According to news posts on dbtechno.com and WRAL the latest issue of GamePro states that Microsoft is closing in on a deal to acquire developer Epic Games. The report states that Epic, known primarily as the developer behind Unreal Engine 3, would cost Microsoft upwards of $1 billion dollars. If true the acquisition would mean Microsoft would own Unreal Engine 3, the engine that powers most
We don't want to call out shenanigans immediately but this is hard to believe for a few reasons. One billion dollars to purchase Epic Games, who also own the rights to the Gears of War universe (Microsoft owns the current characters and title) and the Unreal franchise, seems like a bargain considering the value of the Unreal Engine licenses alone. This move would also put Microsoft at the forefront of current legal problems Epic is having with Silicon Knights, who has a publishing partnership with Microsoft. Also, Epic management don't seem like the kind of folks to let this thing slide considering how well they do financially on their own. We might be wrong on this one, but until we see the GamePro issue in question, talk to Epic's Mark Rein or hear about it from Xbox boss Don Mattrick we're not willing to call this one based on the fact that Epic has a booth next to Microsoft at GDC '08. But hey, crazier things have happened right and it really could happen couldn't it?
[Thanks, Deus Legend]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
2-18-2008 @ 8:53PM
ccc said...
MS makes money off Sony for games put on ps3 using the Unreal Engine and Sony makes money off MS eventually when MS throws a Blue Ray into the 360. Fair enough.
Reply
2-18-2008 @ 8:59PM
Xav de Matos said...
Well lets just clear the air and remember, Sony does not own Blu-ray.
The Blu-Ray Disc Association is comprised of various companies, including: Sony, LG Electronics, Hitachi, Sharp, Matsuhita, Pioneer, Philips, Thomson, and Samsung.
Also, there are over 15 companies on the Blu-ray board of directors including Apple.
Microsoft owning Epic would equal all monies going to them but a X360 BD add-on would mean a lot of sprinkling around various organizations.
2-19-2008 @ 1:27AM
John McPoop said...
Xav De matos
Sony does not "own" blu-ray but they do collect royalties for certain patents they created for Blu-Ray (I believe DRM and the disc coating). I think this would be a smack in the face to 360 exclusive owners. I mean at that point your having to spend much more money to get the system to spec with the PS3 out of the box. The best bet would be a new sku with a 40 GB Ps3 price point that had Blu-Ray built in for playbook.
Seriously though after you buy the Wi-FI adapter, HD DVD/ Blu-Ray add on, and upgrade the Hard drive (unless you have the 120 GB) and if you have an HDMi you also need to buy the cable your looking at a more premium price than PS3 out the box and that without paying for 1 year of LIVE, rechargeable battery pack for controller and any other accessories like faceplates or skins. And you still won't have a true web browser (I use it on PS3 to watch Youtube but other than that it weak)
Got lost on a tangent but point is Sony is not King Shit of Blu-Ray mountain. They do however collect royalties. Another external drive will be a failure b/c u can double the price and have a PS3 who can upgrade it's firmware to 2.0 wen released.
If they make it around $129.99 then its a solid buy.
PSWII60 TO INFINITY... BE A FAN OF GAMES NOT CONSOLES
2-19-2008 @ 1:30AM
Xav de Matos said...
@John McPoop: I guess I wasn't clear but my points are the same as yours. Sony doesn't own Blu-ray (a point I've made on several comments and posts) but they are apart of the association that does. So, if someone were to license its use they would get some money (aka a sprinkle) from the license use.
Microsoft owning Epic outright though would mean all license fees are paid to Microsoft. That was the point I was trying to make.
Sorry if that wasn't clear, but thanks for throwing the comments some knowledge sir.
XdM out!
2-18-2008 @ 8:56PM
Tyler said...
This would be huge for MGS. It is very unlikely but hey, it would be a giant announcement since GDC is right around the corner. I won't rule it out as stranger things have happend.
P.S-Where is the fancast? Delayed?
Reply
2-18-2008 @ 9:01PM
Xav de Matos said...
We're hoping to get the fancast out tonight, maybe tomorrow. The chief (aka Richard), edits it himself and was on a plane to GDC today so it's possible for a launch today.
2-18-2008 @ 8:56PM
jtedesco33 said...
There is no way in hell this is true, no matter how awesome it would be for MS.
Reply
2-18-2008 @ 9:00PM
shay07 said...
This deal would be....EPIC. Haha i made a pun
Reply
2-18-2008 @ 9:03PM
srt4rider said...
Wow seeing my local news station getting in the video game rumors thats odd. But from MS's stand point i can see it, from Epic i am not so sure just because they are rolling in cash already. I guess we will see.
Reply
2-18-2008 @ 9:03PM
mark said...
It'd certainly be very shady of M$ considering it would probably lead to M$ stopping support for the unreal engine with all non-360 games.
Reply
2-18-2008 @ 9:05PM
Xav de Matos said...
If this were true that would probably be the last thing that would happen.
But I wouldn't expect Sony to tout their Unreal Engine 3 tech in their dev kits anymore as a selling point.
2-18-2008 @ 9:12PM
mark said...
why wouldnt M$ do it? They might lose money at first from the loss of games and profits from that. But M$ would recoup the lost money by selling more consoles by having better exclusives. If i was a business thats what i would do.
Reply
2-18-2008 @ 9:16PM
Xav de Matos said...
So is your "S" key not working or... lol, I joke... I joke...
2-18-2008 @ 10:33PM
Swampfox said...
Why wouldn't microsoft hold the unreal engine ransom? Isn't that the core engine for graphic technology? It may seem unfair but still, I would feel bad for Sony as much as i hate them. This looks like a gamebreaker to me so I rather just see both sides be competitive rather than one annihilate the other...
2-20-2008 @ 6:06AM
Xav de Matos said...
Holding anything ransom to a proud company like Sony would just piss off detractors, give people a real reason to hate them and send them off to using the Resistance 2.0 engine for future titles.
Let them pay you and don't say a word, that's how it should pan out.
2-18-2008 @ 9:19PM
Adam said...
Its as simple as this.Ms can buy whoever and what ever they want.Everyone has thee price.Maybe the price given was inaccurate but i see it as possible.As for lawsuits etc ms has seen its share and a opertunity to one up sony by snatching the rights to the unreal engine would be a huge plus on ms's part.
Not that its gonna happen it could.
Reply
2-18-2008 @ 9:26PM
Mr Khan said...
It would certainly help secure their grasp on GoW, so that the franchise could never get into the legal limbo that, say, Goldeneye has gotten into
Developer defections have caused trouble before
Reply
2-18-2008 @ 9:35PM
Killer said...
Out with Bungie in with Epic...
Why not? As long as they do the same thing they did with Bungie. I'm fine with this.
Reply
2-18-2008 @ 9:38PM
Killer said...
Hey, At least it's better than EA buying Epic....
Reply
2-18-2008 @ 9:39PM
Deus Legend said...
YAY I got noticed, thanks X360F!!!
Reply