Microsoft has been making plenty of waves in the legal and gaming worlds the past few months, with its attempts to acquire Activision-Blizzard. While some in the video game industry believe the tech company should be precluded from making the proposed $68.7 billion dollar transaction, that may not be the final outcome. The most recent federal court ruling forced the Federal Trade Commission to remove blocks it had made to prevent the deal from finalizing. As it appears nothing can stop Microsoft from the acquisition, it may be pushing for the next big merger.
In a recent post by Microsoft Edge on Twitter, a hedgehog was brought into the workplace for a video shoot. This led fans to speculate Microsoft is interested in acquiring Sega, from the Sega Sammy Group. This theory is based on the fact that Sonic the Hedgehog is one of Sega‘s biggest franchises, something the tech company would certainly love to get its hands on. Although it is unclear whether Microsoft is simply having fun or trying to pitch a deal to the Japan based company, observers have been left with more questions than answers.
If Microsoft were to acquire the multinational video game studio, it would be one more in a series of industry altering purchases. While some gamers may fear the worst could come from such an acquisition, there is no evidence indicating this will be the future for Sega.
Details On the Hedgehog Video and Why Sega Probably Will Not Be Acquired By Microsoft
If you haven’t seen the hedgehog video, it begins with the animal outside of a Microsoft office. It then walks through the building, strides across a computer keyboard, passes a coffee cup, climbs over paper clips, exercises, tours a tent, and clings to a laptop monitor. The video is adorable and upbeat and there appears to be no clear corporate message attached to it. There is a chance Microsoft could be trying to win Sega over, but it’s also possible the company is just wanting to entertain fans.
As for those who might fear a Microsoft/Sega merger is coming, documents from the FTC case did show Phil Spencer, Microsoft’s CEO, was interested in purchasing the gaming company. It appears Spencer was particularly interested in acquiring a Japanese studio with strong development history. However, despite what he may want, Shuji Utsumi, one of the Chief Operating Officers for Sega, recently said it was not open to acquisition talks from Microsoft. Although the two companies share a close relationship, as was mentioned by Utsumi, Sega still desires independence. This may be a good move for the company, since any developer trying to merge with Microsoft right now could land in court having to explain the situation.
So, if you were worried the hedgehog video meant Microsoft was going to absorb yet another independent video game developer, you can rest assured knowing Sega is not interested. The developer may not always remain autonomous, but for now, it looks like they will continue business as usual.
What do you think of the possibility of Microsoft acquiring Sega? Could it be a good move for both companies or does Microsoft need to stop buying out video game developers? Leave a comment and let us know what you think of such a deal.
Source: Microsoft Edge Twitter and BNN Bloomberg
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