Sony’s rumoured Paramount buyout has us worried for Halo
Even though Sony and Microsoft are keen to downplay the ever-present roar of the console wars, the Blue and Green Team are constantly stoking its embers. Microsoft drew first blood by acquiring Activision Blizzard, and while Sony bit back with Bungie, many feel the former is currently winning the acquisitions and mergers fight.
Of course, the console wars have long since evolved from which gaming studios you can pull into your camp, with the boom of video game adaptations meaning it's moved into a whole new medium. In a strange twist of fate, there are reports that Sony could be about to purchase Paramount, meaning it'll snatch a tonne of major IPs.
Sony tipped to purchase Paramount
Click to enlargeAccording to The New York Times, Sony is looking at a joint bid with investment firm Apollo Global Management to acquire Paramount. An official offer is yet to be made, and it wasn't long ago we heard about Skydance potentially snapping up Paramount.
Investors are apparently pushing back against Skydance, and previously, Apollo reportedly offered at least $26 billion but raised questions over financing. Having a media company as big as Sony on board would be a huge win. As for IPs that Paramount owns, it has the keys to the kingdom of everything from Top Gun to SpongeBob SquarePants, Mission: Impossible to Transformers.
In terms of gaming, Paramount+ is the home to the Sonic movies, the upcoming Knuckles series, and the live-action Halo series. As Halo is immortalised as one of the tentpole Xbox franchises, having Microsoft's biggest rival take the reins would definitely put the cat among the pigeons.
The future of Halo
Sony currently doesn't have its own streaming service, so to add Paramount+ to its library would be a big deal. After already lassoing former Halo developer Bungie, there are sure to be some raised eyebrows if Sony is technically overseeing the Pablo Schreiber-led Halo series.
After the disappointments of Halo Infinite and that game now winding down, the live-action Halo series has also failed to hit the highs of HBO's The Last of Us (produced by Sony Pictures Television Studios). There's a chance that Sony could take Halo's live-action future in a different direction, or it's possible it'll get the boot.
Concerned about the future of Halo, one fan said, "From games to TV. Someone help this lost soul," while another added, "Sony's like, shoooott i'ma get Halo someway or another." A third concerned gamer concluded, "Sony getting the rights to the Halo show would be interesting for the drama alone."
It's a case of being worried ahead of time, because let's remember that the Sony deal is far from official. Still, for those who think Sony has been left battered and bruised by potentially losing Call of Duty to Microsoft, giving it control of Halo's live-action series would be a small victory.
