's doing. The dominance is simply the result of right decisions and a compelling 1st party lineup that complements an excellent library of multiplatform games that gamers associate with the Playstation brand. But Microsoft's fans have invented an "ethical reason" that justifies major acquisitions that should have never happened, and this will only escalate to Sony grabbing more companies and by extension making more unnecessary exclusives, and we all lose. The fanbase that would cry the loudest over a SquareEnix acquisiton would be Nintendo's lol.

That is the point right.  Its an escalation war.  Sony uses their market dominance to do 3rd party deals, MS decides to take players off the table for those deal.  Sony moneyhatted 2 games from Bethesda and was in negotiation for a third.  MS made a much bigger and better offer and took that company out of the mix.  All I keep hearing is people complain about the response but as a business that would be the response when you got the pockets.  You want better investment on your money not throw it away.  MS cannot match moneyhat deals at the same cost as Sony but they can remove successful companies from their reach who also strengthen and grow your business.  It really does not matter about the term of a agreement, its about which strategy works. There was always this chance that Sony could wake the sleeping giant because MS always had the money but it appears the time is now as publishers come up for sale.

For your second paragraph, I believe you are missing a very important business point.  You believe that Sony is making these money hat moves as meager but as a business the moves are made to sustain and keep their marketshare.  Its an advantage that Sony has and they are using it which they should. In a competitive market all business use their advantage to gain marketshare and sell their product.  I have no issue with Sony doing this because its good business.  Sony has also made purchases for good Studios because its good business to bring them under their system and continue to make exclusive games. The thing is, there needs to be no excuses made for either tactic, its good business.  

Its also good business for MS to purchase any publisher who comes to them and want to sell especially if they are successful. It would be dumb for either Sony or MS to turn down opportunity because Xbox gamers or Sony gamers are going to be butt hurt about it.  You are basically doing the same thing you say Xbox gamers are doing justifying one tactic over another because personally you do not like it.  In reality, both tactics are valid because as a business they all equal opportunity.  MS has the funds to purchase publishers and they damn well better do it if a publisher comes up for sale and their IP and products help them to expand and grow.  Sony is justified in making as many 3rd party exclusive deals as they can because they have the contacts, marketshare to do it at a price they can afford over their competitor.

Neither company is making these moves to please gamers, they make the moves as a business to sustain and grow their business.