Sega addresses rumors of being acquired by Microsoft, and offers a compliment
What you need to know
Shuji Utsumi, Sega's Co-Chief Operating Officer has debunked rumors of being bought by Microsoft during an interview with media news network, Bloomberg.
Shuji Utsumi also states that Sega is enjoying its working relationship with Microsoft as Microsoft values the creativity and work Sega puts out.
Sega is a massive videogame and entertainment responsible for publishing popular videogames like Sonic the Hedgehog, Like a Dragon, Persona and many more.
On June 29, 2023, the media news network Bloomberg conducted an interview with Shuji Utsumi, the Co-Chief Operating Officer for the famous videogame company, Sega. During the interview, Shuji Utsumi was informed that Microsoft was considering acquiring Sega after plans were revealed in documents presented in Microsoft's ongoing court battle with the FTC to acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7bn.
Bloomberg:Shuji Utsumi (CO COO Sega) said that there are no plans to sell after Documents of a Sega acquisition by Microsoft went online but he said that he recognized that Microsoft holds Sega in higher regard than Sony or NintendoTranslated Via DeepLhttps://t.co/vlsN5vAEW2 pic.twitter.com/CuhnMVqmzNJune 29, 2023
When asked if Sega had intentions of being acquired by Microsoft, Shuji Utsumi said "No. Not now.", confirming that Sega plans to stay independent for now. However, Shuji Utsumi has stated Sega is enjoying a very healthy working relationship with Microsoft.
He says “We are very close with Microsoft and have a great relationship with its management team,” which is followed by “Microsoft particularly has a high regard for us. Xbox’s Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond are really serious about values that video game fans emphasize.”
Sega's working partnership with Microsoft has paid off for both companies in spades. As a result of this relationship, Sega has published some of the best Xbox games for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Game Pass which include the likes of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Sonic Mania, and Persona 5.
Since the initial plans were revealed, it's unclear if Microsoft is still considering purchasing Sega. However, considering the amount of trouble Microsoft has been through and still is trying to acquire Activision Blizzard, it remains to be seen if they are ready to go through the same process with any further purchases of video game companies again in the near future.
