24 October 2023 , 09:00
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After a spread of leaked emails revealed Phil Spencer’s intention to purchase Nintendo in future, the house of Mario seemingly has no ill will towards the Xbox platform.
Believe it or not, it was only a month or so ago that a string of internal Xbox emails accidentally leaked online as part of the company’s case to have the FTC approve its $69 billion Microsoft Activision deal. Xbox’s purchase of Activision Blizzard is now of course complete, courtesy of the concessions made to UK regulator the CMA, but in addition to revealing that an Xbox Series X console revision is coming next year, the emails also made clear Xbox head Phil Spencer’s plans to ultimately acquire Nintendo.
Up until now Nintendo itself has stayed quiet about this revelation and offered no reaction. In a recent interview with Inverse about unionisation, however, Nintendo of America’s president Doug Bowser offered his thoughts regarding Spencer’s leaked comments.
“We have a great relationship with Microsoft,” Bowser said in the interview. He went on to say that he considers Microsoft and Nintendo firm partners, before highlighting some of the historical collaborations made in bringing Xbox-branded characters and games to the Nintendo Switch. “Obviously, Minecraft is on Nintendo Switch, and we brought Banjo Kazooie to Super Smash Bros Ultimate. So, we’re looking forward to that partnership continuing”.
Switch bros
Obviously, if Doug Bowser does harbour any ill will towards the concept of Nintendo being purchased by Xbox, he wouldn’t say it publicly in an interview like this. That said, he’s right that the two publishers have worked together pretty amicably in the past, so there’s no reason to assume that this will end any time soon. Especially since, as part of getting its Microsoft Activision deal approved, Xbox has signed a 10-year agreement to keep Call of Duty on other platforms – including presumably the forthcoming Nintendo Switch 2.
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While it’s not surprising to see Minecraft come to Nintendo Switch due to its continued support on PlayStation platforms such as PS4, Bowser is correct to point out that the two platforms have a great partnership. One of the biggest instances of this happening to me related to Ori and the Blind Forest and its sequel. Both games were funded and published by Microsoft exclusively on Xbox, yet were ultimately ported to Nintendo Switch (in glorious 60fps) back in 2020.
Though this is the first time Nintendo has addressed its part in the leaked email revelations, Phil Spencer himself took to Twitter just a few hours following the incident. “It is hard to see our team's work shared in this way because so much has changed and there's so much to be excited about right now, and in the future,” he said in his post. No doubt he’ll be pleased with Bowser’s new comments clarifying that the two can continue working cordially in future, then.