- Microsoft was recently rumored to be buying Valve for $16 billion.
- These reports likely have no truth to them since such an amount would be too low for a corporation as big as Valve.
- Regulators would also become a major hurdle for Microsoft amid threats of a PC gaming monopoly.
Microsoft has been on an acquisition spree since its purchase of Bethesda Softworks in 2021. The gaming giant just wrapped up a nearly $70 billion acquisition last year, but rumors have already begun to hint at another buyout.
According to recent information on social media, Microsoft is seemingly prepared to buy Valve for a whopping $16 billion. However, we’re here to tell you that this is not going to happen.
Why it matters: This type of merger would impact gaming as a whole, changing the landscape forever.
For starters, acquisitions rarely leak, if ever. Most rumors and reports about such buyouts have proven to be false multiple times, with supposed mergers between PlayStation and Square Enix still yet to be proven true.
The initial report was spread on Twitter, where a user claimed Microsoft had prepared a $16 billion offer to buy Valve. However, the user did not provide any sources, and this rumor was never corroborated by any of the more reliable leakers.
It’s also important to consider the value of Valve. Keep in mind Microsoft paid a whopping $68.7 billion for Activision alone. On the other hand, Valve not only owns various top PC games, but it practically runs the platform through Steam.
Let’s not forget that the company makes billions each year from Counter-Strike cases alone. However, Microsoft probably has enough money to put forward a suitable offer, so the price is not the biggest issue.
A potential future where Valve was prepared to merge with Microsoft would see the regulators stepping in. Last year, the gaming giant already faced stiff opposition from the FTC, CMA, and more.
Having ownership of Valve would undoubtedly guarantee Microsoft a monopoly over PC gaming, so we don’t see how this merger would ever go through.
It seems the rumor stemmed from the fact that prior leaks from Microsoft showed various corporations were considered for acquisitions at one point, including Valve and Nintendo. However, that ship has more than likely sailed already.
As far as we can tell, Microsoft’s acquisition of Valve would bring no benefit to the gaming industry.
Amid the many layoffs and studio closures, we are no longer confident in Microsoft’s ability to accommodate all the studios under Xbox, so one more addition to the list would do little good to the gaming giant.
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