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Comment by jwie | Hacker News Reader

Microsoft has acquired Bethesda, will probably acquire Activision-Blizzard, and has purchased other, smaller studios in the past already.

I wonder what’s driving the desire to buy up video game publishers. There probably aren’t many left at the scope of the ones already bought or in a deal that are practically purchasable, even for big tech players.

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A cynic might suspect it’s the same reason traditional media is bought and has value. By controlling video games, you control an important media influencing children profoundly. You teach them from a young age the lesson you want taught, it will be more impactful than school which is boring, and you get to shape them up to be good consumers for when they grow up.

Or you know, it's to get licensing rights for large, popular IPs to make more money.

There is a lot of money in video game publishing business, given how video games are slowly becoming persistent and ongoing. Companies like Microsoft and Amazon have the means to handle such publishing, and they would surely want control on that cash cow.

Global video game revenue (including mobile gaming) is more than the top 4 sports in the US + Hollywood + music industry. Getting a hand into that pie is going to be very lucrative, especially as gaming has nowhere near the cultural mindshare that these other things do.

Well, for Microsoft it makes sense. They build game consoles. Owning game studios and game publishers is a good way to get preferential treatment for your console platform.

Amazon probably wants game publishers so they can harden their monopoly on game streaming with Twitch.

Maybe they want to get into the Cloud gaming space too.

Don't forget Sony recently bought Bungie, too. It seems like it's just another wave of consolidation

I realize most have already made up their minds that VR will still be a gimmick with no market in the year 7000 AD, but I just can’t shake this crazy feeling that we’re going to sort it between now and then. My answer is VR. At least a hedge in case Zuckerberg turns out not to be a clown.

If only he had a track record to weigh.

I think that's a bit of a straw man. The technology is just not quite there yet. At least it's a lot better than the last go round with Virtual Boy.

The killer app that would make VR desirable doesn't exist yet either. Maybe that will be the Metaverse? But I kind of doubt it. We'll see.

Is that what y'all call hyperbole 'round hyea.

How could I have know in advance that it would have been a strawman of your opinion? I didn't know you existed until a second ago.

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