Dying Light Studio Techland Set to Be Acquired by Tencent

Between Tencent and PIF pretty soon western governments will be begging Microsoft to buy gaming companies.😝

When is the FTC/CMA/EU hearing for Tencent?

And the consolidation after effect continues, thanks Microsoft for starting it all /s.

It will continue and will be interesting to see. I know a few here will bring up Microsoft but it was happening long before ABK.

Techland will maintain its freedom. Yes, like a dog on a leash.

@get2sammyb its going end up like the film industry where 4-5 own everything.

When PIF purchased an 80% stake in my football club Newcastle United, there were screams of "sportwashing" from the masses

Is tencents foray into the gaming industry "gamewashing" ?

Whatever it is, its not good in my opinion

Mr Orwell, if only we'd listened.

@Americansamurai1 yes I agree with that take. I suspect in the next couple of years we will have only a few major publishers with everyone else underneath.

I hope we don’t but I do think that’s the way it will go

If this means their games will get better and bigger then I'm all for it.

@IAmAshCohen17 None of it was happening on the scale that we are seeing now. Sony, Microsoft and Tencent were all acquiring individual studios. Microsoft only started acquiring publishers because they are unable to " compete " with sony and nintendo.

so if a company buys majority of the shares they can take over who ever they want without any FTC or CMA involvement.

missed a trick there Microsoft

@jimbouk yes I would agree that Bethesda probably helped speed it up, but I’d also point to the likes of Tencent and Embracer to that matter being allowed to continue acquiring without any restrictions.

@IAmAshCohen17 yeah, we can expect a lot of acquisitions in the coming months/years. If the Activision one wasn't stopped than none of the smaller ones will. Curious to see if any bigger company buys Sony or Nintendo.

Can we just have Tencent banned from doing this anymore? I'm actually a bit serious here.

@Americansamurai1 I hope not on Sony or Nintendo!

Yeah agree with the smaller ones. It will be just the start

Eurojank is just becoming Chinajank.

@StrawberryTurtle Two giant publishers gobbling up developers left and right is apples to oranges.

One goes unchecked because the Chinese don't follow international laws anyway and stakeholders like money.

Just terrible news.

@Americansamurai1 @IAmAshCohen17 Japan would block that sale. In fact, Japan passed a law about 4 years ago where any stakeholder >10% is to be committied (sic?) and likely restricted.

@jimbouk Microsoft didn’t start it. I believe Sony did bud

I'm not sure if I like tencent or not.

@StrawberryTurtle no, I wouldn’t get to excited just yet. Tencent is rumored to be making a console

There's only one headline that causes more cringe than "Microsoft acquires" and its "Tencent acquires". Can't believe what is happening behind the scenes to this industry!

@IAmAshCohen17 me either.

@Deshalu ay that would be wicked if they do make their own console. More competition haha.

@Cashews that's good to hear.

@Deshalu Sony didn't spend around 76 bn total to acquire 2 giant third party publishers in the last 3 years bud. Third party exclusives were a thing Microsoft did in the past as well as acquire a ton of individual studios , not to mention Nintendo frquently does third party exclusives too.

Hilarious how console war rhetoric has warped some of y'all minds to think that only sony is behind it all.

Yeah, this isn't going to stop until everyone is under some sort of umbrella.

Crazy

Many Publishers and Studios have been bought up - long before Sony/MS started in the Console Gaming Market. Where are Ocean, Acclaim, Eidos, Midway, Lucasarts, Psygnosis etc etc etc today?

Buying a Studio doesn't guarantee you buy the 'Creator' of the Game that made them famous. People are leaving Studios, creating new Studios, selling Studios, leaving Studio, create 'new' Studio. Glenn Schofield was at EA (made Dead Space), formed 'New' Studio (Sledgehammer - acquired by ABK), left that made another studio...

There is always more Studios being made and in this 'hypothetical' Streaming only Gaming Future, then the fewer Subscriptions I require the 'better'. Its bad enough having to buy different hardware because of 'exclusives', but in a 'NO' Hardware future, then each Publisher could have their own Sub service to play their IP's. I'd rather have just 3 big Publishers competing to earn my Subscription.

TenCent could decide to make their own Platform/Streaming Service and use ALL their Gaming Acquisitions to make their Platform/Service the biggest in the world. Amazon could still make Tomb Raider 'exclusive' to Luna to try and get more Gamers...

@Americansamurai1 when the Sauds started buying up Nintendo shares they stayed under 10%. The Japanese are very nationalistic when it comes to their companies. And everything else.

I wish we'd do the same in the states honestly. Land and industry.

@rjejr Tencent or Microsoft they are both not the future I want. Everything owned by the US or China it's both not good for anyone.

Marchewka adds: "We will retain full ownership of our IPs, maintain creative freedom, and continue to operate the way we believe is right.

I wonder how hard it was to say that with a straight face. As with all Chinese companies, the only shareholder who matters is the Chinese Government, and the consequences for ignoring the will of that very special shareholder are quite dire. But hey, congrats on all the money you got to make zombie games!

@Deshalu That console has already came out, they partnered with logitech to make the Logitech G Cloud.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3193617/tencent-and-logitech-join-forces-first-handheld-cloud-gaming-console

@Cashews me too, especially the land, the Chinese government has been buying a scary amount of land here

The only difference will be a random Chinese character in a prominent role. It's what they do with Hollywood movies.

I’m sure this will make Colin’s day.

/sarcasm

@BAMozzy how dare you speak the truth !!!! Most ppl here won't like your truth as it doesn't make Microsoft the anti Christ in the story , the story around here goes no one ever purchased a company before microsoft and it's all Thier fault

@KaijuKaiser "Same can’t be said for Microsoft"

Please show me one article with Microsoft saying they promise to make all games available on all consoles ?.

Funny how ppl around here take it a saying as case by case basis as we will put all games on ps

And before you say it cause I know the generic response...no starfield was never announced for ps

Oh and Microsoft did EXACTLY what sony was trying to do...make it exclusive

Thanks Phil.

@KaijuKaiser but yet there are still updates to game like fallout /doom etc so not exclusive are they ? name one game they have taken off ps that was already on it ?.

All bethesda stuff exclusive after they purchased ....didnt they releases a Skyrim with mod support AFTER the take over ?

And can you send a link to this email that's says all Bethesda games are exclusive to Xbox please ?

There are rumors Tencent is developing its own console which would explain why they acquired so many studios.
And people here seem to be confused about private vs publicly listed companies. Regulators only intervene for public mergers and acquisitions.

It's actually comical just how much people so dislike Microsoft that they will blame them for any and everything, @jimbouk,. Microsoft are not the first to start consolidation of the gaming industry. Just Tencent alone have been buying and investing in studios since 2008. I mean, I get that it seems like the ABK acquisition has been going on for years, but you cannot blame Microsoft for this. Unless, of course, facts don't matter...

@IAmAshCohen17
Like with Bethesda?

@Flaming_Kaiser "Everything owned by the US or China"

Don't forget Saudi Arabia's oil money PIF. 😩

@KaijuKaiser "good call"

Between the 😝 and my saying "western governments" I guess I assumed people would understand it wasn't what I want either. 🤷‍♂️

Perhaps I'm the only one who thinks this but if a handful of huge companies (TenCent, MS, Amazon, Apple or other investment funds) start owning all the studios then what stops them all from offering streaming services only and forcing users down that route like with Apple TV, Netflix, Prime etc. That would result in forcing users to pay £150 subscription for each service. Thinking it'll end up costing £150/y to rent Mario, £150/y to rent Spiderman 2, £150/y to rent Starfield. I really hope that doesn't happen but we all talk of game pass being the Netflix of the gaming industry.

The only way games will make money and not be s*** is if the developers do retain creative freedom and ownership of IPs, so if they have to be bought out (which seemingly they all do, unfortunately) that's... good, I guess? It's the only way any of this can ever work out for anyone.

And also, Polish studio working on an open world fantasy game, that's got my attention, so I hope we get a sense of what it might be sometime soon, after an acquisition, the hype must surely begin 😅

@Fiendish-Beaver Yep. The biggest company at fault for consolidation of the gaming industry is Embracer Group... Who alone have purchased 76 studios since 2017, and who had purchased 3 publishers before Microsoft ever even purchased one. But nah, its Microsoft fault for everything.

You can dislike this acquisition and ms past few years simultaneously. I really don't like the way and direction gaming is going. I love gaming, but not sure how much I'll be participating 10 years from now.

Lobbies... they own everything and they steer everything. Minds, money, political decissions and our freedom. Will end badly and is seen in every type of Consumer Market these days. One day we have a handfull Bills and Zuckerbergs and Elons if this isnt still the case.

@KaijuKaiser Really? Shovel ware? Embracer Group owns some of the best IPs on the market. The fact that you're turning around and calling IP like Metro shovel ware. LMAO

Who cares if they stay 3rd party or not. What Embracer Group is doing is no worse than what Microsoft is doing. All it takes a flip of a switch, and they could go from 3rd party to 1st party. Companies like Google wanted to offer stuff like Stadia as a white-label product which could have easily allowed any companies like Embracer Group a way to launch their own streaming/game subscription service.

Not to mention that owning that many IP and studios gives them too much leverage against platform holders like Sony, who can use them to get a better deal like 90/10 or even full 100% of the profits. Just like ABK was using Cod to get an 80/20 from Sony.

"wait and see when your only option will be GamePass at 20 plus a month to play games"

Who says that EA or Ubisoft couldn't do this?

Who will rule the world first? Tencent or Microsoft?

I'm curious when Sony comes with big news. Take two or EA just might. the rumor mill is running at full speed. Sony plans to sell its financial arm. That can only yield 20 billion. hello take two here we come!

@rjejr Everything owned by companies or countries that have too much money so they can do everything they want.

Techland games are still coming to PlayStation.thats all thats matters.word up son

@AverageGamer That's just a bunch of what if's, nobody cares until it actually happens then you will see people complain but the fact is Microsoft are the only platform holder buying massive publishers so they deserve that hate.

@playstation1995
So True my friend. Haha

@SoulChimera he already refused to play Dying Light 2 because the trophies were broken. I’m guessing now he just never plays it even though there is a sacred symbols Easter egg 🤣

@BAMozzy The hypothetical streaming future won't be happening for a very long time. We haven't even gone all digital yet let alone go all streaming. Hollywood is going in that direction, but the internet required to have reliable streaming for gaming is far from common enough to have that become the only way we game for probably a good portion of the rest of our lives. I also don't see Amazon all of a sudden making Tomb Raider exclusive to Luna. There'd be far more money in selling future Tomb Raider games on PlayStation and Xbox than a service that is probably only still alive because Amazon owns it.

I don't think you're wrong with the non-streaming stuff you talked about though. Stuff like this happened long before Microsoft and Sony started buying up developers. It's still not a good thing though, and it should be interesting if Techland will still be allowed to offer so much post release content for their games like they have for the Dying Light series.

@jimbouk so it’s okay to buy Studios but there’s an unwritten rule of the size?

There’s nothing wrong with this purchase. Xbox (Microsoft) still makes it to where you can play on multiple devices, yes the one that supports GP.

What’s Spider-Man 2 launching on?

@Deshalu Spider-Man is a bad comparison. Marvel approached Microsoft to develop and they declined.

EDIT: Also, buying a publisher and buying a studio are vastly different. I think its perfectly okay to think one is okay and the other isn't.

@Flaming_Kaiser Yup, that about covers it.

The class war is over, we lost. #RIPtheMiddleClass

@Deshalu Spiderman is a terrible comparison, there's nothing stopping Xbox from approaching marvel and asking them if they can make a game for them and yes there should be an unwritten rule that platform holders can't buy massive publishers, studios yeah but big publishers should be off the table.

@StonyKL I hear ya. That looks like a terrible future to me. Hopefully it won’t happen. I can at least hope. Cheers mate.

@MrMagic yes, you need to do some research. Sony owns the movie and gaming rights to Spider Man. Spider-Man is a great example.

I don’t care that Sony owns Spider-Man. I don’t care that Sony and Microsoft are buying Studios and Publishers as long as the playing field is even.

This move by Microsoft doesn’t even the playing field. This will barely move the needle.

Microsoft isn’t done and either is Sony.

@IamJT that’s not different.

Sony was approached by Marvel

Microsoft was approached by Activision

Most of Microsoft games are on ps anyways

Psychonauts 2, Minecraft, Minecraft dungeons, Minecraft legends, all dlc for fallout 76 and ESO, sounds like all the COD will be too.

MLB the Show and Sony was forced by MLB to release on Xbox, that’s all Sony does.

Be Real! If Sony bought Activision you wouldn’t have had a problem with it.

Sony believes if it existed on another platform (PlayStation) it should stay on that platform, and almost all Sony fans agree with that statement from Jim Ryan. What about Spider-Man? Hypocrites.

@Deshalu I have a huge problem with any video game company buying a publisher. I don't even like them buying studios. Microsoft or Sony.

@IamJT it sucks, but that’s the gaming industry unfortunately.

Remember though, better the competition, the better the games and prices are, even for the console systems themselves.

@Deshalu No research needed, I thought it was pretty clear I meant they could license another superhero from marvel. Spiderman and Activision are not comparable because Xbox can still license a hero from them, actually maybe you should do some research as psychonaughts was only on PlayStation because they had to honour their crowd funding promises. ESO, Minecraft and Fallout 76 were already on PlayStation and nobody in their right mind expected them to take them away, ofc they released the dlc for fallout seeing as it was a dying live service game at the time and it needed every single player it can get. I'll say it again platform holders shouldn't be allowed to buy publishers it doesn't matter if they've fell behind, they can buy as many studios and invest as much as they want into their current studios but massive publishers should always be off the table. Ofc non of this makes any difference anyway seeing as Sony console sales have just skyrocketed by 106% and they are looking set to crush Xbox again even with Microsoft making all these dirty moves.

@MrMagic so you guys do need to do some research, the amount of money that Sony pays for exclusives and licenses is not the same price that Microsoft has to pay, and Microsoft doesn’t have the market consumer percentage to recoup that money from that market.

Microsoft and Sony don’t get rich by just throwing money away and not getting that return, that’s called bad investment.

Plus, if you said, Microsoft is keeping Games multiplatform, which is what you’re saying. So, what’s the problem? I don’t see anything dirty there, but Spider-Man was multi platform, but now is no longer, you don’t see anything dirty there?

@MrMagic Talk about a hypocritical view. I guess you don't use facts when making your uninformed opinions. Playstation is not a religion dude. Take your blinders off.

@rjejr The middleclass the lower class is really f###ed especially in countries like the US where you have no other option and even less protection. That's why im always baffled when Dutch people say we don't need unions.

@Deshalu They said no more Bethesda games already I think besides the two biggest games they keep it of the other platforms.

@Flaming_Kaiser You guys don't need unions, you need lifeboats, as you'll all be under water in about 20 years. Priorities. 😉

@Flaming_Kaiser I wish Microsoft made all there games exclusive.

I wanna push the competition to the max.

As someone who’s older and owned all the PlayStations, I know Sony can produce better first party titles, more frequently, and better quality.

@Deshalu If games were multiplatorm then it's mostly a waste for everybody and don't underestimate the power of money.

@Flaming_Kaiser not sure what you’re getting at.

Are you for the merger or against?

Microsoft doesn’t have a choice but to buy studios and or publishers, in order to be in the gaming market (industry).

Phil wasn’t wrong when he said it don’t matter if one game is 11/10. PlayStation and Nintendo are established platforms. Microsoft most buy ips people know and hope people swing over to there console. Right now there’s no need.

Microsoft already own Studios have been producing great games. Example Forza and Forza Horizon, but people don’t feel the need to own Xbox when they have Gran Turismo and NFS Heat.

Look up Xbox exclusive reviews. They have got a lot of good reviews from there games.

This merger isn’t bad. PlayStation will be fine. I think this will push all four (Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, and Valve)