Name: Microsoft Tried to Buy Nintendo, But Got Laughed Out of the Room
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Microsoft Tried to Buy Nintendo, But Got Laughed Out of the Room

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The company wanted Nintendo's software for the original Xbox.Let the business resources in our guide inspire you and help you achieve your goals in 2021.January7, 20213 min readThis story originally appeared onSomehow, it’s already been two decades since first announced the , its foray into console . Specifically, the Xbox was unveiled at CES in 2001.&nbsp;To commemorate that launch,&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;of how the console came to be. It’s a fascinating read, but one particular passage stands out: details on Microsoft’s efforts to secure games for the brand-new console. While the company implored third-party developers to work on the Xbox, Microsoft also considered using its considerable financial might to buy developers. And Microsoft set its sights high, approaching about an acquisition.Microsoft was laughed out of the room, says Kevin Bachus, a director for third-party relations on the Xbox project. “They just laughed their asses off,” Bachus said to&nbsp;Bloomberg. “Like, imagine an hour of somebody just laughing at you. That was kind of how that meeting went.”Microsoft’s specific pitch&nbsp;did&nbsp;make some amount of sense. At the time, Nintendo was lagging behind badly from a hardware perspective. So Microsoft figured it could take on hardware production and leave Nintendo to focus on the software. “We actually had Nintendo in our building in January 2000 to work through the details of a joint venture where we gave them all the technical specs of the Xbox,” said head of business development Bob Mcbreen. “The pitch was their hardware stunk, and compared to Sony PlayStation, it did. So the idea was, ‘Listen, you’re much better at the game portions of it with Mario and all that stuff. Why don’t you let us take care of the hardware?’ But it didn’t work out.”Related:&nbsp;While this is certainly the most notable of Microsoft’s failed acquisitions, there were a few other notable developers who passed on the company’s overtures. EA was the first company that Microsoft reached out to; the software giant passed with a more simple, “No, thanks.” Microsoft also was meeting with Square (now known as Square Enix) and&nbsp;Mortal Kombat&nbsp;developer Midway.One acquisition that&nbsp;did&nbsp;go through gave Microsoft what’s been the flagship franchise for the Xbox since day one. At the time, Bungie was a little-known developer, but&nbsp;Halo: Combat Evolved&nbsp;arrived alongside the first Xbox in November of 2001 and was met with immediate acclaim. It’s not a stretch to say the game gave the Xbox immediate legitimacy and helped it carve out a significant chunk of the gaming market despite the dominance of Sony and Nintendo. For more on how the first Xbox came to be,&nbsp;Get heaping discounts to books you love delivered straight to your inbox. We’ll feature a different book each week and share exclusive deals you won’t find anywhere else.Amplify your business knowledge and reach your full entrepreneurial potential with Entrepreneur Insider’s exclusive benefits. For just $5 per month, get access to premium content, webinars, an ad-free experience, and more! Plus, enjoy a FREE 1-year Entrepreneur magazine subscription.Entrepreneur Store scours the web for the newest software, gadgets &amp; web services. Explore our giveaways, bundles, "Pay What You Want" deals &amp; more.

The company wanted Nintendo's software for the original Xbox.Let the business resources in our guide inspire you and help you achieve your goals in 2021.January7, 20213 min readThis story originally appeared onSomehow, it’s already been two decades since first announced the , its foray into console . Specifically, the Xbox was unveiled at CES in 2001.&nbsp;To commemorate that launch,&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;of how the console came to be. It’s a fascinating read, but one particular passage stands out: details on Microsoft’s efforts to secure games for the brand-new console. While the company...

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Microsoft Tried to Buy Nintendo, But Got Laughed Out of the Room

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