Since the announcement of the takeover of Activision-Blizzard by Microsoft, it was already clear that this would eventually happen. So it’s no surprise that Phil Spencer announced that the publisher’s games and licenses, like Diablo, Overwatch Where call of duty, will enjoy a release on the Game Pass. It is clear that with such an argument it is not necessary to create exclusivities to attract the player.
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.
Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming
Obviously, if this does not impact the sales of licenses on Sony consoles, it is clear that this will not encourage players to turn to this option. Microsoft’s offer is already attractive in itself, but the addition of major licenses to Game Pass, whether they come from Activision-Blizzard or elsewhere, is a huge marketing argument. There is therefore no interest for the American giant to relaunch exclusives. Thanks to this offer, they continue to offer themselves a sympathetic image, while monopolizing a new public.
But their arrival on Game Pass also marks a major turning point for Activision-Blizzard games. The latter, usually reserved for the Battle.net application, offer better visibility. If this does not change much for those who are already used to navigating between 5 or 6 different launchers, casual players may find the desire to try it out, without having to buy the games.
However, for this vision of Microsoft to be realized, the takeover must still be validated. And it does not seem easy for the company, which continues to worry the regulatory authorities. The latest report is that of the United Kingdom, which does not hide its skepticism. Already a leader in the Cloud Gaming and subscription service markets, Microsoft would become a juggernaut that could harm the competition.
And after ?
All of this is just the beginning for Microsoft, which is looking to expand to all platforms. This acquisition, if validated, is intended as a bridge to mobile, motivated by the experience of Activision-Blizzard acquired over the years. It will involve both developing new games designed for the platform, but also being able to bring the experiences already created via Cloud Gaming. In the future, it will thus be possible to enjoy all these games, even those designed for consoles, from your TV or telephone.
At the same time, Phil Spencer claims once again that there is no question of depriving any console of these games. There are no plans, either immediately or in the years to come, to make them exclusives. The PlayStation should continue to be able to take advantage of the call of duty, Diablo and Overwatch. But will it still be relevant to buy its games when a single and affordable service allows you to have them all.