In that case you could also say "it doesn't matter for them if they go third party, since they will still sell games"... It's maybe not wrong, but that's not their objective right now. Selling hardware is still one of their main objectives.

And they will still sell hardware. A LOT of people buy consoles to play third party, multiplatform games. Just because MS starts releasing their games on their PC storefront doesn't magically mean all Xbox owners will become PC gamers.

Hardware is currently still an important way to gain a userbase to sell games and services to. That's why hardware matters. But Microsoft have taken steps to ensure that they broaden their gaming footprint. Game Pass is just the beginning.

Buying a studio is much easier and quicker than starting from scratch....

It can easily take 1-2 years to fill up vacancies within a new business startup, and if they want to get games up and running quicker/quick then you need to buy studios. It's perfect sense. It's obvious this is starting for next gen, but they are going to need to do some serious investment in a couple of them if they expect good high quality games from them though. Playground is already there, so thats a non brainer, NT is there I would say, the other two studios need some more work to get up to something better.

I'm only sorry to see Ninja Theory go. I guess Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice is the first and last game ever that I'm playing from them.

The other studios are not really much of a surprise and don't change much the state of gaming as it is today. One is brand new so they have not proved themselves yet and the three others are all makers of games that are already MS exclusives like Forza and State of Decay. It's a wonder why they did not belong to MS in the first place. Also State of Decay is not that good and I don't care for Forza so I guess I'll survive.

I was curious about We Happy Few but just curious, nothing more. I should probably see a review or two, to see if it's a big loss for me or not and if it's a good game it's technically NOT a loss since that game is multi-plat, only future games from that studio will be exclusives.

Well to basically double your studio count is quite big.

Yes let MS do all the GAAS and hope Sony stay very far from it.

Still if you already made all that and is selling for profit (which include expected profit for the next 5 years) it will be more expensive than if the buyer just made it by himself. Which is why I said it's easier not cheaper. Some basic economy.

From the source the only thing that can be verified is that Ninja Theory wouldn't develop a sequel because of reasons they can't share.

The cancellation on Cambridge Studio is just speculation because they made some conceptual art (which doesn't prove a cancellation, more like it never started). And considering how bare the original was I really don't think the sequel would be a big seller.

MS needs to sell the consoles so they can have the royalty from third parties, game anywhere and gamepass won't help them much on that.

You are being short sighted. Like I said, hardware is currently an important way to gain a userbase to sell games and services to, and indeed receive third party royalties. But that doesn't mean it will remain like that for ever. Music, movies have both seen tremendous change in the past few years. Gaming will change too.

Haven't said it won't change, and no need to name calling.

Still their PC store is beaten by Steam anytime of the day. So there is little reason for 3rd parties to pay royalties for MS to sell on PCs.

This is a really interesting development. It should really help them next-gen cover their primary weakness, which is lack of exclusives. I believe all of these studios have the potential to bring out great things to Xbox, provided, of course, MS doesn't pull a Lionhead.

Interesting studios, especially the Ninja Theory acquisition surprised me. Let's see what the future will bring.

To me MS just acquired 3 studios.

PGG - they are expanding this one so they can work on FH and other open world rpg (Fable?). We are going to see great things here.

The initiative - the hype on this one is big, AAAA games is a bold call, i hope they can deliver.

NT - they are small, but damn they can make good games whit small budget! These guys will deliver good games, just don't know if we are going to see big games every 3-4 years or 1-2 mid tier games, short development time, that will that will be tauted as AAA games. The games are going to be good, that for sure.

The other 2... cannon fodder.... They are only good for "list wars" and "pissing contests", but... this can change, i think...

Anyway, this is a step in the correct direction. They are still well behind Sony, but they sure got closer, i mean... they almost 2x their current number os studios, right?