[PLEASE READ STAFF POST] Microsoft says they have committed to Sony that they will keep Call of Duty and other titles on Playstation "beyond the existing agreement and into the future so that Sony fans can continue to enjoy the games they love."

[Cerysnetics (Cerys)]

@PoderickPayne

Even that Philips CDI?

You shut your filthy mouth!

@TheBrightestSun

And who did?

[deftones_r_cool]

@mcolt

It’s strange that some people are more upset than they were before the acquisition.

Even if all ABK games (past and future) became multiplats…

… think of it as a permanent deal with ABK for all of their games to be in Game Pass and have Xbox marketing.

Isn’t that good enough?

I wouldn’t be surprised if that alone has a bigger effect than Zenimax.

Even with a publisher as large as ABK, Game Pass permanancy seems like an awfully strange thing to throw 70 billion at. Theres a lot more going on here. I trust Microsoft, for better or worse.

[CallMeCraig]

trueachievements has a poll about this right now:

interesting result

[howlingmosquito (mosquito)]

@mcolt

think of it as a permanent deal with ABK for all of their games to be in Game Pass and have Xbox marketing.

Isn’t that good enough?

For $70B? Nope.

If I buy a house I dont expect the previous residents to live there and take food from the fridge.

“But they’ll leave too much money on the table”

Bullshit. The moment Call of Duty launches on gamepass is the same moment CoD stops selling mass quantities on Xbox and PC…why should they care if it stops sellin on Playstation? It’ll only lead to more Xbox sales and more gamepass subscribers, which is the play.

[pg2g]

@howlingmosquito

For $70B? Nope.

If I buy a house I dont expect the previous residents to live there and take food from the fridge.

“But they’ll leave too much money on the table”

Bullshit. The moment Call of Duty launches on gamepass is the same moment CoD stops selling mass quantities on Xbox and PC…why should they care if it stops sellin on Playstation? It’ll only lead to more Xbox sales and more gamepass subscribers, which is the play.

Why are you worried about the price? They are getting the revenue stream associated with Activision Blizzard, they didn’t pay $70 billion for Game Pass day 1.

[Infamy]

@howlingmosquito

For $70B? Nope.

If I buy a house I dont expect the previous residents to live there and take food from the fridge.

“But they’ll leave too much money on the table”

Bullshit. The moment Call of Duty launches on gamepass is the same moment CoD stops selling mass quantities on Xbox and PC…why should they care if it stops sellin on Playstation? It’ll only lead to more Xbox sales and more gamepass subscribers, which is the play.

The issue with the “they’ll leave money on the table” argument is that it’s founded on ignorance when you look at Microsoft’s goals. Not to mention the argument is normally used as a disingenuous prop for console warriors trying to justify why it needs to release on PS, when in reality that couldn’t be further from the truth (see: Bethesda).

Microsoft is highly likely to turn CoD into a two-year franchise. That alone will lose a metric ton of revenue that they’ve steadily earned for well over a decade, way more that making the game console exclusive.

Additionally, contractual agreements mean CoD is already releasing on PS until 2024, since MS says they are honoring those agreements. If the next CoD after those contracts expire is 2025 (or 2026 if two-year dev), those CoD games will be next-gen only. Warzone 2 was just announced as next-gen only, in 2022. You think missing out on some PS5 one-time $70 purchases is significant for MS? This is the Bethesda-level arguments all over again.

Microsoft is playing the long game here and it’s a shame people don’t realize it. There’s so many factors here people are blissfully unaware of. For example, people talk about how $70 vs free on Game Pass is a huge win for MS. That’s true.

But what about, for one example, when MS inevitably removes the online paywall as been heavily rumored by reputable MS sources? Do people really think there was no smoke to that fire? Clearly Game Pass is their subscription play, and paying for online play on Xbox is counterproductive to their PC and mobile efforts. Sprinkle in the fact that the competition is viewing Spartacus as a competitor and a huge part of that service is combining their paid online service with their streaming service, a paid online service that is pivotal to their business and absolutely nessesary. Yeah, now you’re getting it.

You don’t think that MS is waiting for Game Pass to hit a substantial milestone in subs to increase the Game Pass price (which nobody will be against) while simultaneously dropping Gold/online paywall for a huge PR win and making Xbox/Game Pass the de-facto gaming ecosystem? Imagine the value proposition for CoD then, as if it wasn’t lopsided in Xbox’s favor already.

We really need to stop thinking in the extreme short term, especially when Phil and Satya literally said that it’s about the long game. $70 billion, folks. Remember that.

[zedox]

@Infamy

… competition is viewing Spartacus as a competitor and a huge part of that service is combining their paid online service with their streaming service, a paid online service that is pivotal to their business and absolutely nessesary. Yeah, now you’re getting it. You don’t think that MS is waiting for Game Pass to hit a substantial milestone in subs to increase the Game Pass price (which nobody will be against) while simultaneously dropping Gold/online paywall for a huge PR win and making Xbox/Game Pass the de-facto gaming ecosystem? Imagine the value proposition for CoD then, as if it wasn’t lopsided in Xbox’s favor already. We really need to stop thinking in the extreme short term, especially when Phil and Satya literally said that it’s about the long game. $70 billion, folks. Remember that.

To be honest, if you are thinking in terms of only consoles, you aren’t thinking in the long term at all.

[Infamy]

@zedox

To be honest, if you are thinking in terms of only consoles, you aren’t thinking in the long term at all.

Oh, trust me, I know very well. Xbox is more than just consoles to MS (although we know consoles are one of their main pillars to gaming). They want Game Pass to be ubiquitous with video games.

[zedox]

@Infamy

Oh, trust me, I know very well. Xbox is more than just consoles to MS (although we know consoles are one of their main pillars to gaming). They want Game Pass to be ubiquitous with video games.

We want to support all forms of how any gamer wants to build their library, if they want to purchase, subscribe or f2p, and do so on any device. We want to support physical and digital games, while also supporting streaming games. We want all sorts of games on our platform to support the many types of gamers. We want to support all types of devs, small to large with all sorts of tools and business models to make them successful.

Yes, GamePass is an important part of our business and it may seem like the “face” of what we do, but it’s about supporting the variety in gaming in all aspects while trying to be good stewards of the industry. So I disagree is that GamePass is what we want ubitiuous with gaming.

It’s all a journey as @XboxP3 would say .

[No-1HoloLens-Fan]

ABK’s this year profit was around 2.5 Billion

To break even in the worst case, it would require 27 years to make 67.5 billion🤪

Making exclusives does not fit well for this kind of a deal

Exclusives are the way for Consoles but I don’t think any console company has made any Game like this exclusive before

This deal goes well above the standard console industry. Making arguments based on console industry is just ridiculous for this deal

[Infamy]

@zedox

… We want to support all forms of how any gamer wants to build their library, if they want to purchase, subscribe or f2p, and do so on any device. We want to support physical and digital games, while also supporting streaming games. We want all sorts of games on our platform to support the many types of gamers. We want to support all types of devs, small to large with all sorts of tools and business models to make them successful. Yes, GamePass is an important part of our business and it may seem like the “face” of what we do, but it’s about supporting the variety in gaming in all aspects while trying to be good stewards of the industry. So I disagree is that GamePass is what we want ubitiuous with gaming. It’s all a journey as @XboxP3 would say .

Solely being good stewards of the industry doesn’t satuate shareholders or top execs. It doesn’t stop the competition from trying to extinguish you. If you don’t think Microsoft wants to have a dominant position in the cloud, mobile (one of their ultimate goals, hence their position on Epic v Apple and the basis of the blogpost this topic was written on that most people seemingly don’t understand), and to a lesser extent, consoles, then you’re falling for PR hook, line, and sinker. And this is coming from someone that adores Phil Spencer.

You can do all the things you just said while doing the above. It’s not one or the other.

[zedox]

@Infamy

Solely being good stewards of the industry doesn’t satuate shareholders or top execs. It doesn’t stop the competition from trying to extinguish you. If you don’t think Microsoft wants to have a dominant position in the cloud, mobile (one of their ultimate goals, hence their position on Epic v Apple and the basis of the blogpost this topic was written on that most people seemingly don’t understand), and to a lesser extent, consoles, then you’re falling for PR hook, line, and sinker. And this is coming from someone that adores Phil Spencer.

You can do all the things you just said while doing the above. It’s not one or the other.

I don’t know where I said that we wouldn’t compete in my statement.

[Shadowgasm]

@zedox

… We want to support all forms of how any gamer wants to build their library, if they want to purchase, subscribe or f2p, and do so on any device. We want to support physical and digital games, while also supporting streaming games. We want all sorts of games on our platform to support the many types of gamers. We want to support all types of devs, small to large with all sorts of tools and business models to make them successful. Yes, GamePass is an important part of our business and it may seem like the “face” of what we do, but it’s about supporting the variety in gaming in all aspects while trying to be good stewards of the industry. So I disagree is that GamePass is what we want ubitiuous with gaming. It’s all a journey as @XboxP3 would say .

Some people just want you to crush your enemies, to see them driven before you and to hear the lamentations of the women.

[Infamy]

@zedox

I don’t know where I said that we wouldn’t compete in my statement.

I’m not particularly saying you said that. I agree with the basis of your post. I’m saying more of a general statement.

All those things can be correct while Microsoft still personally wanting Game Pass to be the undisputed streaming platform. It’s why people upset that MS is comparing CoD to Minecraft (which you should know more than any of us about, congrats by the way) is foolish, because these games being multiplatform doesn’t change their ambitions for Xbox and especially Game Pass.

[PoderickPayne (Travis Norris)]

@Cerysnetics

@Cerysnetics

You shut your filthy mouth!

How was Backgamon?

[FacelessSamurai]

I think from what we are seeing, it is quite obvious what is happening. Minecraft as a platform has grown a lot aince the MS purchase and I could see the same happening with COD and Overwatch for example, even World of Warcraft if they are so inclined. Those franchises need multi platform to shine.

So while I would have liked to see the exclusive angle mlre played put as an Xbox fan that has dropped every other console after the 360 gen (except for aome Nintendo on the side and PC) I can understand them having to keep a few things available everywhere for financial reasons but also to foster thise communities.

I think associating all of those franchises with Xbox anyway in commercials will bring more gamers to Xbox, same with the addition of thise hames to Gamepass. It also gives MS exclusivity on those titles in streaming platforms which is where a lot of the next gen wars will be played out. And only the super popular stuff will be multiplatform anyway and we will still get a lot of exclusives which will no doibt help sell xbox even more. And just to think about the possibility of COD series S bundles on black friday, man, that’d sell gangbusters!

This is probably going to be the best Xbox hen in histpry amd will set the tone for the following one. Its only going up from here!

[TheBrightestSun]

@FacelessSamurai

I think associating all of those franchises with Xbox anyway in commercials will bring more gamers to Xbox, same with the addition of thise hames to Gamepass. It also gives MS exclusivity on those titles in streaming platforms which is where a lot of the next gen wars will be played out. And only the super popular stuff will be multiplatform anyway and we will still get a lot of exclusives which will no doibt help sell xbox even more. And just to think about the possibility of COD series S bundles on black friday, man, that’d sell gangbusters!

It implies that Microsoft is good at marketing

[mcolt]

@deftones_r_cool

Even with a publisher as large as ABK, Game Pass permanancy seems like an awfully strange thing to throw 70 billion at. Theres a lot more going on here. I trust Microsoft, for better or worse.

I’m not talking about the acquisition’s worth to MS, I’m talking about users becoming upset after getting all this content for no added cost.

So, for Game Pass users its a great added value whether MS paid $100 or $100 billion for it.

For MS, it’s for them to run the numbers and decide.

Do we want it to increase Game Pass value?

Do we want it to bring people to the platform with perks and benefits?

Do we want the huge revenue from COD and Candy Crush?

Do we want a strong mobile presence?

Do we want to get hold of strong IPs that control their market and become an important tool against future stronger competitors?

I think it’s a mix of all these, and they are trying to find the best balance to make the most of it as much as they can.

[Astrakan]

@pg2g

Why are you worried about the price? They are getting the revenue stream associated with Activision Blizzard, they didn’t pay $70 billion for Game Pass day 1.

Not the person you’re asking, but for me it has to do with preferring that $70B to be spent elsewhere. Then again, I feel that way with or without exclusivity, as I don’t particularly care for most of the IP they got with this deal. Yes, I know there’s more than IP, there’s a huge amount of talent that also comes with the price tag. But still, I’d have preferred that $70B spent on studios and IP I actually care about.

And so using that logic it’s easy to see why some folks who value exclusivity but don’t super care about ABK, would perhaps feel OK with the deal anyway provided CoD and others become exclusive. But without exclusivity those same folks now feel the $70B could’ve been better spent on studios with IP they care about that could’ve been made exclusive to Xbox.

While I don’t quite understand why the exclusivity bit would be such a big motivator, I certainly don’t find it an entirely unreasonable position.

[TheBrightestSun]

@deftones_r_cool

Even with a publisher as large as ABK, Game Pass permanancy seems like an awfully strange thing to throw 70 billion at. Theres a lot more going on here. I trust Microsoft, for better or worse.

ABK acquisition has so many dimensions. It is an incredibly big topic.