In this message, the thinking head of Xbox confirms that one of the main motivations behind this acquisition is the opportunity to become a mobile giant in the blink of an eye. By taking over Bobby Kotick’s group, Microsoft gets its hands on the extremely wealthy Candy Crush but also on the many initiatives launched by Activision (Call of Duty Warzone) and Blizzard (Diablo Immortal, Warcraft Arclight Rumble) in the field of mobile, even if the partnership with NetEase Games concerning two big Warcraft games seems to have recently fallen through.
“While we love consoles, we recognize they aren’t the only way people play games. Today, mobile platforms are the largest and fastest growing gaming segment. To reach the billions of gamers, wherever they are and whatever device they play on, we need to be open to choice“, explains Phil Spencer, who confirms in passing that Activision Blizzard licenses, including Call of Duty, Diablo and Overwatch, will be welcome in the Game Pass catalog once the acquisition is finalized.
“We’re expanding choice in two ways: by creating Game Pass, which gives gamers a subscription option, and by bringing more games to mobile platforms, including through our cloud gaming technology. Subscription services like Game Pass make games more affordable and help gamers around the world find their next favorite game. We intend to make Activision Blizzard’s much-loved library of games – including Overwatch, Diablo, and Call of Duty – available in Game Pass and grow those gaming communities. By delivering even more value to gamers, we hope to continue to grow Game Pass, extending its appeal to mobile phones and any connected device.“, can we read.
What is the motive of the crime?
Even if the means invested are incomparable, Xbox and PlayStation actually feed today the same ambition to make an important place in the mobile. On Monday, Sony Interactive Entertainment officially announced the creation of the PlayStation Studios Mobile Division and welcomed Savage Game Studios into the family to develop a first AAA mobile game based on a PlayStation license. Nintendo, on the contrary, clearly slowed down its investments in iOS / Android games by noting that the success of the Switch alone was more than enough to regain the heights. Not really in the mood to build a new mobile division from the ground up like SIE has been doing since 2020, Microsoft took advantage of the tight spot Activision Blizzard found itself in last year to take over Bobby Kotick’s empire in force. .
“However, bringing more games to mobile platforms requires new capabilities. The expertise of Activision Blizzard teams in developing games for mobile platforms will help us understand how to create games that engage gamers around the world. Additionally, we hope gamers will be eager to play traditional console games from Activision Blizzard on other platforms through our cloud gaming technology. It promises to open up mobile gaming by creating new distribution opportunities for game developers outside of mobile app stores, while delivering engaging and immersive experiences to gamers through the power of the cloud. And we can extend the gaming fun to devices people already own, including smart TVs and laptops.“, develops Phil Spencer.
Phil Spencer confirms (again) that Sony will not lose Call of Duty
The subject has come up again recently because of the appearance on the internet of certain exchanges between Sony and Microsoft lawyers around this acquisition. Phil Spencer takes the opportunity to reaffirm that the days of the popular Call of Duty franchise are not numbered on PlayStation, comparing his situation with that of Minecraft, whose cross-platform status has never been in question since Mojang has was purchased by Microsoft in 2014. Of course, Microsoft will have the huge advantage of being able to put each new installment of Kalof in its Game Pass on the day of its release, but nothing should change concerning the habits of fans on the console opposite.
“We’ve heard that this deal could rob franchises like Call of Duty of other places where people currently play it. That’s why, as we’ve said before, we’re committed to making the same version of Call of Duty available on PlayStation on the same day as on other platforms. We will continue to allow players to play with each other on all platforms and devices. We know gamers benefit from this approach because we did it with Minecraft, which continues to be available across multiple platforms and has expanded to even more platforms since Mojang joined Microsoft in 2014.“, says Phil Spencer.
Note that by dint of focusing the debate on Call of Duty, we still wonder what will happen to the multiplatform status of the other Activision Blizzard games once the agreement is finalized. After all, aside from those that already had deals to keep with Sony (Deathloop, GhostWire Tokyo), the latest games announced by Bethesda (Starfield, Redfall) have all knocked PlayStation out of their sights, despite the ability to Phil Spencer to repeat that his goal is not to make games inaccessible anywhere.
In the United Kingdom, the competition authority still has doubts
But while waiting for Microsoft’s management to get the green light to uncork its 70 billion bubble champagne, the competition regulator has not yet said its last word, particularly in the United Kingdom. As she has just let the public know, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) still has doubts about the possible consequences of this acquisition and considers that it could harm competition in the areas of consoles, subscriptions and cloud gaming services. “We are concerned that if the deal goes through, it could harm rivals, including new and future entrants to the gaming industry, by denying or hindering access to Activision Blizzard games.“, can we read in the press release from the British regulator.
“The CMA also received evidence of the potential impact of Activision Blizzard’s association with Microsoft’s broader ecosystem. Microsoft already has a leading game console (Xbox), a leading cloud computing platform (Azure) and the first PC operating system (Windows OS), all of which could be important to its success in cloud gaming. The CMA is concerned that Microsoft is leveraging Activision Blizzard’s games and Microsoft’s strength in consoles, cloud computing and PC operating systems to hurt competition in the nascent market for gaming services. cloud gaming“, elaborates the press release.
As it stands, the CMA therefore judges that the case warrants further investigation. “Microsoft and Activision Blizzard now have 5 days to make proposals to address our concerns. If the proposals made are not sufficient, the case will be referred for a Phase 2 investigation and we will explore this deal further in order to reach a decision that works for UK players and businesses.“, concludes the regulator.
Aware that the soap opera is not yet over, Phil Spencer himself concluded his message in a tone of appeasement, again emphasizing that the presence of ambitious players like Tencent and Sony (the only ones to achieve a larger figure of video game business that Microsoft currently) will prevent Microsoft from achieving too dominant a position in the industry landscape. “The video game industry today is robust and dynamic. Industry leaders, including Tencent and Sony, continue to add to their game libraries, along with other entertainment brands and franchises, which are loved by gamers around the world. We believe that a thorough review will show that the combination of Microsoft and Activision Blizzard will benefit the industry and gamers.“, ends Phil Spencer.