Microsoft was forming a plan to acquire Square Enix in 2019, according to an internal document published as part of the hearings over the Xbox Activision deal.
The document, dated November 1, 2019, shows an outline of the business case for Microsoft to purchase Square Enix. Microsoft said that "Square Enix owns a diverse suite of gaming franchises that could serve as a cornerstone of our strategy, helping us extend our offerings beyond console and our core market." The company noted that Square Enix's broad gaming lineup spread across console, PC, browser, and mobile games would help diversify Xbox's own portfolio, and expand the platform's reach in Asia.
