Microsoft to acquire Activision Blizzard

[bootyman81]

So…gamepass subscriptions will be going up then?!

£££££££


Still worth it though

 

[Nemesis X2]

Amazing deal. Huge in so many ways.

key aspects I’ve not seen mentioned in the thread are the fact it gives them a significant foothold in the mobile games market with King, who make millions daily from Candy Crush alone. Also major PC focused devs when they want to improve their PC offering for GP PC. There’s also Battlenet which is Blizzards PC network and storefront, much more popular than Microsoft’s own. Theres a huge in to esports also.

As for all the statements about COD and they’d never make it exclusive etc….well you could equally argue why pay 70bn for a company and then not use the crown Jewell to drive GP sales going forward. The comments about supporting existing platforms is almost identical to comments in the original Bethesda statement and people interpreted that as the huge titles will still go to PS. We know the rest. When they did the sit down event with Phil, Tod Howard and Pete Hines he made the point of saying the deal was done to make exclusives for platforms where GP exists….. why spend ten times the price of that deal and not use it for the same reason. Phil would ideally want to force Jim Ryan’s hand into allowing GP on PlayStation. Allowing the key titles to release over there anyway surely defeats the point.

Re the supporting platforms etc, the statement is specifically vague as it needs to be given they don’t own them yet and won’t until the deal eventually goes through. Was the same with Bethesda and they legally couldn’t make any statements or be seen to interfere with their ongoing business. I personally think Warzone in its ongoing form will be what remains on PlayStation. That’s the main cash cow with micro transactions. As for the annual releases (if they remain annual) it wouldn’t surprise me at all if they are exclusives. I mean what better way to pull in new subscribers than the biggest annual release in gaming that millions of players “have to get”, being exclusive to your platform / subscription service….?

As for the comments about COD dwindling….their games were 1&2 in sales in 2021…. The games may be poorer in quality but the casuals lap it up year after year regardless, hence its the behemoth it is. Same as FIFA…could be the worst game ever but would still rake in millions because the same people have to have the new version.

Will certainly be very interesting to see how it pans out. Other massive benefits are there is a huge amount of potential IPs that could be revisited going back decades, lots of quality studios and I think I heard circa 10,000 staff…. Massive scope to expand the diversity of the games portfolio long term for GP.

 

[shoemaker666]

If they want to make money COD will stay multiplatform

If they want xbox gaming and gamepass to grow it will go exclusive

 

[General Zod]

Microsoft and Activision Blizzard Conference Call

This is a short video (22 mins) but gives some good context

 

[FlagshipDevice]

I’m still totally gobsmacked at the size of this deal. We knew MS would make more acquisitions, but I don’t think many of us expected them to just dump $70 Billion on the table like that. Outrageous.

Just been listening to Dealer’s latest, and they make an interesting and frankly scary point - MS now has 34 studios and counting. In the years to come, they could quite conceivably end up releasing 8+ AAA titles a year. Obviously it’ll take time to get to that point but it’ll be doable.

But the question is, who are they looking at now? Take Two? Ubisoft? The mind boggles at how this will all pan out.

 

[iwb100]

If they want to make money COD will stay multiplatform

If they want xbox gaming and gamepass to grow it will go exclusive

Both make money. It’s down to how they want to drive the model.

 

[Nemesis X2]

If they want to make money COD will stay multiplatform

If they want xbox gaming and gamepass to grow it will go exclusive

People need to stop thinking small scale and short term….Everything MS are doing in the gaming space is to drive service subscriptions to establish GP as an essential requirement to gamers. Netflix, which they want to emulate, lost money for years because the focus was bringing in content and developing an incredible user base and its now something most subscribers would never consider leaving.

Those saying they can’t risk losing the PS COD money…. The most money in COD is from Warzone I’d imagine, which they’ll keep Multiplat. As for the releases year on year, why would they “need” that money when they are so huge they can just drop 70bn cash on a deal like this. Heard they had about 200bn cash they wanted to invest rather than be screwed on taxes etc.

 

[King Tones]

Screw it make it exclusive, most of the COD PS Players don't even buy the PS Exclusives so they will buy an Xbox for COD or just play on PC Considering all PS5 Owners have a Top Spec PC to play all those xBoX gAmEs !

 

[N0ddie]

With them spunking this sorta monies I'd recommend everyone front load their Gamertags with 3 years of GamePass Ultimate.

The price must go up eventually.

 

[gunner84]

With them spunking this sorta monies I'd recommend everyone front load their Gamertags with 3 years of GamePass Ultimate.

The price must go up eventually.

Mine expires around May/June.

Im guessing the best thing to do is wait for it to expire to do that gold conversion thing. Just hope thats still a thing by then.

 

[mooperman]

do we know when we'll start to see some of these games hit game pass?

 

[jdevil]

With them spunking this sorta monies I'd recommend everyone front load their Gamertags with 3 years of GamePass Ultimate.

The price must go up eventually.

This will happen, you only have to look at the Netflix and Disney prices since launch.

The question remains when will they close the upgrade loophole which we are all using. My 3 year expires in June 2023.

 

[Nemesis X2]

do we know when we'll start to see some of these games hit game pass?

Deal won't be finalised until June 2023 so a while yet.

 

[General Zod]

The Microsoft financial year '2023' runs from July 1st 2022 through June 30th 2023

 

[iwb100]

Deal won't be finalised until June 2023 so a while yet.

Nobody can predict when it will finalise. Microsoft expect it to be in FY23 which ends June 2023. So could be before then. But that’s just an expectation. Likely this will take a fair old time under scrutiny. These things aren’t just ‘yes or no’ they involve negotiation and restructuring elements of the deal sometimes. Once you get to that it could take longer. But hard to predict.

 

[StewBucks]

I’m all in with Xbox, Series X is the only current gen console I want and need, but am I the only that thinks this isn’t that great a news for gaming in the overall bigger picture.

I’m not trying to poop on the party just expressing a genuine concern.

I may have my negative head on today and I'm not 100% on how the whole thing will work, but I'm a little concerned for the future of gaming if this is the way things are going. If ultimately you are making games for a subscription service what is the incentive to make amazing groundbreaking games when you are guaranteed Gamepass money? Why spend the extra time to make Elders Scrolls the best game this generation if sales aren't important? Maybe the lack of sales figures/deadlines could help to not force/rush things I don't know.

The fact that COD is so successful its guaranteed to make millions even if the game is terrible kinda of makes me worry that the IP's Microsoft have bought up could be reduced to ever worsening sequels or just die completely due to the guaranteed gamepass money. Big corporations buying up many competitors doesn't really end well most of the time for the consumer.

Also anyone worried that as good as gamepass is now its eventually going to be a stream only cloud service and probably no next gen Xbox?

 

[iwb100]

I may have my negative head on today and I'm not 100% on how the whole thing will work, but I'm a little concerned for the future of gaming if this is the way things are going. If ultimately you are making games for a subscription service what is the incentive to make amazing groundbreaking games when you are guaranteed Gamepass money? Why spend the extra time to make Elders Scrolls the best game this generation if sales aren't important? Maybe the lack of sales figures/deadlines could help to not force/rush things I don't know.

The fact that COD is so successful its guaranteed to make millions even if the game is terrible kinda of makes me worry that the IP's Microsoft have bought up could be reduced to ever worsening sequels or just die completely due to the guaranteed gamepass money. Big corporations buying up many competitors doesn't really end well most of the time for the consumer.

Also anyone worried that as good as gamepass is now its eventually going to be a stream only cloud service and probably no next gen Xbox?

I’ve no idea why people constantly use the argument of gamepass being the gateway for lower quality games. It makes no sense at all. It’s a service defined in its success by user engagement and subs. So if the quality isn’t good then those drop. Whereas the traditional model has arguably seen a race to get games out the door to maximise revenues (Cyberpunk, every cod game ever, Battlefield 2042 and V, annual FIFA etc) and has seen a definite drop off in quality of the finished product.

And you look at gamepass entries this year like Psychonauts 2. A smaller game given extra time for polish and becomes one of the top rated games of the year. The bottom line is I don’t think gamepass in anyway lowers the quality bar, in fact it’s the opposite.

As for hardware Xbox have already confirmed they are working on dedicate hardware for next gen and planning to do so for the one after. The hardware route is clear enough and they won’t abandon that avenue. It’s just one of the entry points to gamepass though.

 

[King Tones]

So can we have a new Guitar Hero please Phil !

 

[shoemaker666]

put all the old sierra games on pc gamespass

 

[StewBucks]

I’ve no idea why people constantly use the argument of gamepass being the gateway for lower quality games. It makes no sense at all. It’s a service defined in its success by user engagement and subs. So if the quality isn’t good then those drop. Whereas the traditional model has arguably seen a race to get games out the door to maximise revenues (Cyberpunk, every cod game ever, Battlefield 2042 and V, annual FIFA etc) and has seen a definite drop off in quality of the finished product.

And you look at gamepass entries this year like Psychonauts 2. A smaller game given extra time for polish and becomes one of the top rated games of the year. The bottom line is I don’t think gamepass in anyway lowers the quality bar, in fact it’s the opposite.

As for hardware Xbox have already confirmed they are working on dedicate hardware for next gen and planning to do so for the one after. The hardware route is clear enough and they won’t abandon that avenue. It’s just one of the entry points to gamepass though.

I think Psychonauts 2 would have been a great game even if it was multi platform just like the original was, it doesn't really prove it was down to being on Gamepass. I did mention it could be a positive, I don't think you can argue too much either way given the short time Gamepass has been about. I'm just a little wary, for me I don't think I really trust Microsoft to make good gaming decisions. Just hoping they don't do what EA has done in the past and hoover up a load of licences and studios only to kill them, but mainly I've never forgiven them for not releasing Jade Empire 2!

 

[iwb100]

I think Psychonauts 2 would have been a great game even if it was multi platform just like the original was, it doesn't really prove it was down to being on Gamepass. I did mention it could be a positive, I don't think you can argue too much either way given the short time Gamepass has been about. I'm just a little wary, for me I don't think I really trust Microsoft to make good gaming decisions. Just hoping they don't do what EA has done in the past and hoover up a load of licences and studios only to kill them, but mainly I've never forgiven them for not releasing Jade Empire 2!

But that’s it. You don’t like Microsoft. It has nothing to do with the sensibilities of gamepass.

Personally I’d far rather MS hoovered up these studios given their extensive commitment to inclusivity and corporate responsibility compared to other U.S. companies who might be looking for development studios. I’d also far prefer it given their extremely consumer friendly outlook compared to other hardware manufacturers.

It comes down to this. They are a big dog that is better than the other ones. Has an ambition that is essentially far more consumer friendly and want to let me play the games for far less expenditure.

I think suggesting a sub system equals lower quality is counter intuitive and given its several years old now and this year MS were the most awarded games publisher I think counter factual too.

 

[Caljo]

I think Psychonauts 2 would have been a great game even if it was multi platform just like the original was, it doesn't really prove it was down to being on Gamepass.

It’s on PS and PC too buddy.

The thing I find most amusing about those who feel the need to defend the Game Pass rental model at every opportunity is whenever a multi-plat game is mentioned they feel the need to jump in with “It’s on Game Pass!” or “It’s been on Game Pass” or “It’ll probably come to Game Pass”.

One of my XBox buddies can’t get his head around the fact I bought Ori 2 for Switch, you know, when I could have played it on my XB for ‘free’.

 

[Cha1ky]

So can we have a new Guitar Hero please Phil !

But nothing like the last effort.

 

[StewBucks]

It’s on PS and PC too buddy.

The thing I find most amusing about those who feel the need to defend the Game Pass rental model at every opportunity is whenever a multi-plat game is mentioned they feel the need to jump in with “It’s on Game Pass!” or “It’s been on Game Pass” or “It’ll probably come to Game Pass”.

One of my XBox buddies can’t get his head around the fact I bought Ori 2 for Switch, you know, when I could have played it on my XB for ‘free’.

Oh right was it a timed exclusive or something?

To be honest my issue isn’t gamepass, I’ve no problem with it as long as physical and digital media remains. It’s massive companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Facebook buying up everything just so the other can’t and damn with consequences. My worry is for the future of gaming, I don’t want my only choice to be subscribe to GameCorp™

The Ori games are brilliant.

 

[iwb100]

Oh right was it a timed exclusive or something?

To be honest my issue isn’t gamepass, I’ve no problem with it as long as physical and digital media remains. It’s massive companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Facebook buying up everything just so the other can’t and damn with consequences. My worry is for the future of gaming, I don’t want my only choice to be subscribe to GameCorp™

The Ori games are brilliant.

I mean Activision were the big guys buying up other studios. If you want someone buying people it’s Microsoft. Because they are easily the most consumer friendly option in the gaming space and they also are a far better company in terms of social responsibility than say Facebook or Amazon or any of the other big tech ones.