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[Darkness 4 Hire]

This was taken from an industry rumor website, but I think it's still worth a thought or two:


quote:
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18:05 According to senior gossipers in the UK today, Microsoft has been in discussions with Capcom in Japan with the intention of buying the company.
The talk arrives on the back of a set of shaky financials for Capcom, where the Japanese giant wrote off approximately £70 million in the past year on scaling down company assets.

Capcom is the latest company rumoured to be targeted by Microsoft in recent weeks, after the American behemoth finally admitted it had bought Rare for the "bargain" price of £240 million.

Current talk is also pinning Sega as a possible buyout opportunity for Microsoft, although chatter on the subject has slowed in the last week.

The talk of Capcom going under the hammer has yet to be substantiated by any sources involved in possible talks. According to Japanese insiders, only two other Xbox games from Capcom have yet to be announced, one of which is a driving title.

The main focus for the Capcom, despite the shifting of Resident Evil to Nintendo hardware, firmly remains PlayStation 2.

More on this in the coming weeks. Feel the power of Microsoft's cash.

Patrick Garratt


Its rumor bug all the way but I can tell you Capcon would be better off as part of MS then a 3rd party supporter when you do the math
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Not like I totally believe a rumor like this (seeing as how it comes from Europe and the company in question is Japanese), but the idea doesn't seem that far fetched. Capcom is posting losses this year. Their arcade scene is all but gone, Resident Evil underperformed on Gamecube, and Onimusha 2 (believe it or not) was their number 1 performer in Japan last year...so that brings on the question: will Capcom be the next company to get (gulp) eaten?

[PerfectD1184]

I hate the way Microsoft right now is attempting to buy out every well-known developer and making them exclusive.

[JC Denton]

if they do buy it through a deal or hostile takeover whatever, it is nasty or unethical but it can only mean good things for me, being an xbox owner im afraid. Microsoft seem to be forcing their way into the market at any cost and you have to be scared of companies that do that. Sony did a similar thing pushing its way into the market and effectivly ousting sega and look where it is now.

its a shame the old companies like nitendo and sega dont still own a larger market share, but thats the way of life.

[AudioBoxer]

Sh*t! If this happens I will be sooooo pissed! I love Capcon! Micro just needs the company cus gates wants more money thats it!!!

[Daedaelus]

Originally posted by PerfectD1184
I hate the way Microsoft right now is attempting to buy out every well-known developer and making them exclusive.

I think that it's an effective business practice, nice way of putting your competitors out of business. Dont get me wrong, I don't like X-Box at all, but acquiring Capcom like they did Rare will really help X-Box'x sale, particularly in Japan, IMHO.

[EDIT]Off-topic: goodman, your sign is huge! Please reduce the size a little bit. [/EDIT]

[Daedaelus]

Yes, Sony is completely indifferent to this whole situation.

[Ninja]

oh man think about games like RE and Megaman

if capcom gets bought, im selling all my capcom games
Im also changing my sig >_<

[BlackThornn]

It would be financially unwise to go with Microsoft at this point, if only because Microsoft has a very small piece of the console market.