Microsoft buy Activision Blizzard for $70B. Officially confirmed. Bobby Kotick leaving MS on 29th Dec.

One thing I think we can all agree on, is my choice plastic game box is better than ypur choice of plastic game box.

Obviously we're not talking today, we're talking about the future. It doesn't take a genius to work out they're going to make more acquisitions.

First, some commentators have asked whether we will continue to make popular content like Activision’s Call of Duty available on competing platforms like Sony’s PlayStation. The obvious concern is that Microsoft could make this title available exclusively on the Xbox console, undermining opportunities for Sony PlayStation users.

To be clear, Microsoft will continue to make Call of Duty and other popular Activision Blizzard titles available on PlayStation through the term of any existing agreement with Activision. And we have committed to Sony that we will also make them available on PlayStation beyond the existing agreement and into the future so that Sony fans can continue to enjoy the games they love. We are also interested in taking similar steps to support Nintendo’s successful platform. We believe this is the right thing for the industry, for gamers and for our business.

https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issu ... -blizzard/

Still a bit vague but moves the needle towards COD 2024 not being exclusive.

Victor Mildew wrote:One thing I think we can all agree on, is my choice plastic game box is better than ypur choice of plastic game box.

No screw you and your plastic box my plastic box is best

Microsoft wrote:To be clear, Microsoft will continue to make Call of Duty and other popular Activision Blizzard titles available on PlayStation through the term of any existing agreement with Activision. And we have committed to Sony that we will also make them available on PlayStation beyond the existing agreement and into the future so that Sony fans can continue to enjoy the games they love.

(And we are) also interested in taking similar steps to support Nintendo's successful platform. We believe this is the right thing for the industry, for gamers and for our business.

Source: Microsoft

It looks like Activision Blizzard games will continue to appear on PlayStation and (occasionally!) Nintendo formats. Great stuff!

That is nice to have confirmed in black and white, unambiguous language. But I wonder how the “You don’t spend $7.5bn on Bethesda to not make their games exclusive” crowd will react to this news.

kerr9000 wrote:
Victor Mildew wrote:One thing I think we can all agree on, is my choice plastic game box is better than ypur choice of plastic game box.

No screw you and your plastic box my plastic box is best

Thems fightin words!

jiggles wrote:...I wonder how the “You don’t spend $7.5bn on Bethesda to not make their games exclusive” crowd will react to this news.

Intriguingly, I don't think that Microsoft's statement specifically mentions Bethesda as it does with Activision Blizzard... but I'd assume (hope) that the same thing applies!

jiggles wrote:That is nice to have confirmed in black and white, unambiguous language. But I wonder how the “You don’t spend $7.5bn on Bethesda to not make their games exclusive” crowd will react to this news.

Usual suspects are quiet.

jawa_ wrote:
jiggles wrote:...I wonder how the “You don’t spend $7.5bn on Bethesda to not make their games exclusive” crowd will react to this news.

Intriguingly, I don't think that Microsoft's statement specifically mentions Bethesda as it does with Activision Blizzard... but I'd assume (hope) that the same thing applies!

I don’t think they will put Bethesda games on other platforms (at least not day and date), but the argument that they definitely won’t because of the high cost of the Bethesda acquisition is at least proven to be nonsense.

jiggles wrote:I don’t think they will put Bethesda games on other platforms, but the argument that they definitely won’t because of the high cost of the Bethesda acquisition is at least proven to be nonsense.

Possibly... but I wonder why Microsoft will release Activision Blizzard games on non-Xbox/Game Pass formats and yet they seemingly won't release Zenimax/Bethesda games on other formats?

At no point does it definitely say whether they'll be releasing any new games or if they'll just continue to support the games that are already out when the existing agreements come to an end. There's just enough ambiguity there that you could read it either way. Really well written tbf.

Psychic wrote:At no point does it definitely say whether they'll be releasing any new games or if they'll just continue to support the games that are already out when the existing agreements come to an end. There's just enough ambiguity there that you could read it either way...

Yeah, it kinda feels like it's clear-but-not-clear.

Microsoft wrote:To be clear, Microsoft will continue to make Call of Duty and other popular Activision Blizzard titles available on PlayStation through the term of any existing agreement with Activision. And we have committed to Sony that we will also make them available on PlayStation beyond the existing agreement and into the future so that Sony fans can continue to enjoy the games they love. We are also interested in taking similar steps to support Nintendo’s successful platform. We believe this is the right thing for the industry, for gamers and for our business.

They've positioned themselves as being pretty much "leaders of righteousness in the industry" without being overly specific about exactly what this means. I prefer to think it means that most of their games - now and in the future - will be available across most popular formats but we'll have to wait and see.

Psychic wrote:At no point does it definitely say whether they'll be releasing any new games or if they'll just continue to support the games that are already out when the existing agreements come to an end. There's just enough ambiguity there that you could read it either way. Really well written tbf.

They're just trying to ease regulator's fears so they can get the deal through.

This doesn't mean anything at all really.

kerr9000 wrote:
Victor Mildew wrote:One thing I think we can all agree on, is my choice plastic game box is better than ypur choice of plastic game box.

No screw you and your plastic box my plastic box is best

We all know wood is the material of the future for consoles :roll:

.

Sorry if I've repeated points made many times before but this is an easy win for MS no? If people buy CoD on Xbox then Microsoft profit, and if people buy CoD on PS... Microsoft profit! (Potentially moreso if PS version is full price retail and Xbox version is on GamePass)

So they either make a fortune, or players of CoD on Xbox vastly outnumber those on PS, which then gives them a reason to make the game platform exclusive in the future.

Either way it weakens Sony, their main competitor in this area: previously every copy of CoD bought on PS was a win over MS; now, it's hard to see it that way given that MS profit from the transaction.

Last edited by Photek on Wed Feb 09, 2022 11:50 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Well well well, called the doom posting out and this drops.

Banking on €70/80 vs ‘free’ on Gamepass is a bold move, if they can nail the messaging that is. Eases acquisition worries by the FTC also as they will talk to Sony as par for the course in these deals (competitors can complain).

Technically they can renage on these promises or the FTC can put conditions on the acquisition but it’s very unlikely as they are less concerned with ‘entertainment’ acquisitions as opposed to one’s that interfere with national security ‘micro chips’ etc.

jawa_ wrote:
jiggles wrote:...I wonder how the “You don’t spend $7.5bn on Bethesda to not make their games exclusive” crowd will react to this news.

Intriguingly, I don't think that Microsoft's statement specifically mentions Bethesda as it does with Activision Blizzard... but I'd assume (hope) that the same thing applies!

Yep This entire blog is to do with Activision Blizzard.

'This drops' :lol:

Yes, a well worded corporate statement that, as Tomous says, is for all intents and purposes meaningless. Beyond their lawful commitments, there is no guarantee they will continue to have these games on other platforms. There are a million reasons they could come up with between now and 2024 to explain why, actually, they'll be on MS platforms only.

As you say photek, the main element will be helping to push through the acquisition.

Microsoft buy Activision Blizzard for $70B. Officially confirmed. Bobby Kotick leaving MS on 29th Dec.

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