Rumor: Apple could be thinking about buying EA and sony
- Thread starter Saucycarpdog
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It won't be that bad. If they do make them like they make apple stuff people will stop buying their games. They will realise its for that reason and stop it. Hopefully. If they are smart. In fact, if they were really smart they wouldn't buy it in the first place. They certainly don't need money.TPiddy said:
I dunno, in the list of candidates EA and Sony are plausible.
Sony: Manufactures a significant portion of the phone hardware apple competes with (reduces competition in a lucrative market, gives Apple more leverage when negotiating deals with providers). Manufactures and publishes video games (a market that Apple has successfully penetrated in the mobile space but has made no significant ground in the home space). Manufactures a variety of other digital technology (significant R&D resources in specific fields related to Apple's current known interests, significant manufacturing capability). Cons? They're hemorrhaging cash (at a loss of about 1/2% of the companies total value last year - about a half billion net losses in USD). They'd also be pricey (estimated 41 billion USD to acquire).
EA - primarily working in the software development and publishing side. No significant overlap with current Apple products or services. Represents a specific expansion of Apple's interest into the gaming industry, a field that Apple has only entered tangentially at best at the moment. Significantly less costly to acqure.
Disney - Generally successful animation studio. Home to Pixar, another product of Steve Jobs (a company that has not ever made anything save hit movies). Owns significant assets related to the production of films and other entertainment products. Generally represents an extension of Apple's capabilities more directly into the entertainment space. Significant real estate holdings with several lucrative properties including Disney World/Land.
Netflix - A retailer in all but name. No significant overlap with known Apple ventures. Could represent an added revenue stream in the form of apple exclusive streaming rights (increasing demand for apple products directly but likely at the cost of lower revenue directly from the service), or in the form of simply allowing other platforms to carry the service (does not encourage ownership of apple products, but likely has a greater potential revenue stream as a result). The meatspace shipping portion would almost certainly be downsized.
That was more or less the list of possible acquisition targets listed. In my mind, while there is a very strong case to be made for them to acquire sony, I suspect the cost is just too high for stockholder comfort. EA, Disney and Netflix are all significantly cheaper assets and of the lot, Disney seems the most likely. It not only includes significant publishing and game development assets (like EA), but it is also home to Jobs' other company (Pixar). Additionally, the company has a very long history of success especially in very specific sections.
Sony: Manufactures a significant portion of the phone hardware apple competes with (reduces competition in a lucrative market, gives Apple more leverage when negotiating deals with providers). Manufactures and publishes video games (a market that Apple has successfully penetrated in the mobile space but has made no significant ground in the home space). Manufactures a variety of other digital technology (significant R&D resources in specific fields related to Apple's current known interests, significant manufacturing capability). Cons? They're hemorrhaging cash (at a loss of about 1/2% of the companies total value last year - about a half billion net losses in USD). They'd also be pricey (estimated 41 billion USD to acquire).
EA - primarily working in the software development and publishing side. No significant overlap with current Apple products or services. Represents a specific expansion of Apple's interest into the gaming industry, a field that Apple has only entered tangentially at best at the moment. Significantly less costly to acqure.
Disney - Generally successful animation studio. Home to Pixar, another product of Steve Jobs (a company that has not ever made anything save hit movies). Owns significant assets related to the production of films and other entertainment products. Generally represents an extension of Apple's capabilities more directly into the entertainment space. Significant real estate holdings with several lucrative properties including Disney World/Land.
Netflix - A retailer in all but name. No significant overlap with known Apple ventures. Could represent an added revenue stream in the form of apple exclusive streaming rights (increasing demand for apple products directly but likely at the cost of lower revenue directly from the service), or in the form of simply allowing other platforms to carry the service (does not encourage ownership of apple products, but likely has a greater potential revenue stream as a result). The meatspace shipping portion would almost certainly be downsized.
That was more or less the list of possible acquisition targets listed. In my mind, while there is a very strong case to be made for them to acquire sony, I suspect the cost is just too high for stockholder comfort. EA, Disney and Netflix are all significantly cheaper assets and of the lot, Disney seems the most likely. It not only includes significant publishing and game development assets (like EA), but it is also home to Jobs' other company (Pixar). Additionally, the company has a very long history of success especially in very specific sections.
So if Apple buys EA and Sony, that will split the mainstream market neatly in three: Mac/Playstation, Xbox360 ('Cause we all know MS doesn't care two hoots about Windows), and Nintendo. That would make things interesting indeed.
On another front: If Apple buys Sony, does that mean the PS4 will be white?
On another front: If Apple buys Sony, does that mean the PS4 will be white?
Don't worry, there's always some young, plucky, teenage Japanese protagonist to get us out of these kinds of situations.Redlin5 said:
Careful, those are dangerous waters.omicron1 said:
We don't mind whatever colour they should wish to make their consoles.
Why does everyone hate on Apple and Steve Jobs when he also created Pixar, which everybody here loves? Steve Jobs doesn't turn anything to shit. He doesn't do a lot of gaming with Apple, and Apple products cost a shitload of money, but there have been REVOLUTIONS due to Apple. I'm not a dyed-in-the-wool-fan, but you have to give them some credit.KaosuHamoni said:
I find myself extremely uneasy about this. Partly because there's a lot of speculation, and very little actual dealings, but mostly because of the fact that Sony is a huge company, with products all over the place. Apple has only computers and the iPod/Pad family. While yes, they certainly have the cash to move up, I find myself confused as to how they intend to embrace what is virtually the rest of the market.
Well, that, and the fact that Apple owning Sony means Apple will be in control of both InFamous and God of War...
Well, that, and the fact that Apple owning Sony means Apple will be in control of both InFamous and God of War...
Don't forget the Google Imperium.TimeLord said:
OT: Nonononononononononononononono! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO goddammit!.
<color=red>NO. I refuse. I see this doing nothing but fucking with me and my two gaming mediums of choice (360 and PC) and this meaning future BioWare games being restricted to PS3 and Mac would just make me burn down an orphanage.
lal 51 billion n no debt...Apple sure is rich :O
tho Bill Gates still pwns em haha
But still i dont want Sony to go under Apple.....and why would they?
And what was that about Walt Disney I hope this is all just speculations from Wall Street....i dont want Bambi to go around with an iPod jumping in the forrest while singing Im Not Afraid...before finding her mom dead -_-`
tho Bill Gates still pwns em
hahaBut still i dont want Sony to go under Apple.....and why would they?
And what was that about Walt Disney
I hope this is all just speculations from Wall Street....i dont want Bambi to go around with an iPod jumping in the forrest while singing Im Not Afraid...before finding her mom dead -_-`
Apple may have a huge amount of cash that's doing anything but being returned to investors, but I doubt Jobs would let a purchase like that happen for a second. Buying businesses only marginally related to a company's core business is a sure-fire route for disaster, as it's been since the dawn of capitalism. So in short, it's just a silly rumor.
What a load of bollox! Every company mentioned in that report is worth more than $51 billion. Besides, Apple wouldn't splash out on something like that without good reason. Sony and EA have nothing Apple want. It'd be no advantage to them.
It's already happened.Wayward Man said:
Activision Blizzard is owned by Vivendi (More or less.)
Look at the assets which Vivendi owns.
As for me?
Well, if Apple does decide to buy EA and Sony, I think it'll be high time for me to leave the Video Game market.