Topic: Microsoft: Yahoo rejected our bid? Bungie left us? Epic can be our new whores.

[Pugnate]

http://kotaku.com/357741/microsoft-to-buy-out-epic-gamepro-says

This isn't good at all. Studios should stay as independent as possible, and we all know how friendly Bungie was to Windows after Microsoft bought them (oh the irony).

I suppose MS is looking for the next Halo franchise, and to them Gears is probably it. One of the reasons this deal bothers me is that Epic are basically the biggest engine distributors of this generation. If they are under Microsoft's wing, they aren't going to be too friendly to Sony.

It is funny how things work out. I still remember being introduced to Unreal Tournament back ten years ago. I think I met Xessive soon after, who I thought was an Epic groupie. It is amazing how Epic have established themselves. I wonder if we are going to be looking back at Crytek in ten years time like we do Epic now.

[MysterD]

http://kotaku.com/357741/microsoft-to-buy-out-epic-gamepro-says

This isn't good at all. Studios should stay as independent as possible, and we all know how friendly Bungie was to Windows after Microsoft bought them (oh the irony).

I suppose MS is looking for the next Halo franchise, and to them Gears is probably it. One of the reasons this deal bothers me is that Epic are basically the biggest engine distributors of this generation. If they are under Microsoft's wing, they aren't going to be too friendly to Sony.

It is funny how things work out. I still remember being introduced to Unreal Tournament back ten years ago. I think I met Xessive soon after, who I thought was an Epic groupie. It is amazing how Epic have established themselves. I wonder if we are going to be looking back at Crytek in ten years time like we do Epic now.

Hmmm....Do you think Microsoft will buy out Crytek in 10 years?
I sure as hell hope not.

Or do you think the next engine that every game and their cousin will license will be CryEngine-based?

Personally, I'd like to see how other dev's will do with Id's Next Engine...

EDIT:
About Epic, they're kinda leaning towards console systems more so, anyways....after UT3 sold well on the consoles, but not so great on the PC.

Why didn't UT3 sell well on the PC? B/c, it was mainly an updated version of the last UT game, w/ much, much prettier graphics. The console gamers, have they really had a game like UT3 on their system? Especially on their new console systems (X360 and PS3)? Naw; not like this one; not like UT3. See, this is just like how Halo filled the consoles gamers the need of there actually being a console FPS -- UT3 is just like Halo, as UT3 fills the need of a fast-paced sporty MP-based FPS.

UT3 and Halo -- PC gamers have seen plenty of FPS games like these, in the past; the same can't really be said for the console gamers.

[idolminds]

First, its Gamepro. Who listens to them anyway?

Second, isn't next months issue the April issue? The same month with April Fools Day in it?

[scottws]

Wouldn't it be March?

[idolminds]

The lead time on magazines is pretty large. If you check out issues on the rack, you'll usually notice they are a month ahead of whatever month it really is.

[K-man]

It would be a VERY smart business move for Microsoft.

[scottws]

Well yeah, but a month ahead of February is March.

[Xessive]

It is funny how things work out. I still remember being introduced to Unreal Tournament back ten years ago. I think I met Xessive soon after, who I thought was an Epic groupie. It is amazing how Epic have established themselves. I wonder if we are going to be looking back at Crytek in ten years time like we do Epic now.

Good Times
  Any time you meet a payment.
Good Times
  Any time you need a friend.
Good Times
  Any time you're out from under.

[Pugnate]

First, its Gamepro. Who listens to them anyway?

Second, isn't next months issue the April issue? The same month with April Fools Day in it?

You are right, it could be absolutely untrue, but as The K-Man said, it makes sense.

[idolminds]

It makes sense for MS, I'm not so sure if it makes sense for Epic. How would it affect their engine licensing? They've currently got some middleware deal with Sony or something like that. Companies might be less likely to want to use the engine if MS has ties to it.

Plus, it doesn't look like Epic is really hurting for cash in their current position. They own their IPs, which is a big deal. They license their engine out and make several hundred thousand dollars every time that happens. Plus they make their own games that generally do well sales-wise (except UT3...heh).

I dunno. I think this is a prank. Either that, or MS is not going to buy Epic but buy the Gears of War IP from them.

[Pugnate]

Let's see. I hope this is a prank, but you underestimate people's unfortunate love for money. I wouldn't have wanted EA to purchase Bioware either.

[Xessive]

If this is true I wonder how it will work with the "Gaming alliance" announced earlier.

[Pugnate]

Has that been announced yet?

[Xessive]

Has that been announced yet?

Oh, well "suggested" might be a more appropriate word.

[scottws]

I would be surprised Epic would like to be closely associated with Microsoft after they trouble they had with Microsoft as publisher of Gears of War.  I heard there were some pretty big fights about how Microsoft wanted to change a lot of aspects of the game and Epic vehemently refused.

[Pugnate]

That's what I read as well. Apparently there were 'creative differences', and MS wanted to artificially increase the length of the game and whatnot.

But then I actually played the game. 

[K-man]

I would be surprised Epic would like to be closely associated with Microsoft after they trouble they had with Microsoft as publisher of Gears of War.  I heard there were some pretty big fights about how Microsoft wanted to change a lot of aspects of the game and Epic vehemently refused.

Epic wanted to give away the map packs for Gears, but Microsoft flat-out refused.  The compromise was the timed release where after a few months they were free.

[Quemaqua]

They also had to fight for the chainsaw gun, as I recall.

[MysterD]

It makes sense for MS, I'm not so sure if it makes sense for Epic. How would it affect their engine licensing? They've currently got some middleware deal with Sony or something like that. Companies might be less likely to want to use the engine if MS has ties to it.

Plus, it doesn't look like Epic is really hurting for cash in their current position. They own their IPs, which is a big deal. They license their engine out and make several hundred thousand dollars every time that happens. Plus they make their own games that generally do well sales-wise (except UT3...heh).

I dunno. I think this is a prank. Either that, or MS is not going to buy Epic but buy the Gears of War IP from them.

Or maybe MS is deciding to buy the Unreal Engine Software/Property from Epic...

Oh, God no....that's a real bad thought there....

EDIT:
Oh, look at this...

VP Mark Rein is not denying rumors of the possible buyout, but is saying that Epic's worth more than $1 billion for a buyout....heh!

Rein: "$1bn? We're not that cheap"

Michael French in San Francisco Today, 8:45am

Comments (3)

Epic VP offers wry response to latest speculation about Microsoft's plans to acquire

A speculative editorial in US magazine GamePro has set the blog rumour mill in motion by claiming that Epic will be bought by Microsoft for $1bn by the summer.

In the latest issue, the magazine's assistant editor points out that Epic's knowledge of the 360 platform, work on key first-party IP Gears of War - and of course its booming business creating and licensing Unreal Engine - makes them a ripe partner for the format-holder

Epic hasn't commented on the actual veracity of the claim (as any privately-owned, profitable company ripe for a big money buyout in a growth market probably wouldn't) but when contacted by Develop, VP Mark Rein wasn't shy of making light of the latest speculation - firing back an email saying the firm he co-founded was worth at least double the amount claimed by GamePro.

"I have not seen the actual GamePro article but if they're going to make predictions about us selling Epic we would prefer if they started at $2 billion," he said. "Because we don't want anyone thinking that we're cheap. "

Epic has often been a target of acquisition speculation, especially given the firm's increasing popularity in the middleware circuit - there are hundreds of licensees for its Unreal Engine 3 and a raft of complimentary technology partners in its Integrated Partners Program.

Indeed in previous interviews, including those with Develop, Rein has refused to rule out the possibility of an acquisition - however his latest comments suggest that if someone were to make an offer for the studio, ownership of Epic would come at a high price.

[Cobra951]

I read that earlier.  He is NOT denying it.  Where do you see a denial?  He is being evasive with humor, or at least, that's my take on it.  Some may consider a company to be the same as their soul, but I think most of us would sell a business more readily than eternal bliss.

[gpw11]

Crytech the new Epic?  I can't ever see that happening personally, but who knows?   I'd honestly nominate Cro-team before Crytech just because they actually know how to build an engine that has some depth to it, rather than just pushing an insane amount of polygons and effects.

As for MS buying Epic, I don't know and I could really care less.  They're a company and if that's where they feel the money is, then so be it.  They would have migrated to consoles eventually if that's the case anyways.  I do, however, wonder if this has anything to do with Silicon Knights' lawsuit against Epic.