Just too many Gaijin at MS and not the company philosophy the leader of a Japanese studio is used to work in aka everyone below you has to kiss your feet and thank you for that. But I didn't say that, just forget what you just read even if there might be some truth to it speaking about Japan.

^ Correct, Mikami had wanted to leave Tango for years now but didn't because he believed Tango wouldn't be safe without him, which makes some sense, Bethesda only acquired Tango for Mikami then told him they want horror games from him, once the Xbox acquisition happened he felt comfortable in leaving Tango and so he did so.

Non-compete clauses DO prevent people from working with 3rd party studios, Kamiya has a one year non-compete clause and he worked at Platinum, a 3rd party company, non-compete clauses are common in Japan. More to that point, Microsoft doesn't even do non-compete clauses anymore, Mikami's contract is with Zenimax, not Xbox or Microsoft. Zenimax still does non-compete clearly, Microsoft does not so it suggests nothing.

Mikami did what he set out to do with Tango, which is to create a studio where he could nurture talent and help create the next great director, Tango's entire purpose under Mikami was that, to find and grow new talent, he has done that with John Johanas and Kenji Kimura. For Mikami to then say "right, now you're all working under me!" completely defeats the purpose of why he set up Tango in the first place.

Y'all are reading too much into things, it actually makes more sense to think about the reason he set up Tango (to nurture new talent, allow them to create their own games) and consider why he then wouldn't want to say to all these new leaders "right, I want to make my dream game now, so you're all working under MY direction now" His goal with Tango is achieved, he did what he set out to do, now he's moving on.

Could Microsoft have set up a new studio entirely for Mikami? Possibly, maybe they should have done that, but I don't see him leaving Tango as a sign of a relationship breakdown and more because his goal of Tango was complete and now he is moving on. Mikami has even spoken multiple times in the past of wanting to do one more game before retiring.

There's multiple possibilities of where he goes now, he could join M-Two where his old buddies are, he could join Capcom where his old buddies are, he could join with Kamiya, his old buddy, all for one last hurrah with his old pals before setting off into the sunset. He always has said he only has one big game left in him.

Tango isn't clueless without Mikami, he created a brilliant team and that team released the highest rated title that Tango has ever done, without Mikami's creative direction at all, they'll be fine to operate without him, they'll be fine recruiting without him, he has succeeded in his mission, Tango was never all about Mikami in Mikami's mind, only Zenimax's (which he didn't like).

Here's Kamiya, another dude with a non-compete clause.

Microsoft doesn't do them anymore.

Microsoft Drops Non-Compete Clauses

Irrelevant though because Zenimax is a limited integration company, Mikami's contract (and thus any non-compete clause he has) will be with Zenimax.

Zenimax employees don't even have the same employee benefits as Microsoft employees, this was an issue mentioned recently.

This is a Zenimax non-compete, so it suggests nothing as to where Mikami is going.

Also all non-compete clauses are horseshit, they should all be banned.

Zenimax needs to become a fully integrated company god damn it! Is this whole with ABK what is holding it up?

Fun fact, Linkedin isn't a fully integrated company either, Lol.

But neither is Mojang, Zenimax and ABK won't be either, I think even the post-2018 acquisitions are limited integrated.

There are pros and cons, a few cons are like I said, there are some employee benefits that Microsoft offers better, however, there are also some employee benefits that Zenimax offers better, I believe there was a Zenimax employee who spoke about this a year ago or so that some benefits are better with Microsoft, some are better with Zenimax. I think overtime they can swap people over to Microsoft benefits but it will be a slow process, we're talking thousands of employees. It's probably far easier with the XGS studios to slowly integrate them.

Full integration from the start would mean massive layoffs too, Zenimax is "limited-integrated" and so they still operate mostly independently on their own P&L. They operate mostly independently but with Microsoft oversight to provide extra funding and of course follow some rules like exclusivity. Full integrated often destroys the "culture" of a studio too, Microsoft comes in and starts fucking things up, changing rules, everyone has to do as a Microsoft employee does now, etc.

I think the only fully integrated studios now are 343 Industries, The Coalition, Turn 10, Rare, and maybe World's Edge and The Initiative. It could also be problematic if the studio itself is problematic and doesn't go through Microsoft HR. But now I wonder if limited-integrated companies have to follow Microsoft's shitty contract rule? It's curious how we only hear about it hurting 343i. The Coalition straight up doesn't hire contractors at all, Lol.

End of the day, these companies may end up fully integrated eventually, but it will be done as a slow process due to the sheer amount of employees and likely as a bit of a sly tactic to keep people calm, people don't like being acquired and then suddenly having to follow all the rules of the acquirer and have their culture shoved down your throat, all their policies, their management coming in and breathing down your neck instead of the one you're used to.

This definitely ain't Mikami

Like I said, dude was banging on about how Tango was all about nurturing new talent, Tango was never meant to be about Mikami, he doesn't want to make it all about Mikami, he set out and achieved an admirable goal and now Tango thanks to Mikami's talent doesn't need him anymore, they are capable of leading themselves to greatness and have multiple directors and teams now wanting to make stuff for themselves.

Rumours are that he wanted to leave for years but was afraid that Zenimax would shutdown Tango without him, Xbox gave him the confidence that wouldn't happen, Zenimax independently was a company who suffered multiple flops recently and Tango was never a big seller, the entire reason Zenimax acquired Tango was for Mikami so if they lost him and suffered further flops, Tango would make the most sense to shutdown, so it makes sense he would have that fear.

We're really reading into it far too much to suggest that Mikami is "upset" with Xbox (or Zenimax) or doesn't want to work with Xbox (when he been working with Bethesda for years) when he literally been telling us for years what Tango is about, Lol. Mikami told us! Lol.

Mikami a GOAT. He had an admirable goal and achieved it. Tango under the leadership of John released their best game ever, without Mikami. I hear Ghostwire is pretty good too and it has done pretty good with players as well. That's two good Directors at minimum that Mikami helped nurture and whoever has taken over as Head of Tango as well was likely nurtured by Mikami.

Really the only thing that makes sense is if Xbox created a new studio entirely for Mikami but the question remains about his retirement, he always said he only has one big game left in him. I still think he either returns to Capcom, joins M-Two or joins Kamiya, all his old buddies, for one final game from him. I don't see why people think Sony when barely any Japanese notable name has been joining Sony lately, especially after they guttered Sony Japan, in fact they've all been joining NetEase.

It'd be hilarious if Mikami had a non-compete clause which prevented him working for XGS. 💀

Warren seems confident in his sources who told him Xbox plans to close the ABK acquisition tomorrow.

I mean, the CMA could approve it tomorrow but then could Microsoft close it within literally hours?

They still don't even have official approval from the EU to not do another look at the deal.

The assumption is that EU is waiting for the CMA to issue a decision.

They aren't closing without CMA's approval, so that needs to come probably tomorrow morning (UK time).