Microsoft Attempted To Acquire LittleBigPlanet From Sony Following A Social Gathering That Involved Some Beverages

Many years prior, Microsoft had shown a keen interest in the Sony-published LittleBigPlanet series. In a conversation with MinnMax, Media Molecule co-founder Mark Healey, who helped launch the LittleBigPlanet developer in 2006, it was disclosed that during the initial stages of the game's development, the company behind Xbox was actively seeking to lure the studio away from partnering with Sony.

"It's quite humorous when I think back to that time because we didn't have any formal agreement confirming our continuation with Sony or that they had rights to our work, as far as I can recall," shared Healey about the LittleBigPlanet game while delving into the details of Microsoft's recruitment attempts.

Technically, we could have pursued that route. We might have said, 'Sure, why not, let's partner with Microsoft. They might offer us a significant amount of funding.'

However, Healey mentioned that Media Molecule wouldn't have been comfortable making that decision, stating it would have felt ethically dubious. Regarding the nature of Microsoft's overture, it didn't occur through a sleek presentation or subtle hints. Instead, it came after a night of shared drinks.

"After a social evening with drinks, just as we were escorting the Microsoft representative to his lodging, he suddenly remembered, 'Oh dear, I had an objective! I need to mention it at least,'" Healey recounted.