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Microsoft tried to buy Nintendo !!!

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Redah

Go Sweden! Not!
Administrator
Heh, typical Microsoft...

Not content with trying the purchase Sega, Microsoft pulled out all the stops to attempt to buy Nintendo. Bill Gates was prepared to stump up $25 billion for the Japanese gaming giant.

A new book called Opening the Xbox: Inside Microsoft's Plan to Unleash an Entertainment Revolution has revealed that Bill Gates' powerhouse tried to purchase Nintendo. When interviewing Nintendo's U.S president Minoru Arakawa, he let slip that Nintendo 'weren't sure what to think when Microsoft made the offer.'' He continued with the commments "I was surprised, we didn't need the money. I thought it was a joke."

Nintendo realised that such a proposition should not be ignored. "Some Nintendo executives seemed interested and the meetings went on through the winter," the book reveals. "The parties met six or seven times. Microsoft wanted Nintendo to drop its GameCube console and get behind the Xbox. But Hiroshi Yamauchi, the aging CEO and Nintendo, didn't like the idea. By January 2000, the talks were over."

The two companies went their separate ways and ended discussions amicably. "Our ability to remain independent was unquestioned due to our financial status," Minoru Arakawa described. "And it became clear that our objectives and their objectives were not the same."

Just imagine what would have happened if Microsoft's plan to buy Nintendo had succeeded - no GameCube and no Cube Europe. Isn't it great that Nintendo resisted from the clutches of Bill's Gates' empire.

Source: Cube-Europe
 

linker

Emutalk Member
Just imagine what would have happened if Microsoft's plan to buy Nintendo had succeeded - no GameCube and no Cube Europe. Isn't it great that Nintendo resisted from the clutches of Bill's Gates' empire.

Yea, it's great.
 

Stalkid64

Citizen(sixty)four
Yes, but can anyone imagine Mr Yamauchi EVER selling Nintendo to anyone... I`m guessing Microsoft of all people would`ve recieved a short, two word answer (the second of which is "off") followed by some hysterical laughing and a hearty "yeah, RIGHT! What-ever!"
Or whatever the Japanese equivalent is... ;)
 

AlphaWolf

I prey, not pray.
my $.02.

All companies that have ever decided to compete with microsoft have met a pretty shallow fate. This is what nintendo has clearly decided to do. Now, I am not pro microsoft, but you have to admit, they are a very large company, much larger than nintendo. It would not surprise me in the least if in 4-6 years, nintendo ends up where sega is now. You can quote me on that.

I will give it to you that microsoft uses windows as a tool to control competitors, but they do not currently have any non monetary leverage over video games whatsoever. The only way they can beat nintendo is by simply providing better games, cheaper prices, etc. They have plenty of resources to do so.

I hope for nintendos sake that bill didn't take that refused proposal personaly. If the DOJ doesn't do anything to stop microsoft, they will very likely win in this market. If you doubt me you are only kidding yourself. Microsoft has even said that if the xbox fails, they won't stick their tails between their legs and walk off, rather they will continualy try new things.
 

Macca

New member
AlphaWolf said:
t would not surprise me in the least if in 4-6 years, nintendo ends up where sega is now. You can quote me on that.

i will save this quote because i believe the opposite. i think it is a great move by nintendo to battle m$. they understand that they can come out on top so they have accepted the challenge. Good move big n!
 

Tri-Force

Philosopher Warrior
AlphaWolf said:
my $.02.



I will give it to you that microsoft uses windows as a tool to control competitors, but they do not currently have any non monetary leverage over video games whatsoever. The only way they can beat nintendo is by simply providing better games, cheaper prices, etc. They have plenty of resources to do so.
MS cant beat Nintendo with the bones of SEGA if they tried. Lets look at the history of everyone who tried to box with the N. all but one died and that's Sony. MS would totally SCREW up Zelda and Mario and make them,... well,... crappy Xbox games. and i haven't seen one game that makes me want to go out and buy an crapbox yet.
 

Josep

eyerun4phun
err, at this point in time i hope they make shenmue3 on the gc, better yet, the pc;) BUT seriously, i've heard too many rumors about it being on x-box...NOT COOL!!!;) i don't wanna buy a freakn' x-box to complete the series, or continue it nyway:)
 

Renegade

Wearer of Army Boots
hm...picture the scene.

*MS employees enter Yamauchi's conference room*

Employee: So, Mr. Yamauchi, do we have a deal? (slaps down US$25 billion)

*Yamauchi smiles. Arakawa shifts a finger*

Employee: You give us a presentation of your products. We'll keep them...except the GameCube.

*Yamauchi's smile falters, but he breaks into a grin. His hand shifts to his briefcase. Arakawa picks up one of the laptops from the floor*

Arakawa: We're interested. However...
Yamauchi: There may just be a few problems.

*Yamauchi breaks into a toothed grin*

Employee: Ehm...what may that be? You see, we need to reach our target of 2 trillion by June 2nd...if there may be any problems...money will help.

*Yamauchi suddenly laughs and smashes the employee out the window with his briefcase*
*Arakawa, Shigeru and 3 other Nintendo employees pick up the laptops, which flip into Laptop Guns and begin firing paper balls labelled "Screw my ass, Microsoft, and get outta here" in Japanese at the employees, which flee in terror*
*Outside, they are confronted with irate Nintendo America employees, who promptly smash them out the windows with their briefcases and throw tins of Mushroom and H-Bombs at them*
 

blizz

New member
buying a company out is a very un-M$ thing to do, they like to crush them

however Nintendo made the right move because they are the Apple to the M$ (currently Sony) in the games market

also I think M$ really wants to use the X-Box as a launch platform for easy to use web box's (much like Sony is trying to do with playstation)

also this is why we should like pokemon :p
 

Macca

New member
blizz said:
buying a company out is a very un-M$ thing to do, they like to crush them

Just like The simpsons;

Gates : "Buy him out boys"

lol that was some funny shit:p
 

Raging Fuel

The jumbles man, the jumbles
blizz said:
buying a company out is a very un-M$ thing to do, they like to crush them

I can think of many times where MS have bought out companies (bungie, ensemble, that voice comm company).
 

blizz

New member
Raging Fuel said:


I can think of many times where MS have bought out companies (bungie, ensemble, that voice comm company).

I should have refined my post buy anyway,

not if you consider what Nintendo is though, why didn't M$ try and buy Sega?

they buy companies to add to their strategies not to enter markets.
 

Stalkid64

Citizen(sixty)four
This is *very* old news anyway though... I think it may even have cropped up in the excellent book Game Over (though its been way too long since I last read that so I`m not sure). This was back in the days when Microsoft was just trying to buy everybody out. Nintendo would never have been in danger of signing over to them... they aren`t and likely never will be in the position SEGA got themselves into with faliure after faliure. The amount they`ve made from GB, GBC and GBA alone has ensured that the big N have a huge amount of money to fall back on. Remember how Yamauchi-san recently started funding developers with something around a billion... small change found in an old suit pocket in Ninendo terms. Now, back to happy thoughts of playing new Nintendo games come Friday... *sighs happily*
 
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