Microsoft’s purchase of Activision Blizzard may signal its biggest push yet to get the service on Sony’s platforms
“What happens next?”
That’s the question on everyone’s mind right now after that massive megaton of news today. What domino will fall? Why make this purchase right now? What’s Sony going to do? What’s Nintendo going to do? You can get a hint with the great conversation we just had during our latest EMERGENCY MEETING.
With Microsoft buying Activision, that likely means that the non-service versions of the property (eg. the single player campaigns) could likely become an Xbox exclusive within a couple of years. Call of Duty 2022 is probably set for PS4/5, but Call of Duty 2023 is likely to be finding a permanent home on Microsoft’s service. Call of Duty has consistently been one of the top sellers on Sony’s platforms, and usually finds more sales on the PlayStation platform than on Xbox — so how do they respond to the growing gap of major content?
The likely answer is that Sony could make a major acquisition this year.
Take Two is probably off of the table, with their recent purchase of Zynga potentially being due to a whiff of this major merger happening ahead of time. Capcom and its lineup of IP, especially its fighting games, could be a smart move. Sony already took over EVO, and adding the top fighting game company on the planet would help bolster that. Would they buy EA? That one would be a bigger purchase than the ActiBlizzard news, arguably, but the sports license tie-up with FIFA, the NFL, and now the PGA, would make that nigh impossible. Square Enix, on the other hand, could be a very strong candidate. Final Fantasy has become synonymous with PlayStation over the years, with FFXVI being one of the centerpieces of the PS5’s introduction.
But Squeenix may not want to sell out just yet, especially with Final Fantasy XIV and Dragon Quest X Online doing so well. What may be likely is a more piecemeal plan in which Sony looks at specific IPs from companies like Konami (Silent Hill, Metal Gear) and Square Enix (Tomb Raider, Marvel IPs).
Sony’s latest rumors could be a hint as well. Rumors have pointed to the company developing a software store in which its games can arrive on PCs day and date with its hardware. There are also rumors that the company is developing its own Game Pass competitor to make its back catalog of games available under a subscription fee. Should the company be willing to push past its hardware boundaries, it may look to partner with places like Steam or the Epic Games Store for more exposure both ways.
The big real reason to all of this is that Microsoft is all in on Game Pass, and may be forcing Sony to actively look at adding the service onto PlayStation platforms. If the biggest third party games sold on your platform are no longer available, you start to get antsy. Sony makes money not just from hardware, but from the licensing of third party games onto its platform — Sony missing out on the annual Call of Duty cut is a massive blow to their bottom line, and that’s what’s at stake. If the company wants to continue in the Great Gaming Cold War then it’ll likely have to play ball with one of its biggest competitors — something that it’s been stubbornly holding back from for a long time now.
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