Xbox nearly bought Sega

Xbox nearly bought Sega

Can you imagine Sonic with a Microsoft logo on it? Well it nearly happened.

Emails released during the FTC court case logged against Microsoft purchasing call of duty publisher activision shows that in 2019 Phil Spencer wrote an email to the head of Microsoft Satya nadella asking for approval to go on a spending spree to purchase games studios and publishers.

This included Sega who spencer concluded “Sega has built a well-balanced portfolio of games across segments with global geographic appeal, and will help us accelerate Xbox Game Pass both on and off-console.

The global appeal of Sega’s beloved IP will help expand Xbox Game Pass’s reach to new audiences around the world, most notably in Asia, where localized content is critical to success

Sega was listed as a key target for some years to come and was apparently on the shopping list as late as 2021. Its not clear what happened to the deal or if talks are still on going. For the moment Sonic remains free to run where he likes.

Yep Sonic nearly became Xbox exlcusive.

#ftc #xbox #sega #sonicthehedgehog #xboxgamepass