Microsoft Activision deal – what it means for players

21 October 2023 , 06:00

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Xbox now had full creative control over major Activision brands like Overwatch, Diablo and Call of Duty. (Image: Microsoft)

With the Microsoft’s $69 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard now finalised, we take a look at the potential implications for players in both the long and short-term.

It is done. Following a 20-month-long fight that involved court battles against the FTC, several future Xbox Series X plans being leaked and last-minute negotiations with the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority, the Microsoft Activision deal has been given the green light in every major territory around the world. To the tune of $69 billion, Xbox owns Activision Blizzard and every franchise that comes with it, including Diablo, Call of Duty and Overwatch.

This purchase is by far one of the biggest tech company purchases in history, making Microsoft’s previous acquisition of Bethesda look like chump change by comparison. The Microsoft Activision deal is sure to have major ramifications in the long run, with many hoping that it’ll finally bump Xbox out of third place to be a contender again against PlayStation and Nintendo.

So much of what will happen with regards to Activision Blizzard’s titles is still uncertain, but there are a few certainties head of Xbox Phil Spencer has already publicly discussed. It’s with this in mind that I’ll aim to lend you my full opinion and perspective about what it means for players now that Xbox owns Activision Blizzard – no ifs or buts.

Activision games come to Xbox Game Pass – eventually

To get an obvious one out of the way, it’s incredibly likely that most (if not all) of Activision Blizzard’s titles will come to Xbox Game Pass – just not anytime soon. As was the case with new Bethesda releases like Starfield and Redfall earlier this year, Microsoft has kept its word about making all first-party Xbox titles available to play on Xbox Series X|S from day one. Players can therefore play all these games for a one-off monthly fee rather than purchasing them piecemeal, saving money in the long run.

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So, while chances are high that the likes of Diablo 4 and Modern Warfare 3 – two of 2023’s biggest Activision Blizzard games – will make their way to Xbox Game Pass now that the Microsoft Activision deal is complete, don’t expect it to happen any time soon. That’s according to Phil Spencer himself, who in a recent interview dispelled the idea that there’d be “some kind of secret celebration drop that's coming in the next couple of weeks”. Alas, getting Activision Blizzard titles on Xbox Game Pass is a waiting game.

Call of Duty will stay on all platforms for the future

Obviously one of the biggest jewels in the Activision Blizzard crown is Call of Duty, forever topping sales charts year after year to remain one of the most popular games played across PC, PlayStation and Xbox. And while the inclusion of Call of Duty wasn’t as much of a hold-up in getting the deal approved compared to, say, Xbox’s potential dominance in cloud streaming, it’s still one heck of a cash cow to add to the first-party Xbox lineup.

PlayStation players might be wondering about Call of Duty’s future on the platform as a result of Xbox now owning the IP. Though it’s true that Microsoft can now technically stop supporting PS4 and PS5 players with new releases or even Call of Duty: Warzone updates, the truth is that the tech giant would be silly to do so. Call of Duty sells far more copies on PlayStation than it has on Xbox during these past two console generations, so removing it would mean losing out on money. Combine this with Microsoft’s decade-long commitment to keep Call of Duty elsewhere, and the FPS series is going nowhere any time soon.

Potential revivals of classic Activision franchises

One of the most hopeful outcomes from Microsoft purchasing Activision Blizzard, is that there’ll be less of an emphasis on just Call of Duty. You see, for several years now this is the franchise Activision Blizzard has prioritised above all others, dedicating entire studios to the Call of Duty hivemind in order to hit its annual release schedule every year. It makes financial sense, but left us players who enjoyed, you know, things other than Call of Duty somewhat starved.

That’s why I’m excited to see what Xbox does with the treasure trove of franchises Activision Blizzard has been sitting on for all this time. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, Guitar Hero… the list goes on. A recent report suggests that James Corden (for some reason) was hired to speak to current Activision CEO Bobby Kotick about the potential to revive the latter, so all eyes are on Xbox to expand the Activision back catalogue – either by bringing old games back or creating all-new instalments.

Aaron Potter