Microsoft buys Activision-Blizzard

mewso

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121234720#Comment_121234720

Good god did someone offer an opinion on a discussion forum? Thankfully someone was on watch to quickly post the obligatory "thanks I guess" sarcastic response.

TheRona

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121235584#Comment_121235584

Yes, well there's offering an opinion, and there's contributing to a discussion.

Thanks for calling me out, though. People should be able to go into threads about things they don't care about just to let everyone know, especially if it makes them feel better.

On topic, I'm glad everything has finally gone through and we can look forward to seeing how exactly this benefits gamers.

I've found Game Pass to be great, and it's very rare that I pay out the guts of €100 for a game anymore. The funny thing is, because you get games for 'free', I'm definitely much more likely to buy add-ons. I just spent €35 on a Forza Motorsport add-on this week, and although that's a game I'd pay to buy if it wasn't on Game Pass, I'd never fork out for extras on top of that.

I saw Sekiro in the video announcement. I remember suggesting on Reddit that it might come to Game Pass because Activision published it. Of course I was downvoted to oblivion. As is tradition.

McFly85

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121236706#Comment_121236706

As far as I know Activision published outside of Japan but the rights to the game remain with FromSoftware, so it’s really unlikely I think.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121237380#Comment_121237380

Why was Sekiro included in the Xbox marketing?

McFly85

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121237427#Comment_121237427

You have to ask them!

Gamespot seems to agree that the acquisition has no bearing in Sekiro appearing on GP, though.

https://www.gamespot.com/amp-articles/will-microsoft-now-own-sekiro-shadows-die-twice/1100-6499717/

Potential-Monke

They might not own it, but im sure there'll be a timed release at some point. Game is out years at this stage, surely anyone who wants to buy it would have bought it by now. Night finally get to try it if they add it. Now is the time for PS+ to include it! :P

Kiith

They make a good trailer :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYU4q594LJ0

Retr0gamer

Look at all those games I've no interest in.

If they brought back some mechwarrior games then maybe I'll care.

johnny_ultimate

TBH, Tony Hawks Pro Skater 3 remake/re-release rights is really the only thing Microsoft bought that I have any personal investment or interest in (and maybe Sekiro rights, if From has any interest in revisiting).

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121255201#Comment_121255201

From apparently own the rights to Sekiro and Activision only acted as a publisher in the west. So thankfully it won't be another demons souls or bloodborne fiasco.

Potential-Monke

It'd be a shame to lose future Spyro games, considering they were a PS exclusive originally. But such is business these days. Tbh, I'm waiting to see if MS can actually deliver something new in these games, or just remasters and, so far, meh new releases. I'm getting sick of remasters and even remakes, I want something new.

I have no real interest in any of the games. I've never played Diablo before, I might look at one of those.

Are there any hidden gems in there? Not into CoD type games. Nor am I into MMOs.

Mitch Connor

I've always hoped that with all the studios they have, we would have seen more 'passion projects' like HiFi Rush seemed to be. Somewht smaller titles that developers just really want to make. Let the studios pitch ideas for new such projects, or existing IP that isn't being served.

To be honest I thought it would be the main content of game pass, loads of smaller titles from the developers while bigger teams take a longer time on the the AAA blockbuster type titles.

Like let High Moon studios dev something themselves rather than act as a support studio.

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121258388#Comment_121258388

I think Spencer has said that CoD will stop being an annualised game, and that if any of the dev teams they've taken over want to bring back older franchises or develop new games they should be allowed to, so I think/hope we could start seeing more interesting games come from the Activision teams than we have in ages. A lot of talented teams that, like you say, have been forced into being CoD support studios.

Mal-Adjusted

I can't really get my hopes up for this Microsoft already have a mountain of dead franchises they could resurrect, without the need for Activisions ones. they also have more than enough first party studios to start coming up with original titles but those mostly seem to be pidgeonholed into one specific franchise and there they stay.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121258666#Comment_121258666

Is this true of Obsidian? They seem to be spreading across a few genres.

johnny_ultimate

I do think Game Pass has been a positive in allowing some of these smaller passion projects get made. While they may have been underway pre-acquisitions, Hi-Fi Rush and Pentiment are exactly the sorts of smaller first-party oddities that Sony has scaled back on.

It makes a lot more sense in terms of keeping a steady stream of releases going between big AAA titles. And frankly it makes for more interesting games, for me anyway.

The only problem is I'm not sure how much they move the needle in terms of mass audience. Those kind of games are prestigey games that play extremely well with enthusiasts, but will never make the splash a Starfield or CoD will. So will see how things look from now on - whether we get more of those smaller games, or MS doubles down on big franchises. I think their previous acquisitions (Double Fine, Ninja Theory, Obsidian etc...) are a lot more in the smaller-scale and AA wheelhouse, though - really not sure if the opportunity is there within Activision-Blizzard for that type of game, either within their back catalogue or current studio setup. They really are super reliant on a handful of mega-franchises - I think Sekiro and Overwatch are close to the only non-franchise / licensed games Activision has released in the past decade ? Potentially more interesting rights in the much older back catalogue, of course, but we'll see.

PixelPlayer

Some people like COD 🙂 The yearly COD cycle on game pass gives many, many people a reason to subscribe and stay subscribed.

I'm shocked to hear Spencer said it won't be yearly anymore. I'm sure the point has come where he needs to make profits. The King part of the acquisition and aspirations to expand into mobile would also suggest they're under pressure to start showing profits.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121260057#Comment_121260057

They want people playing Game Pass on everything that has a screen. That is the long term goal for Microsoft.

Mitch Connor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121260057#Comment_121260057

I reckon they will try to alternate cod and war zone updates. But I'm not into either game so I dont know if that is realistic.

Potential-Monke

Could also be the fact they've to share the next 10 years with PS, so they now only need to share 5 games and warzone instead of 10. Also, 2 year dev cycles usually produce better content, but is the market for CoD still there? Must be, but the OG fantasy must be well gone by now. Warzone killed the CoD franchise imo.

CatInABox

No, there's nothing nefarious or underhanded about this decision, in fact, it's one that Activision has been flagging for ages. 2023 was meant to be the first year to have no mainline COD game, but they moved it forward for whatever reason, probably to juice the stock price for the sale.

I never understood how people keep buying what is essentially the same games like CoD and FIFA.

I know many game companies tend to stick to what they know, but those two titles are so copy/paste I wonder what kept people coming back?

McFly85

I would semi-regularly play CoD with friends during the year so generally would buy the new ones when they come out.

It’s similar every year but not the same, new maps being the main difference. But the shooting is fun, it’s easy to jump in and out of due to SBMM and I would definitely get value out of it considering how much I use it throughout the year.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121268281#Comment_121268281

Tbf, I never gave them a fair crack bar MW:II.

Maybe game pass will give me an opportunity to explore a few.

TheRona

If you play games like CoD online with randoms, you can easily skip a release a carry on. If you play with a bunch of online friends, the yearly upgrade is inevitable.

PixelPlayer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121267969#Comment_121267969

There's a post on the general chat about the length of games. The shortness of Spider-man 2 raising the debate as to whether short games are worth the full €70.

Yes COD comes out every year but most people will play it all year long, dipping in and out. Picking up a battle pass or two here and there.

You can usually go back to the past 3 titles and still have active lobbies, so it is possible to skip titles. I will occasionally go back and play older ones making the longevity even better.

Personally I think there is no better value in gaming. Add it to game pass and it basically pays for half the subscription.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121269890#Comment_121269890

Yeah I'm not a fan of "movie games" myself. Where you get from checkpoint A to Checkpoint B, then you watch a lengthy cut scene, then on to checkpoint C. Rinse and repeat. Where your actions in game have no impact on the story.

If I wanted to watch a movie, I'd watch a movie.

The PlayStation seems to be stacked with those titles lately.

TheRona

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121270142#Comment_121270142

Yeah, I bought a PS5 mainly to work through some of those games that I've never got around to. The reality is that you have to commit to them being essentially the only game you play for a period of time, and really engross yourself in it. I can't really do that, and I find every time I go back to them after a bit of a break, I've forgotten all the controls again 😂