Acquisitions have become a central part of Microsoft’s strategy as the tech giant looks to grow its Xbox Game Studios lineup, and though it did add a Japanese studio to that group with Bethesda’s Tango Gameworks not too long ago, Xbox’s presence in Japan still leaves a lot to be desired. Growth and expansion in the region have been important to the company in recent years though, and it seems that Microsoft plans on adding more Japanese studios to its first party lineup.
Speaking recently in an episode of the Giant Bombcast, journalist Imran Khan said that Xbox has been in talks with “major Japanese publishers” for potential future acquisition deals. According to Khan, Microsoft is “very clearly interested in some major Japanese publishers” as well as “smaller studios”, though he does add that he ‘can’t speak to how far those conversations have got.”
“That’s not a thing that most people know about. And I certainly don’t,” he said. “But they have talked.”
There’s been no shortage of reports and speculation in recent years with regards to Microsoft eyeing potential acquisition candidates in Japan, though of course, that hasn’t materialized in any meaningful way so far. Interestingly, industry analyst Dr. Serkan Toto of Tokyo-based consultancy Kantan Games said earlier this year that though it’s not completely out of the question, Xbox purchasing a Japanese company would prove very complicated. Read more on that through here.
Microsoft is currently in the process of acquiring Activision Blizzard for $69 billion, and though the pending deal has attracted quite a bit of scrutiny from relevant authorities, Microsoft itself remains confident that the acquisition will ultimately go through.
Unsurprisingly, Xbox boss Phil Spencer has also said that Microsoft has no intentions to slow down its acquisition spree even after the Activision deal is done.
