Microsoft-Activision-Blizzard Discussion Thread (Part 1)

[ThereAreFourNaan]

@Cayde4Ever

That is… shocking. Wonder what that means for the future of Battlenet

There’s no sign of Blizzard games being on Steam thus far, just the Activision part of the company. We actually already knew they were coming back because MW2 went up for preorders on Steam, and there’s a Crash 4 test page that hasn’t gone public yet. What happened today is just that they made an Activision Publisher Page (which is like a page devs and publishers can make to compile all the stuff on the service owned by one company). Activision’s old games never left, it’s just that there hadn’t been anything new since Spyro trilogy.

My current prediction is that Blizzard games will stay Battle Net exclusive, probably, and that you’ll see an Xbox integration like how uPlay integration works for ubisoft games that are on gamepass. You’ll link accounts. I’d like to be surprised, but Battle Net has a very large number of users, all bliz games are routed through it exclusively, and I don’t think they’ll voluntarily choose to sunset it, nor will Microsoft force their hand in the short or medium term.

[DARK-PARADISE]

@AllianceOfficer

I’m actually surprised how little video game companies are there

Maybe because it’s damn expensive there

[Jorge_Alexander_Acos (Jorge Alexander Acosta Duarte)]

@hexbacon

One thing to add is that the FTC doesn’t publicly disclose cases. There won’t be a link to a document stating the reason why the FTC didn’t dispute this transaction. Instead we will more likely get one of the parties involved mention that FTC didn’t asked or dispute the transaction.

Any headline to any article stating that the “FTC Approved MS-ATVI” deal is wrong and misinformation. We will for sure get a public notification from the EU and maybe other regulatory bodies across the globe.

@TheBrightestSun

Oh! No wonder there was no document after Bethesda deal. Well, then we will only be able to read EU conclusion.

Yup, if its approved without any problems or objection by the FTC we will never know.

[Jorge_Alexander_Acos (Jorge Alexander Acosta Duarte)]

@ThereAreFourNaan

…sh 4 test page that hasn’t gone public yet. What happened today is just that they made an Activision Publisher Page (which is like a page devs and publishers can make to compile all the stuff on the service owned by one company). Activision’s old games never left, it’s just that there hadn’t been anything new since Spyro trilogy. My current prediction is that Blizzard games will stay Battle Net exclusive, probably, and that you’ll see an Xbox integration like how uPlay integration works for ubisoft games that are on gamepass. You’ll link accounts. I’d like to be surprised, but Battle Net has a very large number of users, all bliz games are routed through it exclusively, and I don’t think they’ll voluntarily choose to sunset it, nor will Microsoft force their hand in the short or medium term.

That makes…a lot of sense dammit!!

[AllianceOfficer]

@DARK-PARADISE

Maybe because it’s damn expensive there

I mean theres tons in california and its expensive there too.

[pg2g]

I think a lot of the NY tech people are funneled into Wallstreet.

It isn’t really a huge market for tech companies.

[hexbacon]

@TheBrightestSun

Oh! No wonder there was no document after Bethesda deal. Well, then we will only be able to read EU conclusion.

EU in most transaction is the last step. I expect this to be the case. If EU approves the transaction will completed in 3-4 days.

[EldenDarkwraith]

Chance of MW2 being a day one release on GP rising!

Fingers crossed there was no GamePass clause in their contract when it was initially signed with Sony.

[No-1HoloLens-Fan]

@EldenDarkwraith

Chance of MW2 being a day one release on GP rising!

Fingers crossed there was no GamePass clause in their contract when it was initially signed with Sony.

If it is even available within this year that would be awesome

Edit: really doesn’t matter if it is this year or not for me

I will be starting with old CoD campaigns anyway

[KiryutheD (KiryutheDragon)]

@EldenDarkwraith

Chance of MW2 being a day one release on GP rising!

Fingers crossed there was no GamePass clause in their contract when it was initially signed with Sony.

I think there is a no Game Pass clause in their marketing deal but once the deal goes through I am sure they will renegotiate. MS said they plan on keeping future CoD games on Playstation. But they never said anything about exclusive content, maps, DLC or if the new games will drop day and date on Playstation platforms. MS can use this as leverage to get MW2 on Game Pass now.

[Paxton]

For those hoping to have Sekiro on Gamepass, I believe it won’t happen by default because FromSoftware/Kadowaka owns it unlike Dark Souls and Elden Ring that are owned by Bamco, I suppose the moment they try that Kadokawa would pull out publishing duties from Activision claiming its not doing the best for their pockets, but since we got deals for new franchises on the service, maybe there’s a bridge to have Sekiro.

[DARK-PARADISE]

@Paxton

For those hoping to have Sekiro on Gamepass, I believe it won’t happen by default because FromSoftware/Kadowaka owns it unlike Dark Souls and Elden Ring that are owned by Bamco, I suppose the moment they try that Kadokawa would pull out publishing duties from Activision claiming its not doing the best for their pockets, but since we got deals for new franchises on the service, maybe there’s a bridge to have Sekiro.

If the publishing rights belong to Activision then they belong to Activision and they can put it on GP, no? The IP belongs to From, but publishing rights of the first game to Activision (like Sunset Overdrive).

[Paxton]

@DARK-PARADISE

If the publishing rights belong to Activision then they belong to Activision and they can put it on GP, no? The IP belongs to From, but publishing rights to Activision (like Sunset Overdrive).

I don’t think so, because it likely depends on new negotiations, Kadokawa can simply pull out or even sue Activision claiming its doing financial decisions over the game without their authorization, we can only hope that bringing their franchises on GP (Zero Escape, Somnium, Danganronpa) will be a bridge to have stuff clear, but unless it was stated that Activision can do anything and might have even owned the first game but not the IP, anything is possible. Games do change publishers sometimes, albeit very rare. Sunset Overdrive likely had a deal to have it on GP for X years before Insomniac was bought out and Sony did not pull out (which would result in contract fines).

The stuff that Xbox could likely do anything is with Tenchu 1 to 3 as Sony Music sold out the IP when the first game came out as a sucess in the west by Activision, but then Activision sold the IP to From Software but retained the rights for all the games they published (1 to 3)

[Ace_Maverick]

CharlieIntel

[TheBrightestSun]

@Paxton

For those hoping to have Sekiro on Gamepass, I believe it won’t happen by default because FromSoftware/Kadowaka owns it unlike Dark Souls and Elden Ring that are owned by Bamco, I suppose the moment they try that Kadokawa would pull out publishing duties from Activision claiming its not doing the best for their pockets, but since we got deals for new franchises on the service, maybe there’s a bridge to have Sekiro.

Wasn’t Sekiro in Stadia?

[Daniel]

@hexbacon

EU in most transaction is the last step. I expect this to be the case. If EU approves the transaction will completed in 3-4 days.

With Bethesda it was literally announced the next day that the deal was done.

Another thing about this deal I only just now thought about is the tech they’re getting, COD campaigns always look stunning. I wonder if some Xbox IP can start to use the COD engine and maybe they’ll be able to modernise it now

[TheBrightestSun]

@Daniel

I wonder if some Xbox IP can start to use the COD engine

Which one though? Microsoft’s studios are using their own engines all the time. And UE.

[TheBrightestSun]

After another debate regarding COD exclusivity, I have learned that some people still think that TES will come to Playstation and Starfield is time exclusive. But that’s fine.

What I did learn is that actually mainline COD multiplayer allows you to level up the seasonal (or whatever weapons released COD provides) faster and then use them in Warzone (Warzone kinda allows to do that too but much slower). Then it would make sense if Microsoft keeps COD multiplatform - due to this level up feature. Unlike Sony, they don’t gatekeep game modes or abilities.

[DARK-PARADISE]

@Daniel

I wonder if some Xbox IP can start to use the COD engine

Is it built to be multipurpose? I think not even other CoD studios have used it other than IW so far but it’s gonna be the foundation for the future.

[Daniel]

@TheBrightestSun

Which one though? Microsoft’s studios are using their own engines all the time. And UE.

No idea, just yet another option for any of them which would be nice too have. Microsoft are certainly gaining a lot of tech from these purchases which is nice.

@TheBrightestSun

After another debate regarding COD exclusivity, I have learned that some people still think that TES will come to Playstation and Starfield is time exclusive. But that’s fine.

What I did learn is that actually mainline COD multiplayer allows you to level up the seasonal (or whatever weapons released COD provides) faster and then use them in Warzone (Warzone kinda allows to do that too but much slower). Then it would make sense if Microsoft keeps COD multiplatform - due to this level up feature. Unlike Sony, they don’t gatekeep game modes or abilities.

At the risk of bringing up the debate for the thousandth time, multiplat with marketing and little bonuses and perks for playing on Xbox is best for almost everyone except people who like list wars.

I think it would be a massive gamble to make it exclusive because people might be bored enough of cod that they won’t buy a whole new system to just play it and just pick up another FPS instead.