While Microsoft has been doing some excellent things with its Xbox brand over the past few years (like with its backward compatibility program), they have been falling behind as of late, with Sony and Nintendo doing phenomenal stuff between the likes of God of War and the Nintendo Switch, respectively.
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So obviously Microsoft needs something huge for E3 in just a few weeks. It has a big presentation set to go, and it promises to bring some big surprises. But what if it went the extra mile and acquired a company and its assets to strengthen its Xbox and Windows line-up? Say, for instance…Konami?
That sounds a little far-fetched, sure. But there’s some reasoning behind this suggestion. Here’s what an acquisition of that company would do for the big “M.”
It Could Turn Around Konami’s Current Woes
While Konami has been doing okay financially, it hasn’t been top-notch when it comes to video games. Its biggest franchises are currently being tacked on to pachinko machines (like Silent Hill and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater); it just introduced a Castlevania game, but it’s mobile only, and that made some fans feel left out; and don’t even get us started with what happened with Metal Gear Survive.
Not to mention its Pro Evolution Soccer series. It promises some big changes with the 2019 edition, but it lost one of its bigger licenses for the game just a little while back. So as popular as that series may be, it’s got a ways to go to catch up with EA Sports’ FIFA.
Not to mention…we’ve heard stories. With Kojima’s departure from the company, we’ve heard all sorts of things on how he was treated — like not even being able to confer with members of his Phantom Pain team. That makes no sense. What’s worse, some other folks may be feeling that wrath.
With the company under Microsoft’s control, obviously there would be a turn-around — something that focuses more on games and not so much of a strict business nature. At least, from what we understand with the way Microsoft’s offices are currently run.
It Could Give Microsoft a Much-Needed Boost In Japan
As great as the Xbox line is doing in the United States and Europe, it’s lagging woefully behind in Japan. There are barely even 100 units sold per week. And Microsoft is aware of this, having recently spoken with Sega and Capcom about potential projects to bring back the gaming audience over there.
Konami could go a big way towards helping that reputation. A lot of folks still enjoy what that company has to offer in Japan, so with its help, Microsoft could become a more reliable name in gaming. That’s not to say it’s an overnight process — obviously there are still hurdles to overcome. But it’s a start, and sometimes that’s all you need to find your footing and move forward.
We’ll see what the company has planned at E3, but having Konami on board certainly wouldn’t be the worst thing.
Big Names, Big Games
Let’s talk about the big positive that Microsoft would get out of acquiring Konami — and that’s hit franchises. The company is well aware of what it has to offer, with a number of its titles being included in its Game Room compilation back on the Xbox 360. So it knows the value of each of them already.
Think about it. Imagine Microsoft announcing a new Contra game along the lines of Hard Corps Uprising. Or a Castlevania: Symphony of the Night HD remaster — something that would replace the already best-selling Xbox 360/One version.
And those are just the more popular names. We could also see a comeback for games like Sunsetriders and Rocket Knight Adventures. Or Gradius. Or even the Simpsons, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and X-Men arcade games that graced the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles years ago. (Of course, some work would need to be done with licenses, but it’d be sooooo worth it.)
With Konami in the fold, Microsoft would have some huge assets that it could use to its advantage — not to mention some big exclusives for both Xbox One and Windows 10. We’d certainly be down for some new games in these franchises, or even old ones — give me a four-player Sunsetriders HD port with online play and I am set.
They’ve Worked Together Before, Even If It Wasn’t To the Greatest Extent
Finally, there’s the factor that some fans may have missed out on — Konami and Microsoft have had an agreement in the past to work together already. Based on this press release, the companies were looking to work together with a cross-licensing arrangement that would bring “each company’s respective console and PC games to new platforms.”
But while that sounds awesome, we didn’t see too many results from that agreement. That said however, it could certainly come up again with an acquisition, and Microsoft may be able to move forward with a plan to bring Konami’s games to Xbox One and PC — including older favorites that were destined to be part of the deal.
We would’ve liked to see more of these games surface around 1999, but better late than never if it happens, yeah?
Anyway, this is just an idea, as there’s obviously nothing officially happening between the two at the moment. But we think it’d be pretty sweet if Microsoft could pull it off and add even more games to offer Xbox One owners and Windows PC fans. Because, right now, the more exclusives the better — and Xbox One could use a few more.
