Activision-Blizzard: thoughts on game exclusivity?

[Cayde4Ever (Cayde)]

@robrezende

Xbox is giving a good space for teams to develop the games they want to do, at least it seems like this. All these studios are involved in COD because they have to keep the annual release going and the COD trio working on it. If Xbox allows them to do more spaced releases, the other studios can do what they wish more freely, including Sledgehammer, Treyarch and, hopefully, Infinity Ward.

PS: While I was writing this post, I realized that with this acquisition, Xbox now has idTech and IW Tech, which derived from idTech 3. What a small world, isn’t it?

You want to get even smaller. Roundhouse studios is ex Raven devs. Real small lol

[Darthvader2795]

This is the first thing that comes to mind… Tried making a meme for the first time please don’t hate me lol

[SheepDip]

@Cayde4Ever

Two of them will be at the very least. I think Infinity Ward, Treyarch will become the primary COD developers and Sledgehammer, Raven, High Moon will go and do other projects.

This would be wonderful. Warzone always active, main COD series becomes a 3 year release cycle, and some of those other studios get to release other projects.

[peter42O]

@Staffy

Good, because if Sony were to buy any of the remaining big pubs (they kinda have to answer now…right?) Best believe that there is zero doubt where games are going to go. Would just be a bad look if Sony were to buy SE, they have Tomb Raider as exclusive, lock it down, Xbox however keeps CoD or Diablo 5 or whatever multiplatform.

Sony would obviously keep everything exclusive but so is Microsoft. It’s the same as Bethesda, Microsoft has to wait until the deal finalizes before saying it’s all exclusive.

[andrew_schmidt (HaloGaming08)]

@peter42O

Sony would obviously keep everything exclusive but so is Microsoft. It’s the same as Bethesda, Microsoft has to wait until the deal finalizes before saying it’s all exclusive.

yep

[Knottian (Daniel)]

@n0tjack

Every person who said “these IPs make too much money to be exclusive” for Zenimax were 100% wrong; it’ll be interesting to see who wants to die on that hill again.

[Kals_Els]

Microsoft will probably do the same thing as Bethesda, legacy titles aka remasters of older games or just older games being launched for a new gen, already announced deals will be honored, and keep supporting the f2p/multiplayer games. But all future content that isn’t announced, has no platforms will be exclusive to Xbox including COD single player and future multiplayer outside of Warzone.

[Sadistic_Magician]

probably been said countless times, havnt had time to read the thread sorry. I think war zone stays multiplat but future Cod campaign and regular multiplayer will be exclusive

[Steiner]

We had this discussion after the Bethesda purchase and saw how that turned out. Microsoft spending $70 billion shows how strongly they believe in Game Pass. Owning the largest franchise in gaming and not having it exclusive goes against that philosophy.

CoD will be exclusive as soon as possible after the deal closes imo and Warzone will continue on PS5 but will not come to PS6.

I’m more curious about Diablo 4 and Overwatch 2. Both have been announced for PS4 but not PS5. Since both games are years away with them probably coming out after the cross gen period is over MS should cancel all last gen versions and make them Series X & S and PC exclusive.

They could keep them cross gen and cross out the PS4 versions but that might be awkward.

Alternatively they could do like they did with Psychonauts 2 and release them for all previously announced platforms (including PS4) but not PS5. But that case was unique because it involved Kickstarter backers who already committed money so it’s less likely imo and causes confusion on what is exclusive and what is not.

[Sadistic_Magician]

@Ulster36thDiv

COD will be Xbox and PC exclusive… I’ll bet my hat on it.

Uncle Phil said they will continue to support other platforms where the Activision games are played… that’ll be PC from my thinking.

i agree with this, warzone will stay multiplat but cod campaign and multiplayer exclusive

[IdiotGuru (Justin)]

The more important thing is they’re all launching into Game Pass, though I suspect they all are going to be Xbox console exclusive eventually.

I think this is massive for PC Game Pass. We’re now talking about every new version of Halo, Forza, Call of Duty, Overwatch, Diablo and World of Warcraft, Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Doom, Wolfenstein and Minecraft launching right into PC Game Pass. Those are some of the biggest PC franchises of all time and it doesn’t even include the other games like Fable, Perfect Dark, Gears and others. PC Game Pass is an absolute staple for any PC gaming enthusiast out there.

[IGamebreadI (Avery)]

I suspect that games like Cod and Overwatch (basically big MP games) will remain multi-plat, but along with them going to gamepass day 1, ill bet on exclusive monthly rewards with Gamepass Ultimate for each Cod/Warzone and OW (Similar to Halo Infinite). On the other hand, With games like Crash/Spyro, if future games ever do get made… I think they WILL be exclusive, MS has been looking for KId/Family oriented games, and those 2 games are perfect for that genre.

[Hindle]

Everything thats made from now will be exclusive

[FacelessSamurai]

I think everything that’s already been announced as multiplatform will stick to those platforms. Overwatch 2 makes sense since it’s basically an Overwatch 1 upgrade and all content carries over since its basically a GAAS so stuff like this and Warzone will stay on the PS ecosystem. I somehow expect COD titles starting in holidays of 2023 to be multiplatform though, same hoes for every other major activision or Blizzard franchise; it’ll be treated the same as Bethesda. People thinking otherwise still aren’t through the acceptation phase basically, but it’s just a matter of time before everything is clearer just like it was around the Bethesda acquisition.

[PsyDec]

I think they follow the same precedent they’ve set with Bethesda. Games already on other platforms remain untouched, all new games become exclusive.

If ES6 is exclusive, I think CoD will be too, eventually.

[BadNews]

You don’t spend $70billion to put games on other platforms. I think its simple any games made after the acquisition will be exclusive. I think only exception will be warzone since that’s a platform, and COD fans will jump ship to get extra XP from the standalone games

[Xplainin]

@Cpt_Haddock

Activision Blizzard games are enjoyed on a variety of platforms and we plan to continue to support those communities moving forward.

There is no single player campaign communities. Communities are around MMO and online. So games like Warzone will be multi, COD campaigns will be exclusive. This is also what Grubb is saying.

[Whistler]

I’m almost hoping this forces Sony into leveraging more Japanese games so there can be an “East vs West” console battle.

[floop]

@Whistler

I’m almost hoping this forces Sony into leveraging more Japanese games so there can be an “East vs West” console battle.

heh too bad nintendo owns the east

[Hue]

Sorry but you don’t spend that much money to allow your competitors to also reap the rewards.

It was a statement to show how dedicated they are to growing GamePass, in many ways it almost seems to have gone beyond platforms now. I personally think this is their way of forcing their competitors to open up their platforms to GamePass.

When GamePass is everywhere they will simply become the Netflix of gaming.