Report: Microsoft eyeing Nintendo

[Michael Bluth]

BERLIN (AFP) - US software giant Microsoft is interested in buying Japanese video games group Nintendo, German magazine Wirtschaftswoche reported.

Microsoft co-founder and chairman Bill Gates told the weekly on the sidelines of a conference with analysts in the United States that he would immediately make an offer if Nintendo's majority shareholder, billionaire Hiroshi Yamauchi, were ready to sell.



http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1509&ncid=738&e=7&u=/afp/20040804/tc_afp/germany_us_japan_it

[Pro A.]

Who didn't see this coming? Two words for the future:

Hostile takeover.

[neo999955]

Well this isn't the first time Microsoft has tried such a deal, and there is no way Nintendo will sell to Mirosoft, seriously. However the two joining forces, not in a merger, more in a partner type relationship and creating a joint console is possible, and would take the gaming world by storm.

[Michael]

I knew this was coming...I hope nintnedo spits in Microsofts face with it...I mean, they tried before but there's no telling what will happen..They need to learn that they can't buy everything...

[Nights]

Them joining forces is really the only way to take sony at this point. Microsoft to make the best graphics and multimedia features, and nintendo for accessories for the system to make new gameplay.

Microsoft being able to get third party with money.. Nintendo making it's first party viable contender to sony's exclusives...

It's the only way...

This would also strengthen the DS and make it a more viable system... If the Microsoft/Nintendo could gain that much more share in the console world... 3rd party developers would be even more willing to jump on with exclusive content for both..

[Michael]

^that's crap and you know it...

[Nights]

Have you seen how Nintendo's systems is 3rd

[Michael]

^have you seen what Rare did...Rare is a example of a company that doesn't like another company that swallowed them, so they quite it and go to the companies they hate the less...many employees would go to a 3rd parties, or a sony 1st party, leaving the former company with just the name..

I don't want to see Super Mario Ultra Mega Party! for Xbox 2...that would be such crap...the next grabbed by the Goullies (sp...I know)...I don't like to see companies swallowed up, pure and simple..I put Sega before(before sammy sega) Nintendo then Microsoft and last sony, I don't like to keep my options off, but above most they need to compete...2 ways, nintendo has done mistakes but another system would have done the same mistakes if nintendo didn't do them...

[disrupter006]

I dont really care what they do as long as i have a system from one of the two next generation.

[brudaman]

im sure nintendo wont say yes :cry: it cant be tOO much money thats offered

:-\ uh oh

[Nights]

Well rumor is it would be Xbox 2 in american and labeled as a Nintendo system in Japan.

This has be speculation for a while.. (they also said this is why they are both using ATI graphic cards to make it easy to translate systems between them yet have to be totally reprogrammed for the PS3) I think this would be very benificial to us all.. Halo and Link on the same system would be the ultimate competition...

I'm still bitter about what Sony did to Sega...

[Michael]

^Ok, I feel your pain...read my edit fully...

[Notedog]

THIS WOULD BE GREAT! I would only have to buy two systems, and even then, all my favorite Nintendo games would all be in one place.

[Teh Roxor!]

I don't like the idea of Microsoft owning Nintendo. That might not allow Nintendo all the creative control they need. I don't see it as being very likely anyway.

[Nights]

Microsoft would allow Nintendo it's creativity. It want's it's market share!!!!

[Teh Roxor!]

Maybe they do. Or maybe they want to eliminate the competition in any way($) possible and establish a strangle hold on the market eliminating a lot of innovation- in true Microsoft fassion.

Or maybe I'm just cynicle.

[Glenn2K4]

label this as terribly unlikely.

[Michael]

I just don't like the idea, because of what microsoft is...I mean, we would have never been treated to ghoulies...now would we..

[Glenn2K4]

I really dont like the idea of Nintendo being coupled with anybody else, unless it is strickly a partnership agreement like the Namco or Capcom deals.

Nintendo is who they are because they can make the choice, games, and systems to fit them. No way is Nintendo looking to partner with a Western company with bulky controllers, and a company that is simply losing money in the negatives everyday.

[GleefulFarewell]

I wouldnt mind if Microsoft and Nintendo MERGE but it would suck if Nintendo got bought out...

[OutlawAdidas]

I do remember that Nintendo bought up some of there own stock so as to avoid a take over. So I don't think that MS could take Nintendo over

[Vishus]

I would prefer is they were just partners and MS just provided the money and hardware support.

[Rabunis]

As a Japanese developer, I doubt that Nintendo would merge with Microsoft. The Japanese are a very proud people. It would crush their pride and would be like admitting defeat. You know the saying "If you can't beat em, join em"

Editted for clarity :P

[dncardman]

This proboly won't happen but if Nintendo and Microsoft got together they could take out Sony. Maybe the Revolution is the planing to overtake Sony and there PS3 with a Nintendo-Microsoft partnership?

[Vishus]

Thats the problem I want competition. If there is no competition anyone can just shove crappy games onto whatever god machine. No one is really competing because people can just get both games anways. Its like the battle between Doom 3, Half-Life 2, and Halo 2. Since all games can go down in price so damn easily and soon people can get all three games much easier than two $50 console games.

[Kevin]

This is alot more likely than some seem to think. This deal has been brought up before, and Nintendo said they were in serious discussion about the issue before they finally decided to turn it down.

[alpha]

Microsoft is going to take over the gaming industry no matter what. They have billions of dollars and someday they will just buyout everything. watch.

[DLX]

Hey Adam man, Im sorry about posting your news on the front page, I didnt see this thread until way after I posted the news article. Alas it wasnt up there anyways and now it is, so its all the same anyways.

[shred_head15]

The IKEA guy will own the gaming industry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!1!!!!1!!1!111...

[[[tavis]]]

M$ + N = world of possibilities

M$ eating N = world of terror

[________]

:realmad: I ******* hate microsoft. :realmad:
:piss:M$

[X2_revolution]

People claim Nintendo would never sell, but everyone has a price. And Bill Gates has a deep enough pocket book to fill that price. Anything is possible, although I dont really see it happening.

[neo999955]

This is why we want PARTNERSHIP not ownership. I hate the X-Box, but I would love to see Microsoft and Nintendo partner up on one console, with X-Box power and online, and Nintendo's "revolutions" and amazing first party, nothing but good could come out fo that. Sony would be some deep shit though, if this does ever happen (btw I do believe there's about .00012% chance, seriously) Sony best turn Square-Enix into a second party, or they in some trouble.

[Nights]

Not to mention that Nintendo could utilize all of it's console developement to focus on the next GBA the one that is actually supose to compete with the PSP juggernaut. Nintendo make far more money off of this lately.. They would then be able to make just profit of of console games and focus on keeping there handheld stronghold..

My 2 cents.

[aerofan113]

Microsoft would allow Nintendo it's creativity. It want's it's market share!!!!


Face it. Nintendo and Microdoft together would weild the creative and finacial power to kill what i like to think of as the evil empire (Sony). It is however, in all likelyness, a pipedream. Too bad. I own an Xbox and a Cube. Itd be kinda cool to have the next system to be called: Revolution X.

[majik ninja]

Microsoft + Nintendo = 1337 pwn

[bobo_ess]

Who didn't see this coming? Two words for the future:

Hostile takeover.


Yea? Well here are my two words " Phuck Gaytes"

[[[tavis]]]

i am ready to buy stock at any moment

[Glenn2K4]

dont hold your breath.

[SydeX]

Chances of Microsoft buying Nintendo=ø, chances of an alliance between the two, could be possible, but I dont see it likely. Heres a bit of history on the story. Nintendo has a different kind of philosophy than Microsoft, they seek and help out developers to create other kinds of software, instead of the impiriallistic kind of way that Microsoft does, that is just buying all of them. Its true, while having bought developers, you can secure games for your console, but, it never allows the developer, to seek out its own innovation and creativity. Its much like freedom of speech, if you are ruled under one king (for example) you have to do what the king demands, whereas in a free world, you do what you like, and thats how everything progresses.

Theres always been a console war, since the beginning, and it will never end. Its because theres always 2 sides (in the days of old it was Sega and Nintendo), this is good for us players, cause it lets us seek our own interest and enterneinment. If your forced to buy only 1 type of console, and play games only in that same machine, it wouldnt be the same, people will most likely begin to seek out new ways to entertein themselves. So here I stand, firmly beliving that Nintendo will not get bought, but a partnership between the two can happend. Will Nintendo end its console production, and become a developer like Sega? theres a good chance that this can happend, it all lies in the succes of Revolution and Nintendo's strategies. But, as many of you think, I wouldn't like to see Mario on a Sony machine, or playing Metroid on Xbox 2 Live. I still have faith... :wave: bye!!!!

[Viper]

Good points.

Also keep in mind a hostile takeover requires the consumed company to be in serious financial trouble and considering Nintendo makes $200 million in profit each quarter and has over $7 billion in cash, they are one of the richest companies in Japan.

MS attemtped to buy Nintendo several years ago for quite a few billion dollars. Nintendo basically told them to F themselves.

Remember, Nintendo is a profit making company. They are 3rd place in sales, barely, but they are yet they make more moeny than both the other two combined. Any deal of this sort does two things, it drastically changes the dynamics of their income stream and they lose creative freedom.

A form of partnership is not entirely out of the question but is still highly improbable.

[Prince]

All he said was that if they were for sale he would make an offer (as would anyone with enough money). They are obviously not for sale right now so there is nothing to worry about.

[Dorbin]

Yeah, I HIGHLY doubt that this will become a reality anytime soon. However, I would be for a theoretical partnership, so long as there was no stifling of Nintendo's inherent creative spirit.

[Deno22]

i bet i am the only one here who wants this to happen, im so sick of there being 3 systems its just too many. in the 64 days playstation and nintendo basically made the same games but now there are so many exclusives that you alwasy have to buy two systems like i have a PS2 right now and i really want a GC but i just don't wanna spend the money if MS and Nintendo got put together i think it would make the best machine ever invented.

[Rabunis]

I don't know if this has been covered but here goes anyways. Nintendo makes a good profit with their consoles. Microsoft does not. Could this possibly detur Nintendo from an alliance because they're in a good profit region at the moment and wouldn't want to screw up a good thing?

[Viper]

Check my post up there. I even gave some financial numbers. Still, your post just puts it bluntly that N doesn't watn to be part of a monetary black hole when they are sitting on a mountain of cash already.

[speed stick]

THIS WOULD BE GREAT! I would only have to buy two systems, and even then, all my favorite Nintendo games would all be in one place.

Thats what I was thinking. All the great XBOX and GC games on one console!! I'd love to see this happening.

[dave]

i hope nintendo remains as a separate entity. the day nintendo partners fully with microsoft it will be cause for great concern where nintendo fans are concerned. can a tiger and a deer form a comfortable alliance ? suppose the partnership was 50/50 in terms of ownership rights. then microsoft slices off an extra 10 percent and it became 60/40 then 90/10 in favour of microsoft............well you get the idea. i prefer nintendo to remain free of microsoft. although a partnership between the two seems to offer the world of goodness it would be just too dangerous for nintendo as we know it

[Viper]

MicroSoft just realized they won't make profits for longer than 20 years and need a profit making entity to get back on schedule.[/sarcasm]

[dave]

yeah thats what i was thinking too. if nintendo sold out to microsoft they'd not only have to consider the immediate price they'd get, but they'd also have to consider future profits over a long term period in order for such action to be viable. and microsoft's profits in the gaming industry just are'nt viable

[z3r0_w0rm]

Microsoft and Nintendo the best team of all time.

[Michael]

Haha (http://cube.ign.com/articles/536/536275p1.html) well...that was expected...

[Nights]

Didn't Rares/nintendo totally deny it at first too.... (There's a thought)

But I still doubt it... It would rock though...

You know this might wait to be announced just so NINTENDO can yoke it's Gamecube before the Next gen...

Sounds viable in the future...

[Michael]

^Rare never intended to be bought remember...nintendo gave up there shares, or did you forget that part...

[Nights]

We both know nintendo new it... And Rares hinted at it with multiconsole christmas.

[Michael]

Nintendo knew what? they gave up the shares, and all Rare could do was be bought up by some other company...Nintendo didn't just say one day "ok, I'm tired of rare, sell our stock to microsoft..." but it happened, Rare couldn't tell Nintendo what to do, they were smaller them them...