Microsoft is not done making acquisitions to swell the Xbox Game Studios family. The Redmond firm is even looking for a manager to oversee potential takeovers.
Even more studio acquisitions for Xbox? Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, had already said yes. A new job offer illustrates what he had said on the subject. The company is actively looking for a manager who will be able to seize all the right opportunities.
The Xbox Game Studios takeover ball starts again
Microsoft reports that it is looking for a manager for the “strategy and game development” section via a LinkedIn offer.
We work closely with the games leadership team to identify and assess growth opportunities. Our charter includes addressing Microsoft Gaming’s toughest business questions, driving Gaming’s M&A program (e.g. Activision Blizzard, ZeniMax, Double Fine etc.), as well as identifying and understanding key industry dynamics. Our collaborations with the executive team help set the direction of the company, both with Microsoft Gaming and with Microsoft’s CEO, senior management team, and board of directors.
The candidate must be an expert in finance and analysis with a view to “support strategic decisions with quantitative and qualitative rigor”. It will also be responsible for judging the profitability of acquisitions of “content and technology”. To make it short, the lucky winner will focus on expanding the Xbox Game Studios portfolio.
Targets in Microsoft’s sights?
After the huge takeover of Bethesda and that of Activision Blizzard, is the Xbox branch eyeing other publishers or studios? It seems obvious but no rumors are circulating at the moment. And with the builder, anything is possible. Ubisoft could be a target in absolute terms, but such an acquisition might pose problems from a competitive point of view. Even more so when you take into account that the antitrust review launched by the Federal Trade Commission for Activision Blizzard is far from complete.
Microsoft had admitted not to be on an equal footing with PlayStation on the issue of games. Will the manufacturer bet on studios capable of delivering strong solo titles? And/or on Japanese structures, a territory acquired from Nintendo and PlayStation? Only the future will give us answers…