Microsoft buys Activision-Blizzard

Potential-Monke

Personally, it doesn't really affect me much, aside from the fact that I have both PS5 and XSX, I'm not losing out, but even if I didn't pick up the XSX I wouldn't have missed much. CoD has been steadily decreasing in quality for the last few years, and it's all about the free to play Warzone. I actually expected CoD, BF and their ilk to all go F2P because it's all about those MT's now. I'll be surprised if there's still a yearly CoD for much longer, and unless they release AW2/IW2, I'm not interested anyway! The rest of the AB games were never my jam anyway, especially the Blizzard side.

Still, can't be good overall in the long run. I don't trust MS! Yes, all are companies, all they only care about is making money, but I just don't trust MS to stay true to their word. I can see a big increase in GP pricing in the future, especially if they start taking over. People also saying Spartacus is Sonys reaction to Gamepass, but I reckon it was inevitable anyway, we've been saying for years to just merge Plus and Now, which I'd imagine is what it will be. They already stated day 1 games are not feasible, but MS seems to think they are so not sure who to believe.

I also believe that Sony are pushing innovation and MS are not. For me, gaming is all about getting immersed into a different world, and Sony is far better at that than MS. With the DualSense, the upcoming PSVR2 (which will be the first VR headset with some haptic capabilities) and it's Sense controllers... I'm far more excited about what Sony is doing in the future compared to MS just letting me play what they have on anything capable of playing it. Yes, God of War was intended to be streamed on an iPhone...

It'll still all come down to personal choice. I prefer Sony, always have, I believe I always will. Will be an interesting future, but this is not a good thing imo. AB are too big, but someone mentioned it on the first page I believe, I hope this spurns Sony into making more first party games!

riclad

Its common to buy small gaming studios to aquire their staff. Microsoft is buying activision for their ip call of duty. world of warcraft and the many popular mobile games they make. This is not good for the public it reduces competition and gives microsoft too much power. If you want to play certain games in 2 years time you might have to buy an xbox or wait a long time for a ps5 release

I think if you check it sony says 5 per cent of players play vr games. I have no interest in controllers with weird vibration modes I think the nintendo switch is more innovative than the sony ps5. I bet all the new maps on call of duty will be released first on xbox before sony consoles I dont think sony makes much money on vr games they just want to offer something that xbox does not have

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118504454#Comment_118504454

I think Sony believe that VR has a bigger future than the present. That's why they are going for it.

Perhaps Sony have plans to also release VR films, which ties different parts of their business revenues together.

B.A._Baracus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118504454#Comment_118504454

Million dollar question is tho will cod be released on ps5 from now on?

Obviously, MS would make more money by releasing it on other console platforms but why would they. Push your own platform. The ultimate goal would be for xbox to be the only major gaming platform. Not saying that is going to happen but MS would love that and they want that.

Seeing as how elder scolls 6 is believed to be xbox only. I say cod, overwatch etc are now xbox too.

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118504510#Comment_118504510

It's kind of a prestige selling point for the console. While most consumers will never get the PSVR, it is an option open to them that makes the platform seem like a better choice. Kind of the same way that the Mega CD worked. It doesn't hurt that their VR venture probably isn't losing them money. VR still has usability issues that need to be overcome. Making it wireless is a big step but the space needed and the set up is off putting.

murpho999

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118504636#Comment_118504636

Elder Scrolls is more than just believed to be Xbox only. It was confirmed by Phil Spencer in November.

Also look at how Starfield is now only Xbox and this time last year Sony people were saying there was no way Xbox would turn down that revenue.

I don't know why the exclusivity of Cod is being questioned. Any existing online platform such as Warfare will remain multi platform but future annual (I wonder if they'll change that) CoD games will be exclusive to Xbox from 2023 onwards, once the deal closes and provided there's no existing contractual obligation to release on PS.

MS don't need the revenues from PS sales and are in this for the long haul to get more subscribers to their platform.

It's worth posting this again. All the pie.

B.A._Baracus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118504815#Comment_118504815

I agree.

It's just smart business sense. MS buys something and all the ip's join the xbox only family. I know some will moan but wanna play cod? Buy an xbox ha. That's the way it goes. All acquisitions are to strengthen the xbox platform.

I think its great news. GamePass is the best thing to happen in decades of gaming.

EoinMcLovin

https://www.wsj.com/articles/sony-expects-microsoft-to-keep-activision-games-multiplatform-11642665939?reflink=desktopwebshare_twitter

"We expect that Microsoft will abide by contractual agreements and continue to ensure Activision games are multiplatform," a Sony spokesman said Thursday.

Activision supplies some of the most popular games for Sony's PlayStation game console, including the Call of Duty series. After Microsoft on Tuesday announced its acquisition plan, some analysts raised the possibility that Activision games might be available exclusively for Microsoft's own Xbox console and its subscription videogame services in the future.

Response from Sony

recyclops

Should really say "we hope" not "we expect"

"We expect that Microsoft will abide by contractual agreements and continue to ensure Activision games are multiplatform,"

Does this include future imagined contracts for games not yet announced?

🤔

The Raging Bile Duct

I wonder what contracts Sony have in place with Activision and would Microsoft breaking them be enough to trigger an antitrust case.

murpho999

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118505318#Comment_118505318

It doesn't work that way.

Any breaking of contracts will be done after the close has been approved as Microsoft cannot make any decisions about Activision until then.

So nothing is going to happen until then.

MS will meet any contractual agreements but it's not clear what agreements exist if any.

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118505163#Comment_118505163

Someone on twitter said the statement remined them of when their parents got divorced.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118505420#Comment_118505420

Phil: No problem, here's a game pass app you can use to install it :-D

Market mummers that EA are the next big acquisition. Speculation? Maybe but in my experience the markets usual know the truth before its common knowledge. No info on Who would make such a big acquisition but I don't think Sony can afford them. There are of course others other than Microsoft who can. Facebook, Apple, Tencent, Google?

TitianGerm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118505640#Comment_118505640

Bezos and bring them to Prime Gaming.

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118505163#Comment_118505163

Sony's statement reads more like "We'll allow Activision games like CoD and Overwatch on Playstation. So if Microsoft make them exclusive to Xbox (outside of whatever's already contractually agreed), that's entirely on them and it's not our fault that you can't play it."

McFly85

One thing which makes me think CoD stays multi platform is that while there’s always a campaign, multiplayer is the star of the show, and a multiplayer game lives and dies by its player base. Bring CoD out of the PlayStation ecosystem and there’s a gap there for another shooter to take it’s place, with the ability to be played across all platforms. So removing it has the possibility of damaging the brand, unlike a single player game.

TitianGerm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118506157#Comment_118506157

Do Sony allow cross play against Xbox players on normal multi player?

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118506205#Comment_118506205

As far as I can recall any time it was an issue it was Sony that was the odd one out and wouldn't let it happen.

Exclamation Marc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118506250#Comment_118506250

Vanguard allows crossplay across all platforms.

eggy81

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118506205#Comment_118506205

Yes

Varik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118506157#Comment_118506157

Not just FPS, the stock of most game companies rose with the announcement as it meant less competition for their games on the largest console.

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118506417#Comment_118506417

I imagine the real reason is that it's stockbrokers speculating on the stock value going up even more if MS is buying more companies.

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118506417#Comment_118506417

There is still the exact same competition, nothing has changed there.

McFly85

If the game is big enough they’ll allow crossplay(CoD has been crossplay for years). Sony are really weird about that now for whatever reason. Years back the first holdouts I remember were MS when valve announced Portal 2 crossplay between PC and PS3.

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118506629#Comment_118506629

Wasn't that MS not allowing steam on XBox.

I think both companies have weird relationships with crossplay with MS going all in with Windows 8 before abandoning it then going all in on it while Sony was open during PS3 era before cracking down on it in the PS4 era.

McFly85

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118506662#Comment_118506662

That’s what it was, PS3 Portal 2 had steam connectivity and MS didn’t want that.

Whatever the case then, it works fine now for the games it’s enabled for so it just seems dumb to not allow it for everything. Maybe they’re saving it for when they need some good PR

Stone Deaf 4evr

Theres a load of games cross platform between consoles - Pubg of all things has it, and I'm farily sure rocket league, destiny 2, battlefield 2042 etc are as well. its mostly been sony who were reluctant though - some nonsense about 'protecting their players' It took epic of all people to 'accidentally' turn it on , to show that it must be a relatively simple proposition, but they still treat it on a game by game basis - or more cynically, if youre big enough to pay sonys premium for allowing it, it happens.

https://www.theverge.com/2021/5/3/22417560/sony-ps4-cross-play-confidential-documents-epic-games-agreements