Jan 07, 2021 12:30:00

It is clear that Microsoft was considering acquiring Nintendo 20 years ago

Nintendo, which develops Nintendo Switch, and Microsoft, which develops Xbox Series X, have a rivalry in the stationary game console market. However, official testimony revealed that Microsoft had considered the acquisition of its rival Nintendo 20 years ago, and even had discussions with each other.

Xbox 20 Year Anniversary: How an American Video Game Empire Was Born --Bloomberg

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-01-06/xbox-the-oral-history-of-an-american-video-game-empire

Microsoft tried to buy Nintendo 20 years ago 'but they just laughed their asses off'? Eurogamer.net
https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2021-01-06-microsoft-tried-to-buy-nintendo-but-they-just-laughed-their-asses-off

Former Xbox Executives Say Nintendo'Laughed Their Asses Off' When Microsoft Offer To Buy It
https://kotaku.com/former-xbox-executives-say-nintendo-laughed-their-asses-1846000965

As Xbox celebrates its 20th anniversary, news site Bloomberg is interviewing 20 people involved in the development of Xbox. One of the people who responded to this interview was Kevin Bax, director of Third Party Relations in Microsoft's Xbox division.

'Steve (former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer) went to a meeting to see if Nintendo would consider the acquisition, but Nintendo laughs at our proposal,' Bax said. It was just. Imagine someone laughing at you for an hour. That was the meeting, 'said Microsoft's takeover offer with a laugh.

Then, in January 2000, Bob McBreen, who was in charge of business development for Xbox, met with Nintendo. During this meeting, Microsoft proposed to Nintendo a joint venture to develop 'hardware for playing Nintendo titles,' but it was rejected.

'Compared to Sony's PlayStation, Nintendo's hardware was shit. So I thought,'You (Nintendo) are far better at developing games such as Mario, so hardware Could you leave the development to us (Microsoft)? ”, But this proposal didn't work.”

At that time, Microsoft wasn't the only one considering the acquisition. After the Xbox business got off to a good start, Microsoft was considering acquiring multiple gaming companies such as Konami, Electronic Arts, Square and

Midway Games . In the case of Electronic Arts, the company declined the acquisition offer, and in the case of Square, the acquisition price was too low, and all the proposals eventually failed.

During the period 2000-2001 when Microsoft was considering acquiring Nintendo, Nintendo had already released the NINTENDO 64 , and it was time to launch the Nintendo GameCube soon. However, both the NINTENDO 64 and Nintendo GameCube game consoles sold far less than the Super Nintendo , so 'If Microsoft had acquired Nintendo, it's possible that the Master Chief had appeared in Mario Kart. There is, 'says Kotaku, an overseas game media, inflating his delusion.