Unknown Soldier
Member
The biggest experiment in the history of the industry is about to be carried out, assuming the Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard clears the gauntlet of the antitrust regulators. For many decades, it was always safe to assume that 3rd party publishers and studios would provide a stream of content for multiple major competing platforms, because it is in their best interests to make their content as widely available as possible.
Today, with the announcement of this acquisition, that assumption is now dead. Antitrust regulators have a pretty solid shot at rejecting this acquisition because of how much content Activision Blizzard controls and potentially withholding all of it from a competing platform is the literal textbook definition of abusing monopoly power. That said, if the acquisition is allowed, then all bets are off. This thread isn't about whether this will now trigger a never before seen wave of industry consolidation as Sony and Microsoft fight to gain control of what used to be major 3rd party publishers and studios to take their content exclusive.
It is, however, about the ramifications of a franchise as large and important to the overall health and success of the games industry as Call of Duty becoming a console exclusive. I don't plan on arguing about whether it's going happen other than Microsoft didn't just spend $69 billion, the largest acquisition in the entire history of the tech industry, to publish games for Playstation. Call of Duty is going Xbox exclusive and if you don't believe this then you are retarded.
So the question becomes: What effect will a franchise as large as Call of Duty going console exclusive likely to have on the health and success of the games industry? I want to say it's bad, because any time you reduce the ability of consumers to access content, you reduce the potential profit and reach of your content. But I also want to say it's good, because if something as huge as Call of Duty goes exclusive, then it will encourage new franchises to emerge and compete and new innovations in development and gameplay to attract consumers who are looking for a replacement for the content they just lost.
Here's a poll, I know you guys love polls. Have at it.
Today, with the announcement of this acquisition, that assumption is now dead. Antitrust regulators have a pretty solid shot at rejecting this acquisition because of how much content Activision Blizzard controls and potentially withholding all of it from a competing platform is the literal textbook definition of abusing monopoly power. That said, if the acquisition is allowed, then all bets are off. This thread isn't about whether this will now trigger a never before seen wave of industry consolidation as Sony and Microsoft fight to gain control of what used to be major 3rd party publishers and studios to take their content exclusive.
It is, however, about the ramifications of a franchise as large and important to the overall health and success of the games industry as Call of Duty becoming a console exclusive. I don't plan on arguing about whether it's going happen other than Microsoft didn't just spend $69 billion, the largest acquisition in the entire history of the tech industry, to publish games for Playstation. Call of Duty is going Xbox exclusive and if you don't believe this then you are retarded.
So the question becomes: What effect will a franchise as large as Call of Duty going console exclusive likely to have on the health and success of the games industry? I want to say it's bad, because any time you reduce the ability of consumers to access content, you reduce the potential profit and reach of your content. But I also want to say it's good, because if something as huge as Call of Duty goes exclusive, then it will encourage new franchises to emerge and compete and new innovations in development and gameplay to attract consumers who are looking for a replacement for the content they just lost.
Here's a poll, I know you guys love polls. Have at it.
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