Sony vs Microsoft: Which potential acquisition of Ubisoft could benefit all parties involved the most

This has been a year of acquisitions. Rumor mills are putting Ubisoft as the next target amidst many deals going around the planet. Sony and Microsoft have been involved in the calendar year with acquisitions of entire studios and publishers.

While Microsoft's potential deal between Activision Blizzard and Sony's takeover of Bungie differs in valuations, the main motive could be similar. Based on a statement by Ubisoft to its stakeholders, speculation has been rife.

Ubisoft will potentially benefit both Sony and Microsoft, for starters. The publishing house has several big IPs under its wings, which could be the next step in the game for the two gaming giants.

While Ubisoft may have hinted at their willingness to review offers, they have also mentioned their intentions of appreciating independence. But between Sony and Microsoft, who will be a better fit for Ubisoft and vice versa.

---

Ubisoft will be good for Sony but great for Microsoft

Some of the active IPs under Ubisoft, like Far Cry and Assassin's Creed, are massive in the gaming world. Assassin's Creed Valhalla has already become the first Ubisoft game to have crossed the $1 billion revenue mark.

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has already confessed that giants in the entertainment industry have sought out their IPs.

"Ubisoft can remain independent...our IPs are sought after by the biggest global players in entertainment and tech,"

For Sony, Ubisoft could potentially be a superb acquisition. Sony recently acquired Bungie and has announced that Bungie will be staying independent. Independence is something that Ubisoft has been emphasizing. But independence is not just about executive decisions or game design.

Deciding whether to release a game multiplatform is also an important one. There have been cases where previous games from other studios have been locked as PlayStation exclusive on consoles.

Bungie and Destiny 2 appears to be a glitch in the matrix, but it has more to do with Sony's profits way more by keeping the live service game multiplatform.

As far as the genre of the games is concerned, Sony already has a robust roster of open-world games. The recent release of Horizon Forbidden West by Guerilla Games has been another valuable addition.

While Microsoft isn't short of open-world games, it can do so with improvement. Xbox's work with live service games has been a more extended experiment, and it could potentially be very lucrative for a company like Ubisoft.

A game like Assassin's Creed on the Game Pass can open it up to more potential suitors. If the recent Call of Duty games are anything to go by, microtransactions are king as far as developers are concerned.

Xbox has several studios under its wings, and there has been the freedom aspect. Ubisoft recently spoke about the hardships of game making, and a company like Microsoft can help them meet those challenges without interference in critical decision-making.

Finally, it all comes down to the price and financial capacity of a company pursuing the acquisition. While the exact purchase price is never given out in the open, it costs more than what Bungie has cost Sony and a lot less than what Activision has cost Xbox. Due to Microsoft's stronger financial muscle, Xbox will have a considerable advantage in this regard.