Per The Verge, the FTC case against Microsoft has been an all-eyes affair, with fans and writers focusing their gaze on the momentous face-off. A recent email thread presented as part of the ongoing case reveals at one point, Microsoft wanted to purchase Sega Sammy.
“We believe that Sega has built a well-balanced portfolio of games across segments with global geographic appeal, and will help us accelerate Xbox Game Pass both on and off-console,” said Spencer in the November 2020 email to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Microsoft CFO Amy Hood.
Microsoft’s reasoning for the Sega Sammy acquisition was that the publisher has a “well-balanced portfolio of games across segments with global geographic appeal” that would allow the leadership team “accelerate Xbox Game Pass” on and off consoles.
“The global appeal of Sega’s beloved IP will help expand Xbox Game Pass’s reach to new audiences around the world, most notably in Asia, where localized content is critical to success,” said Spencer to Nadella and Hood.
It remains hazy what Microsoft’s team decided to do following this thread of emails. However, Sega may still be a target for Microsoft as several markets, including mobile and PC worldwide, seem viable for the company.
Microsoft’s “M&A Final Watchlist” also included Thunderful, Supergiant Games, Niantic, Playrix, Zynga, Bungie, IO Interactive, and Scopely.
We now know that PlayStation would eventually acquire Bungie. Still, at one point, Microsoft wanted the studio with an internal document indicating that the “acquisition of Bungie would include securing valuable IP, Destiny (and its community) and integration of its dev & live ops infrastructure into Xbox Game Studios.”
Zynga is a big mobile contender, and Take-Two Interactive purchased the company last year for $12.7 billion. “This strategic combination brings together our best-in-class console and PC franchises, with a market-leading, diversified mobile publishing platform that has a rich history of innovation and creativity,” said Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two Chairman and CEO. “As we combine our complementary businesses and operate at a much larger scale, we believe that we will deliver significant value to both sets of stockholders.”
