Xbox’s Phil Spencer was targeting a Nintendo acquisition in 2020, leaked emails reveal
Microsoft‘s gaming boss Phil Spencer told colleagues in 2020 that he saw Nintendo as a key acquisition target.
In unredacted court documents published overnight – seemingly in error – Spencer discusses the potential Nintendo acquisition in an email conversation with Microsoft’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer Takeshi Numoto.
While discussing a potential TikTok acquisition, Numoto asked why Microsoft wasn’t pursuing a company like Nintendo instead. Spencer replied that this was exactly what he wanted.
“Takeshi, I totally agree that Nintendo is THE prime asset for us in gaming, and today gaming is our most likely path to consumer relevance,” Spencer replied.
“I’ve had numerous conversations [with Nintendo] about tighter collaboration and feel like if any US company would have a chance with Nintendo we are probably in the best position.
“The unfortunate (or fortunate for Nintendo) situation is that Nintendo is sitting on a big pile of cash, they have a [Board of Directors] that until recently has not pushed for further increases in market growth or stock appreciation.”
Spencer went on to say that former Microsoft board member Mason Morfit, president of ValueAct, had been “heavily acquiring shares of Nintendo” and that this “could create opportunities” for Microsoft.
“Without that catalyst I don’t see an angle to a near term mutually agreeable merger of Nintendo and Microsoft,” he explains, “and I don’t think a hostile action would be a good move, so we’re playing the long game. But our [Board of Directors] has seen the full writeup on Nintendo (and Valve) and they are fully supportive on either if opportunity arises, as am I.”
Spencer concludes the discussion by saying: “At some point, getting Nintendo would
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