Major Nintendo franchises including Pokémon and Mario could make their way to Xbox—if Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer gets his way.
Significant developments continue to flood out of Microsoft’s ongoing trial against the FTC, as the company continues to push through its planned purchase of Activision Blizzard, which has resulted in some rather eye-catching documents.
In an email from Aug. 2020 from Spencer to two Microsoft marketing executives, Spencer described Nintendo as “the prime asset” in gaming and expressed his belief that it would be “a good move for both companies.”
Such a move, however, is something Spencer himself admitted was unlikely as Nintendo “is sitting on a big pile of cash” and does not advise a “hostile move,” instead believing that they are “playing the long game.”
Should an opportunity to link up with Nintendo arise, however, Spencer said the Microsoft board of directors is “fully supportive” of a move—though fans certainly shouldn’t hold their breath.
A partnership would certainly be an interesting prospect, which would see Microsoft venture into the handheld market, an area they’ve never really tapped into, while Nintendo would have access to much more powerful consoles to release games onto.
It would also provide a near-endless list of potential crossovers, like bringing Master Chief from the Halo franchise to Smash Bros, or a full Halo crossover with Splatoon, and the prospect of a true open-world Pokémon game harnessing the power of the Xbox Series X would be a dream to see.
Microsoft’s desire is understandable, as Nintendo is a long-term player in the gaming industry and possesses some of the most valuable IPs in existence, though their stock has strengthened in the past year by venturing beyond the traditional gaming sphere.
We’ve already seen a Super Mario movie, with a sequel widely expected, and there is a theme park in Asia. Nowadays, Nintendo’s eggs are not all in one basket, which is vital when battling powerhouses like Microsoft and Sony.
