Capcom, the game studio behind Resident Evil, has made it clear that it would “gracefully decline” any acquisition offers, particularly from tech giant Microsoft. Haruhiro Tsujimoto, Capcom's COO, expressed the company's preference for organic growth and internal talent development over being purchased by external entities. “I would gracefully decline the offer, because I believe it would be better if we were equal partners,” Tsujimoto stated in an interview with Bloomberg.
A Stance on Independence and Partnerships
This declaration comes amidst Microsoft's aggressive acquisition spree, having acquired notable game studios such as ZeniMax Media and Mojang and while they are working on finalizing the takeover of Activision Blizzard. The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has granted preliminary approval for Microsoft's acquisition plans, a deal valued at $69 billion. Initially, the CMA had reservations about the acquisition, primarily focusing on the potential impact on the cloud gaming market.
Haruhiro Tsujimoto´s comments underscore Capcom's commitment to maintaining its independence while acknowledging the value of forming external partnerships to achieve the company's goals. The company is notably expanding its mobile games portfolio, bringing titles like Resident Evil Village to iPhone 15 Pro through a collaboration with Apple.
Addressing Development Costs and Pricing
With the rise in development costs for Japanese developers, there are indications that Capcom may consider adjusting the standard pricing for its future game titles. This potential shift in pricing strategy aligns with similar moves by other major publishers in the industry. The company continues to make headlines with its strong presence at the Tokyo Games Show and a series of successful game releases, reinforcing its desire to remain an independent entity in the gaming world.
