The video game landscape was turned on its head earlier this week, as Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard is set to have a huge impact on the industry going forward. As soon as the deal was announced, fans from every platform immediately formed questions revolving around topics like exclusivity, collaborations, and franchise revivals.
Joining in on the conversation regarding the move, we’ve come up with a list of five ways Microsoft acquiring Activision Blizzard could impact gamers. Be sure to let us know your opinions in the comment section below.
Platform Exclusivity
Microsoft Activision Blizzard Acquisition Impact
The first thing many fans were worried about upon hearing that Microsoft had acquired Activision Blizzard obviously revolved around exclusivity rights. Does this deal mean future installments in franchises like Spyro, Crash, Diablo, Banjo Kazooie, and Overwatch will be Xbox exclusive? It’s a very interesting question, to be honest.
When Microsoft acquired ZeniMax in 2021, the company still allowed existing publishing agreements for Deathloop and Ghostwire Tokyo to arrive as timed exclusives. However, upcoming titles Redfall and Starfield are currently Xbox Series X exclusives, meaning that the company does at least value the idea of having exclusive content.
According to Bloomberg, Microsoft plans to continue releasing some of Activision’s games on PlayStation consoles but will make also content exclusive solely for Xbox as well. Only time will tell which games they are talking about.
