Acquisitions and mergers have been going on in the video game industry for decades now, but it seems like there’s a lot of extra attention on them thanks to recent moves by Xbox. Microsoft purchased Bethesda in 2021, and has been in the process of acquiring Activision Blizzard since early 2022. Sony has also gotten in on the trend, buying Bungie in 2022. Capcom might seem like the perfect target for either of these gaming giants, the company currently enjoys its freedom. In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Capcom COO Haruhito Tsujimoto was asked how he’d react to a purchase offer from Microsoft or another company.
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“I would gracefully decline the offer, because I believe it would be better if we were equal partners,” replied Tsujimoto.
Interestingly enough, Tsujimoto also noted that Capcom does not have a lot of interest in acquiring outside studios of its own. Acquisitions are often about filling a potential need for a company, and finding studios that can make them a stronger part of the industry. However, Tsuijimoto says that Capcom prefers to grow from within, and isn’t currently interested in making any acquisitions of its own.
“It is important to train and develop human resources in-house in orderto carry out growth strategies. I also believe we can utilise externalpartners, but we have no intention of acquiring companies.”
Capcom Games
While so many other companies are playing the acquisition game, it’s easy to see why Capcom has little interest. The company’s previous fiscal year was a major success, thanks in large part to games likeMonster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak and Resident Evil 4. The company sold 41.7 million units of video game software in a fiscal year that ended on March 30th. That number accounted for a near 15% increase over the previous one, and things are looking quite good for Capcom in 2023; Street Fighter 6 sold more than 2 million copies in its first month.
Capcom might not be interested in making any additional acquisitions, but the company did recently purchase Sword Canes Studio. The studio is on the small side, consisting of just 22 employees, but has acted as a support team on several major games, including Final Fantasy XVI, Hi-Fi Rush, and Capcom’s own Street Fighter 6. According to reporting from Bloomberg in July, Sword Canes is currently pitching in on an unannounced Capcom game expected to sell millions of copies before the end of Capcom’s current fiscal year.
Capcom in 2024
As 2023 draws to a close, Capcom’s 2024 is starting to come into focus. The company will start the year with Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy, which is slated to release January 25, 2024. The long-delayed Pragmata is also expected to release next year.
Are you happy that Capcom plans to remain independent? Do you think the publisher works best on its own? Share your thoughtswith me directly onTwitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
[H/T: Video Games Chronicle]
