The recent Xbox leak has uncovered an email from Phil Spencer, the CEO of Microsoft Gaming, discussing his interest in acquiring Nintendo. In the same email, Spencer mentioned that Warner Bros. Interactive and Valve were also potential acquisition targets. This follows earlier documents that revealed Microsoft’s consideration of acquiring Bungie, Square Enix, and Sega.
Xbox Leak Reveals Phil Spencer’s Interest in Acquiring Nintendo
According to a newly discovered email by The Verge, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer expressed his belief that acquiring Nintendo would be a significant achievement for the company. Dated August 6, 2020, the email was a response to Microsoft marketing executives Takeshi Numoto and Chris Capossela, with the subject line “random thought.”
Spencer stated that Nintendo is “THE prime asset for us in gaming” and mentioned having ongoing conversations with Nintendo’s leadership team about potential collaboration opportunities. However, he acknowledged that Nintendo’s success with the Nintendo Switch has resulted in them accumulating a significant amount of cash, making them less inclined to entertain an acquisition offer from Microsoft.
While a full buyout of Nintendo is unlikely in the near future, Spencer noted that Mason Morfit, a former Microsoft board member, has been acquiring Nintendo shares. This development could potentially create opportunities for Microsoft to work closely with Nintendo in the future. Spencer added that Microsoft’s Board of Directors is fully supportive of exploring opportunities with Nintendo and Valve.
In the email, Spencer also discussed Microsoft’s active discussions to acquire Warner Bros. Interactive and ZeniMax. While the ZeniMax deal was successfully completed for $7.5 billion, the acquisition of Warner Bros. Interactive (now Warner Bros. Games) did not materialize.
Additionally, the Xbox leak revealed images of an Xbox handheld device, a mid-gen Xbox console, and potential future consoles. Unannounced games, including Red Dead Redemption II for next-gen consoles and Dishonored 3, were also featured in the leak. It is important to note that these documents may not reflect Microsoft’s current plans.
Stay tuned to GameSpot for the latest updates on this developing story.
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