Microsoft Said It Would Have Kept Sega Games Multiplatform After Proposed Buyout

Microsoft would have kept Sega games multiplatform if it had bought the company behind Sonic, court documents have revealed.

[lodossrage]

Bethesda, Ninja Theory, Obsidian....

So far all of Bethesda's games after the buyout are xbox console exclusive...
Hellblade 2, even though the first is multiplatform, is xbox console exclusive...
Pentiment is xbox console exclusive...

We trust actions, not words.

[lelo2play]

Same can be said about Sony's gaming studios that were purchased.
Do you expect Microsoft to launch all their games on Playstation?
Should Xbox gamers expect Sony to launch all their games on Xbox?

Edit: Seriously! Think it through.
When Sony purchases 3rd party studios, they automatically TAKE AWAY games from other platforms. Same happens with Nintendo or Microsoft.

Which game Microsoft actually claimed "we would have kept x game multiplatform" and took it away? ... Did Microsoft claim they would bring Starfield to PS5, and then took it away?

[lodossrage]

Who did Sony purchase that TOOK AWAY games from other competitors?

And Sony aren't the ones out here publically saying "we would have kept x game multiplatform". Microsoft is the one saying that. And what they SAY doesn't match their ACTIONS

Edit- nothing to think about. Name some games that Sony took away from Microsoft or even Nintendo. I'll name some MS took away:

Starfield, Redfall, Hellblade 2.

Your turn

Sony purchased Bungie, a third party studio right? Last I remember, Marathon IS coming to Xbox.

[lelo2play]

@lodossrage

Real simple:
When Microsoft, Sony or Nintendo purchase a 3rd party studio, they are automatically taking away all future games that studio will create from other platforms, unless they specifically create a multiplatform game. If you don't get it, then I can't explain simpler then that.

[4Sh0w]

"Microsoft is the one saying that. And what they SAY doesn't match their ACTIONS"

It's Phil Spencer thats the problem, too many xbox fanboys love him because he's "so nice"(smooth talker) but I dont, yes as a knowledgeable Xbox fan I really liked him in the beginning, he's much better PR guy than Mattrick, but since about half way through last gen I haven't really like his leadership. Partly because he seemed to steer away from the hardcore experience imo that made the OG Xbox & 360 era great, sort of chasing sony to be more like Sony, when actually we need 3 very different brands, thats when gaming is at its best and partly because he's always tried to ride the whole "good guy" image a little too much at the cost of his own platform., always apologizing, f$#@ dat. It should absolutely be enough that Xbox games can be played on Xbox & pc, and with Gamepass Xbox is so consumer friendly it's really a great concept but no Phil still feels like he gotta bend over backwards "we don't want to takes games away from other platforms"

BS, why the hell not because your competition does, hell Jim Ryan out right admitted it so I'll give him that. It's business and he should stop pretending it's anything otherwise. You buy a Xbox or own a pc you get our stuff, you buy a ps you gett their stuff, thats how competition works, thats why we have options.

[lodossrage]

@Lelo2play

"When Microsoft, Sony or Nintendo purchase a 3rd party studio, they are automatically taking away all future games that studio will create from other platforms, unless they specifically create a multiplatform game. If you don't get it, then I can't explain simpler then that."

If a third-party studio gets bought, they are only potentially taking games away IF they had the intention of working with others.

For example, Playground games. Long ago, Playground worked with everyone but has been working exclusively with Microsoft for a good number of years now even before the purchase. That doesn't mean MS took games away by purchasing Playground because Playground had no intention of working with anyone else. So how can games be taken away if they we're going to make them for others in the first place?

And I'm sorry, but your criteria of basically saying it doesn't count if it's single-player is nonsense. But this is the last time I'm responding to you. So if you want the "last word" go right ahead.

[mocaak]

Which third party studios and franchises did Sony take away? Please enlighten us.

[lelo2play]

@mocaak

Go see @cthulhucultist comment below.

Even Insomniac has Sunset Overdrive that we will likely never see future sequels on other platforms.

[shinoff2183]

Aside from sunset overdrive and maybe 1 or 2 other , let's be honest not really big games. Sonys studio acquisitions developed solely for ps. Huge difference. It's also already out there bungie will do what they want.

Sonys purchases didn't really make games elsewhere though that's what he's saying. Ms paid insomniac to make sunset overdrive yall didn't buy. Insomniac came back home.

Ps fans on the other hand supported the shit out of bethesada games in fact sold more on ps also by a good margin. I always add console wise cause idk the pc market

[Godmars290]

You keep saying Sony took away multiplatform titles when they bought 3rd parties, but what 3rd parties were actively working on multis when Sony bought them?

[TheKingKratos]

Who is that the same as Sony ?! ... You guys can't be that dense

[dumahim]

Are you just ignoring Bungie?

[Seraphim]

are we really still comparing the purchase of a single f'n studio to an entire publisher? gtfo.

If MS wanted to buy Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer or whoever else works on CoD, no one would bat an eye.

[InUrFoxHole]

Lodossrage
Get real man. Sony pays to keep games off of gamepass and Xbox. Its part of the business.

[Neonridr]

technically Sony purchased Insomniac, who did release a game on Xbox prior.

[Markusb33]

its just the Microsoft said statement, thats the problem, they are like a child caught out, first instinct is to lie

[Sonic1881]

You do realize that Microsoft and Phil Spencer lies a lot right?

[Abracadabra]

Don't know about liar... but he's a fu**er that will never give a straight answer. There are always multiple interpretations to his answers.
Most CEO's are like that, including Jim Ryan.

[EvertonFC]

They all do tbf, but MS and Phil are on a different level.

[darthv72]

... The Lies of P

[mjchitown]

and you do realize that Jim Ryan a liar too. but you was silent about that

[cthulhucultist]

@lodossrage
To be fair:

Psygnosis bought in 1993, developed games for PC mega drive and saturn along with playstation

Guerilla developed games for game boy color and xbox, playstation pc prior to being acquired

Zipper Interactive was developing mainly pc games before being bought by Sony for developing Socom

Haven also, did not have a special relationship with Sony and published mutliplatform game prior to being acquired.

Same with Firesprite who developed Persistence for all consoles (including Switch-very good port by the way) and PC.

MS is the biggest culprit by far since they buy publishers and do not try to invest in their IPs with internal studions, but lets not act like Sony does not buy game developers who used to develop multi platform games

[CR7JUVE1897]

And how many of those titles that were developed by those aforementioned studios suddenly became Sony exclusive IP?

None, because they are NOT publishers.

This is like saying that if Sony were to buy the team behind NBA2K23, then suddenly that, and all future iterations of the title are console exclusive

No, they just bought the talent making that property, not the actual property itself.

Apples and Oranges here. I don't understand how people fail to see this.

[Asplundh]

@CR7JUVE1897

Lemmings the biggest IP Psygnosis had, was made exclusive to the Vita. The IP's glory days had long passed, but still you're technically wrong.

[4Sh0w]

"Apples and Oranges here. I don't understand how people fail to see this."

People fail to see it because it's a convenient move of the goal posts to satisfy your narrative that one is better than the other. Its a difference without a distinction....UNLESS you're gonna tell me Sony *ONLY seeks out talented devs, trains new devs, creates new in-house studious & builds new games from the ground up, which means without Sony those games wouldn't exist any thus their competitors lost nothing then its THE SAME in *practice. The end result is the same FF16 is exclusive, cutting out the Xbox only user.

Sure Microsoft buying a publisher is a bigger deal that secures ALL its games indefinitely is the difference but Sony keeps up by piece milling more individual exclusives, in fact if we could make the claim that the Japanese market unfairly locks out Microsoft by their built in preference for Sony, I mean how many of them have predominantly only released games on ps as if Xbox can't run them but hey its their business. I digress, the point is Sony goes out & buys games to keep them off Xbox, we all know it, but when you do that and you know your competitor can respond with a much larger purchase then I dont understand why anyone's shocked.

Now if I'm wrong about this then tell me with a straight face that if Sony was richer than Microsoft they wouldn't be making bigger acquisitions? Where you at Sega?

[Godmars290]

Was Socom ever multi?

Any of the PC titles the other former PC-only studios made anywhere popular much less worth mentioning?

[mocaak]

Guerilla and Zipper were small studios, both of which grew under PS. Haven is a brand new studio. Firesprite were working with/under playstation from the very first game, the only exception is Persistence which they brought over to other platforms later on.

Psygnosis kept developing multiplat games almost until they were restructured/renamed. But Sony did keep all the IPs to themselves. Nothing to say in their defense here, maybe aside from the acquisition taking place before/around the time they entered the console market.

[1Victor]

“Microsoft Said It Would Have Kept Sega Games Multiplatform After Proposed Buyout”

Sure and I’m vengeance I am the night
I’m Batman

Disclaimer I’m not

[lelo2play]

Only Michael Keaton is Batman. The rest are not worthy...

[cthulhucultist]

lol good one

[Obscure_Observer]

"We trust actions, not words."

Fair enough.

Still, no reasons for MS to make its fully funded games available on Playstation. MS is playing by Sony´s rules now. It is what it is.

I'll name some MS took away:

Hellblade 2 wouldn´t even exist if wasn´t for MS to fully fund that game and make it a proper AAA franchise.

[CR7JUVE1897]

What rules are those? Please tell me how many publishers Sony bought, and don't come at me with the "Oh, Microsoft is just buying a bunch of developers all at once instead of individually, so it's the same thing".

No. Not even close. how many individual developer studios actually own their own IP? How many Multiplatform IP franchises have Sony taken away?

And before you say "Spider-Man". Activision gave up those rights. THey were free game and Sony got them. Microsoft had their chance and said no.

And guess what. If they got those rights, they would have made it console exclusive as well.

We do realize that having certain titles in a series be console exclusive is vastly different than taking away established franchises from a console, especially the original 3rd party developer who has literally developed and published THOUSANDS of multi-platform titles in the past 40+ years

[Obscure_Observer]

@CR7JUVE1897

Sony bought Psygnosis which used to be a third party publisher for Nintendo, SEGA and PC, and made its games exclusive.

Sony can´t play victim here because they´re the ones who started it all with this publisher acquisition strategy.

What goes around comes around and now Sony is facing what SEGA and Nintendo had to endure at the time. Serves them right!

I know it suck for PS only gamers but we had enough of Sony continually stripping Xbox out of games and even DLC content, like they did with both COD and Destiny.

There´s nothing preventing Sony from do the same. They could have acquired From Software with that $3.7 Billion, but they chose to go with Bungie instead. Now that they know which publishers and studios Phil has in his crosshair, they should just do something about and go shopping!

[TOTSUKO]

Tbh if MS acquired a studio and makes it exclusive it’s pretty much bad outlook sales wise.

I doubt Playstation gamers will ever switch sides for any Xbox exclusive. Games sell way more on PlayStation and MS taking away IPs is a huge risk if you are developer.

I wouldn’t be surprised if developers are begging Sony to buy them over MS lmao

[Godmars290]

"MS is playing by Sony´s rules now."

Only outright buying a studio with known, currently popular IPs is something only MS have done. Also repeatedly failing to make in house talent and franchises.

Also: Hellbalde 2 as a completed project has yet to be released least properly seen. Will instantly be compared to GOW, and its original was B tier at best. Please stop talking about it like its an end all be all, you're only making yourself look foolish.

[Obscure_Observer]

@TOTSUKO

"I wouldn’t be surprised if developers are begging Sony to buy them over MS lmao"

I doubt that. While games selling better on Playstation is nothing but a fact, there´s other things to be considered when a studio become a Playstation first party studio under Jim Ryan, Hermen Hulst and Angie Smets.

Sony can have games canceled at any moment, hundred of developers fired and/or entire studio shut down while boosting their chests with record breaking numbers and metrics if first party games don´t perform well both on sales and Metascore.

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

Xbox on the other hand, released Redfall which is a failure both on sales and Metascore metrics and yet, nobody got fire and Arkane Austin is actually in active development of their next game.

Those are the facts.

[dumahim]

"Sony can´t play victim here because they´re the ones who started it all with this publisher acquisition strategy.

What goes around comes around and now Sony is facing what SEGA and Nintendo had to endure at the time. Serves them right!

I know it suck for PS only gamers but we had enough of Sony continually stripping Xbox out of games and even DLC content, like they did with both COD and Destiny."

But yet, MS paid for Tomb Raider exclusivity, perks for COD and other games, like GTA IV's DLC timed exclusivity, that gave Xbox a head start over the PS version and the whole "Parity Clause" garbage in the first place in the 360 days, but sure, Sony started it.

[TOTSUKO]

@Obscure

Lol you stated all facts that support my argument.

Sony knows when to cut ties developing a game that ain’t it. That’s part of the business. That’s what makes developers better not worse. That’s why sony has better developers.

MS mismanages developers and greenlights crap and rewards them. That’s why MS can’t beat Sony. Facts.

MS has a losers culture and Sony has the winning culture. Culture is high tide that lifts all boats. So yes higher chance developers would rather be under sony.

[cthulhucultist]

@CR7JUVE1897

Out of those examples, only Psygnosis, as they made wipeout 3 and wipeout fusion exclusive to Sony Systems.

But you are the one who is cherry picking here.

Because those studios would have created multi platform games if not for Sony. You cant simply protest about future IPs that xbox bought studios will create and leave studios that Sony buys out of the equation.

Because this way we will have to protest about future IPs that Sony bought studios will create that will remain exclusive to Sony.

[CR7JUVE1897]

How exactly am I cherry picking?

Those studios, by and large, do not own the IP that they are working on. And if those studios that Sony bought are no longer making multi platform games for the publisher that they are working for, then that publisher will get another studio to do it.

And again, context matters here.

One Publisher purchased 30 years ago that made a handful of games does NOT equate to purchasing Bethesda and ABK, with literally thousands of multi platform titles in their history.

[cthulhucultist]

@CR7JUVE1897

First of all, I am not trying to have a fight with you. All opinions are welcome and we are having what I believe is a difference in points of view.

Having said that.

343 who works on Halo does not own Halo IP

Playground studio who works on fable does not own the IP

The initiative does not own perfect dark IP

So nothing is absolute here. It only matters where you draw the line.

Some of the studios Sony bought owned their IP, just like Microsoft.

BTW Psygnosis owned the Lemmings and Wipeout IP

Firesprite owns Persistence IP who made it to PSVR.

The rest of the studios I mentioned, since they were bought by Sony, are working on new IPs under Sony's umbrella. 

So it's only reasonable that Sony owns them.

Same applies to Rare's sea of Thieves and Everwild for instance.

QUOTE
" And if those studios that Sony bought are no longer making multi platform games for the publisher that they are working for, then that publisher will get another studio to do it."
UNQUOTE

I am sorry but this does not make sense. Bungie post MS was making its own IPs. Firesprite  and Psygnosis too. Thus there could not be a follow up by a publisher unless they sold their IPs.

I agree with you on this however: Purchasing Bethesda and ABK, with literally thousands  (dozens I would say) of multi platform titles in their history, is not right and that is why I am 100% against it.

[zarbor]

I really don't care to get into these dopey platform rants but its really dopey to trust one platform and not the other especially since they are doing the exact same thing. Lets give you a little business education. When a company spend a huge sum of money in purchasing a game developing company, their first priority is to recoup its investment. In this case MS has to see how they can make money from acquiring Activision. COD makes a ton of money on both platforms so it would be ridiculous to make it exclusive since it will cut into their investment. Its why MS has not decided if Elder Scroll will be exclusive. All the games that are exclusive so far are either new IPs that has never been on PS...Starfield, Redfall, Star Wars Outlaws, Avowed, Indiana Jones, etc.

If their is a game series that sold well on PS, you can bet that it will be multiplatform...until MS get back its investment. Once that happens after a number of years, all bets are off. That will most likely be after this gen of consoles become obsolete. Sony is in the same business and the only difference is that they don't have deep enough pockets to buy these larger companies. What they have resorted to is buying IPs to cut out MS from getting IPs. Its called business and it what happens every day in the market...not just gaming.

You're free to buy into which company you like better but your fooling yourself if you think one is more honest with their customers than the other.

[Terry_B]

Yeah..right. Microsoft is one of the most untrustable companies in the whole business.

[RpgSama]

LOL, on one side they say this to the public, but in private emails they send to each other they talk about out spending Sony out of the market, how would you outspend Sony out of the market if according to their public stance they would still be releasing the games of newly bought publishers multiplatform.

Such blatant lies.

[BehindTheRows]

No thanks. Leave SEGA be.

[cthulhucultist]

I will drink to that! well said

[BehindTheRows]

Crazy to see folks disagree with that too. People actually cheerlead taking SEGA from their current spot to a consolidated one, particularly THIS company. It's insane!

[giovonni]

Should have could have would have. It’s all speculative,

[shinoff2183]

Maybe with Nintendo. To say otherwise is pure bs. It goes against the destroy Sony narrative ms has put out there

[Minute Man 721]

Microsoft and Sega .... since the Dreamcast people wanted them to buy Sega

[neomahi]

I doubt it. Maybe SOME of their games, but Yakuza would've been an Xbox Exclusive, Bayonetta, etc.

https://www.gamespot.com/am...

Microsoft are doing this to themselves. They weren't always this way. During the Xbox 360 era, Peter Moore, John Shappert, and Don Mattrick made things a nightmare for PlayStation who just came off of the success of two very popular consoles. PlayStation had to work hard to build strong relationships with developers because Nintendo was strong-arming devs and SEGA was just crushing it! So, they had to work hard and be smart. The thing is, PlayStation learned from their tough times with the PS3, Microsoft haven't. Microsoft still do whatever they want, make people angry, say they're sorry, but try and make it sound like what they do is in everyone's best interest and that they're listening. They have no idea what a gamer wants because they're not really gamers themselves, they just got marketing and business degrees in college, they probably spent drinking weekends away, and just fell into gaming. They're more out of touch than anyone else.

People give Don Mattrick hell but he was a tough competitor for Sony. He got FF XIII on 360, got Hideo Kojima on stage at their E3, and lured Insomniac from Sony with Sunset Overdrive. He created a ruckus for PlayStation unlike Phil Spencer. They need gamers running Xbox, fire your crew, and start over

[Hereandthere]

Phil and MS say a lot of things and 9 times out of 10 do the total opposite.

[Lexreborn2]

They just keep being hypothetical in these situations like you can’t tell it’s worth as much as trusting your dad who said he will be back because we outta milk…

[Outside_ofthe_Box]

Phil says this about every purchase PRIOR to acquisition and then does whatever he wants after he owns them. His word is not bond.

[CR7JUVE1897]

I am still trying to figure out how a division of a Multi TRILLION dollar company feel the need to buy the largest 3rd party publisher in the world just so that they can "compete".

Compete how, exactly? What is their definition of competing? To put other companies out of business?

Were those titles suddenly NOT going to be on Xbox anymore if things stand the way they are?

[Reaper22_]

"I am still trying to figure out how a division of a Multi TRILLION dollar company feel the need to buy the largest 3rd party publisher in the world just so that they can "compete".

Did you try to figure out why Sony felt the need to go buy Gaikai so they could compete in the cloud and streaming? If you didn't, then you are a hypocrite. Like I said before, we as gamers don't own anything. The companies are going to do what they want regardless. Sony is freaking out because Microsoft is using its wealth to bolster their position in the market. Sony did the exact same thing to Sega back in the day. Now they are getting a taste of their own medicine and they don't like it. What are they so afraid of. If Microsoft is as bad as people here make them out to be then why have all this fear over how they compete? If sony supposedly have the better games then why be afraid of an underdog like Microsoft.

[Knightofelemia]

Say one thing do another.

[DarkZane]

Microsoft are liars, pure and simple. They keep saying they will keep activision games multiplatform to appease regulators, but the moment they get what they want, they will ignore all the remedies they agreed to and make everything exclusive.

Phil Spencer is pretty much a sad excuse of a human being and one of the worst scum in the industry. Pretty much a requirement to work at Microsoft.

[Reaper22_]

You hating on phil because deep down you are angry because the majority of the Xbox community approves of him and what he's doing. He isn't perfect but overall he is making good things happen for xbox.

[gold_drake]

nah no way, i dont believe that for a second.

the minute persona 6 hits, it would have been exclusive.

[S2Killinit]

MS’s lying is on another level.

[AnotherGamer]

Yeah right.

[XiNatsuDragnel]

Microsofts lies are over 9000.

[jznrpg]

Uh huh

[MWH]

Well, business is business.

[Flakegriffin]

Could you imagine how bad Sonic would’ve become if so?

We would’ve easily gotten Sonic 06’ part 2.

[jznrpg]

MS and Phil are full of it. They are bad for gaming and only the people loyal to MS and not gaming itself want them to ruin gaming.

[CrimsonWing69]

What’s the point of acquisitions then? I’d think you’d want exclusivity to your platform.

[Miraak82]

MS should be like Sega and bow out of the console business and become a 3rd party publisher . Hell they should try and propel the prebuilt Pc market if anything, PC gaming is in its prime and I feel it's Sony's real competitor in the gaming space should Xbox ever fold . They are completely borderline obsessed with Sony's console dominance, I mean Xbox's whole existence is built to compete with Sony from the very beginning . Why are they so obsessed with the console market , they've quit before knowing they can't compete the likes Apple, Google, Steam, Twitch and many more in there prospective fields . Should just drop Xbox and rebrand themselves as Microsoft Game Studios fully since they have the foundation to do it, sometimes you gotta do the comcast/Xfinity route lol . Xbox as a brand is just tainted with its silly naming conventions and mistakes every generation, always holding gaming back as it's usually the lowest common denominator....only then will I give MS a chance . I grew up in the Nintendo/Sega era and I also was there when Sony brought gaming to new heights every step of the way .. just let sony take the console market like Nintendo owns the handhelds . I think it would be a good time for MS to get to the handheld PC/steamdeck space ... I think there's alot of potential for competition in that market

[Rockstar]

Riiiiiiight.....

[FallenAngel1984]

Can an American company even buy a Japanese company like that

[Ra3030]

Talk is cheap and unimportant when Microsoft speaks. You can't trust a word they every say about anything in fact you'd be better off just believing the very opposite of anything they say because are exactly what they mean.

[NextGenCeo]

Microsoft will be out willingly from console market soon. They will go Cloud gaming and be come Biggest Publisher for every gaming platform on the world. Especially PC.

[supersexyjohnny]

Shitholesoft is not welcome in Japan. They can't buy anything in japan

[AmUnRa]

Yeah shure MS...i dont believe it, why?
Cous MS has been lying for years and flipflopping theyr stand about wich game would be xbox excl. and what games will be releasing on the PS. Heck they are doing it right now....

[Markusb33]

Microsoft said is now a bad joke

[frostypants]

It doesn't matter what they say. All that matters is prior behavior.