WITH the news that Microsoft is buying Activision breaking this week, game franchises becoming platform exclusives is a big worry for gamers.
Series like Call of Duty could be Xbox exclusives going forward, although industry expert Micheal Pachter says Sony will fight back to keep them on PlayStation consoles.
Microsoft bought Bethesda parent company ZeniMax Media at the end of 2020.
In a blow to PS4 and PS5 console owners, it made it clear that new and upcoming titles from the studio will be Xbox exclusives.
The fear is that the same will happen with new and existing series from Activision Blizzard-owned developers.
Microsoft mentioned as few of the franchises that are included in the Activision deal in the initial announcement.
If it follows the same strategy, PlayStation players could lose out on their favourite games.
Activision’s library of IPs is extensive, so let’s take a look at which games this deal could affect:
- Call of Duty
- Crash Bandicoot
- Spyro
- Sekiro
- Tony Hawk
- Diablo
- Overwatch
Overwatch 2 and Diablo 4 are the immediate concerns; Diablo 4 was announced for PC and console and won’t be out until 2023 at the earliest.
Just like Starfield, the rug could be pulled from under PlayStation players with the game turning into an Xbox exclusive.
Overwatch has also got a solid fanbase that would be more than a little upset at it disappearing from PS4 and PS5.
Sony has issued a statement following Microsoft’s announcement (via Bloomberg) saying:
“We expect that Microsoft will abide by contractual agreements and continue to ensure Activision games are multiplatform.”
It sounds like the company might be gearing up for a fight, as industry analyst Michael Pachter told us.
The deal won’t be completed until next year, so we’ll have to wait and see how this unfolds.
Header image credit: @klobrille
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