Microsoft or Sony to acquire Pokémon?

[Thomas Wiencek]

Do you think that Microsoft Game Studios or Sony Computer Entertainment will acquire the own rights to the Pokémon franchise from Nintendo? If not, please tell my why not?

 

[Hikamaru]

I don't think Game Freak would want to sell Pokemon, which has been distributed through Nintendo from the get-go. The only way I could see Pokemon moving to a rival company would be if Nintendo collapsed and face it, that wouldn't be what we want either.

 

[Radiating]

No, Game Freak has no reason to give up the rights to Pokemon.

 

[Guest123_x1]

Game Freak would essentially be committing business suicide if they sold off the Pokémon franchise altogether to another firm. Their other properties have nowhere near the level of recognition or fame as Pokémon does (or even did in the late 1990s-early 2000s).

Divesting the Pokémon franchise would be on the same level of craziness as Disney selling off their universally-recognized legacy characters Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy.

 

[Brendino]

Posted this a year or two ago, but I still feel the same way. It just doesn't make sense for anyone to buy the Pokemon franchise.

With the Pokemon franchise being the second highest selling game franchise of all time, and in just 2014 its overall revenue was upwards of $2 billion, it would take a massive bid for any company to try and buy the Pokemon franchise. If you want a couple comparisons, 2 years ago Microsoft paid $2.5 billion for Mojang (the creators of Minecraft), even though their revenue was just 1/8th of what Pokemon made that year. And while Disney only paid $4 billion for Lucasfilm (creators of Star Wars), their revenues had only been hovering around $200 million the previous few years.

Realistically, I think the Pokemon Company would be put up on the stock market long before they were outright sold to another company.
[...]
Still, I don't think it would be the right move for anyone involved if Pokemon were to be sold off.

 

[pkmin3033]

For this to actually even stand a chance of happening, the Switch would have to tank harder than the Wii U did - which is not going to happen - and any successor to the 3DS would have to fail equally as horribly...which wouldn't happen, because it'd become the new platform for Pokemon. Pokemon is one of Nintendo's most prominent franchises, and for it to be acquired by anyone else it'd have to lose a hell of a lot of its value. Even in the scenario that Nintendo's consoles all fail harder than the Wii U, they'd still be crazy to sell Pokemon - SEGA still own Sonic, after all. Nintendo's IPs are its strength, and Pokemon is one of its strongest IPs.

Also...Microsoft? Please. In the gaming industry, they're a joke. If anyone bought Pokemon in those events, it'd be Sony. Microsoft are so anti-JRPG that Nintendo would probably have to pay THEM to take Pokemon off their hands.

 

[LadyLucina]

I don't see either of those companies getting their hands on Pokemon any time soon. It's too good a franchise for Nintendo to let go of.

 

[Lunar]

It's been one of Nintendo's -and the video game industry in general- best selling games of all time and I really don't think Nintendo would sell the rights unless there was an absolutely insane offer. Plus, Microsoft doesn't have a portable console which is kinda the whole point of Pokemon and Sony's well, theres isn't that good.

 

[Bisharp]

Definitely not. Pokemon isn't just one of Nintendo's best-selling franchises, but Pikachu is kind of another Nintendo mascot depending on who you ask. That's like asking if SEGA will give Sonic to Nintendo - it just won't happen.
While I'd love to see Pokemon on competitor hardware, there's no way Nintendo would ever allow that. They protect their IP a little too much hahah

 

[KaratGaming]

Game Freak doesn't trust others with the Pokemon name. They protect their own franchise fiercely.

 

[pryce10]

If Nintendo went nuts and decided living was too boring and dying would be better...
yeah I can see it happening

 

[blue]

Pokémon is Nintendo's second highest selling franchise right behind Mario. They'd be stupid to give up a franchise that's sold almost 300 million units worldwide.

 

[Somewhere_]

I seriously doubt it. The franchise is worth a TON, so there is no reason for the rights to be sold. And it would probably be a bad move on Sony's part... it would be cost them billions to buy Pokemon. And they could alienate a significant portion of the fanbase by doing so. Game freak has always made the main Pokemon games!