Microsoft may have bought Bethesda's parent company Zenimax last year, but rumours have been swirling ever since that the company is looking to invest in more studios, and potentially even a publisher.
Just for fun, we've picked out a few companies that Microsoft could acquire – although the company's next move is anyone's guess.
Read More: Xbox Reaches Agreement To Buy Bethesda Game Studios' Parent Company Zenimax Media - UPDATED
Xbox Acquisitions: Who Could Microsoft Buy?
Sega
Ok, so this has been a fair constant rumour, and on the surface, it would make some sense.
Sega is a Japanese publisher, and Microsoft has traditionally struggled to gain a foothold in that market. With Yakuza: Like A Dragon and Phantasy Star Online being timed exclusives, and the two companies working on projects together in the past (Jet Set Radio Future, for example), it's certainly not too much of a stretch.
While many will know Sega as "The House That Sonic Built", it's worth remembering that the publisher also has the rights to the likes of Crazy Taxi, Football Manager, Total War and Shin Megami Tensei.
Square Enix Europe
Microsoft apparently approached Square Enix back in the early days of the original Xbox, but the European arm of the publisher is the home of the Tomb Raider trilogy, Marvel's Avengers, and the Deus Ex franchise.
If Microsoft is looking to plug a gap in its portfolio with third-person action titles, it's possible that Square's European division could have the potential to do just that.
Bungie
In what could be a sizeable dose of deja-vu, could Microsoft reacquire Bungie? The creators of Halo and Destiny have broken free from Activision in recent years and cosied up to Microsoft – even adding all of Destiny's expansions to Game Pass.
While it's unlikely Microsoft would put the team back on Halo, the extra financial muscle could help the developer implement more content into Destiny 2, something that's been trickier without Activision's support studios.
Konami
Sure, it's a long shot, but would Konami be interested in selling off its IP and game development business? The company doesn't appear to be doing much with them, and owns some big names.
Could Microsoft swoop for the Japanese company, potentially grabbing the rights to Metal Gear, Silent Hill, Castlevania and Bomberman? Personally, we'd love Bloody Roar to make a comeback, with developer Hudson Soft being merged with Konami in 2012.
Who Else?
Warner Bros Interactive was touted as a possible acquisition until AT&T decided that they didn't want to sell after all, and while Microsoft could have snapped up the likes of Rocksteady, Avalanche Software, and Monolith, the rights would've remained with WB.
IO Interactive have been mentioned in the past, but with the studio working on a Bond game (and seeing huge success with Hitman 3), the team is likely happy to maintain its independence.
Finally, Asobo is a possibility. The team developed A Plague Tale: Innocence, a narrative adventure, as well as the award-winning Microsoft Flight Simulator, so they're certainly versatile.
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!