Microsoft Reportedly Approached Several Japanese Studios For Acquisition Talks

Microsoft surprised a lot of people earlier this year with its acquisition of Bethesda. It was one of several big acquisitions made over the course of the last generation, and according to a new report, it might not be the last.

According to Bloomberg's report, Microsoft has approached several Japan-based game developers about buying their business. The names of these studios were not disclosed due to privacy and the outcome of said discussions were not detailed, but Bloomberg's report describes the studios as ranging from "small to big."

Jeremy Hinton, Xbox's head of operations in Asia, told Bloomberg in a statement that Microsoft is always open to discussions with creators that are a good fit, but it has nothing to share at this time.

Over the course of the last console generation, Microsoft has acquired the likes of Obsidian, Ninja Theory, Double Fine, and most recently, Bethesda. Over the years, Xbox heads like Phil Spencer have remarked on how its learned from previous acquisitions, but Microsoft looks like it's building up a massive first-party lineup for the coming console generation.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella hasn't ruled out the idea of more acquisitions, so a pick-up of a Japan-based studio wouldn't be out of the question. The speculation is who it might be, and how that would affect the way Microsoft has traditionally fared in Japan; as Bloomberg notes, Microsoft hasn't been able to overcome Nintendo and Sony's place in Japan. Maybe the right acquisition of the right studio could change that.