What do you want to know
- Microsoft was hoping to buy Nintendo and may still want to buy the gaming company.
- A leaked email from Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has been called “THE biggest asset for us in gaming.”
- The long-term strategy mentioned in the email suggests that Microsoft is likely still interested in purchasing Nintendo.
- Microsoft’s last attempt to contact Nintendo for a purchase didn’t exactly go well, but that happened over 20 years ago.
Well, that certainly wasn’t the news we were expecting today. In perhaps the biggest leak in Xbox history, it was revealed via an email from Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer in 2020 that Microsoft was still targeting an acquisition of Nintendo. In the email, Spencer stated that “Nintendo is THE biggest asset for us when it comes to video games…”. He went on to explain that “gaming is our most likely path to consumer relevance.” The information comes from Tom Warren on X (formerly Twitter) which published several leaks today. The new Xbox Series X refresh coming next year is just one of the stories breaking today.
Spencer explained that Microsoft is the only American company that has a chance to acquire Nintendo and that many conversations have been had with them about closer collaboration. We saw these efforts before 2020, with Xbox and Nintendo working together to promote cross-platform play. Not to mention, Xbox has its network on games like Minecraft, meaning you can unlock Xbox achievements while playing on your Nintendo Switch.
Spencer also made it clear in that email that he didn’t think a hostile takeover would be a good move and that they were playing the long game. There appear to be games in play regarding stock purchases that, he hopes will open up more opportunities in the future.
Now, those of you who know your gaming history will know that Microsoft approached Nintendo for a purchase before they created the first Xbox. It was 2000 and Microsoft “laughed the room.” It’s safe to say that a lot has happened since then, for example, the two companies are certainly working together much more closely than ever before. We’ll have to see how Nintendo reacts to the news of this leak.
