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[Shits_McGiggles]

Based on the direction Activision Blizzard has been taking the past decade, is the buyout really that much of a concern beyond the super casual audience who only buys Madden/FIFA and Call of Duty every single year, and potentially for Sony as a company?

Activision Blizzard is just as bad as EA (if not worse) these days and is the epitome of creative stagnation in the industry. Bobby Kotick has been consolidating every development team Activision has into Call of Duty support studios, and I suspect that Blizzard would have increasingly seen a similar fate in the following years. Activision Blizzard would have continued to devalue itself in the eyes of the more hardcore audience by focusing solely on Call of Duty with no other IPs being used, so outside of the concern of monolithic megacorp expansionism (which is a valid concern), I fail to see how the Microsoft acquisition is a terrifying proposition.

Time will tell how this all turns out, but I’m more optimistic about the future of Activision Blizzard simply because Phil Spencer has an incentive to release a greater variety of games on Game Pass rather than solely developing Call of Duty year after year. This also might lead to Blizzard games potentially coming to Steam in the future.

 

[Urban]

The salt is strong with this one

 

[captainraincoat]

We are now at the testing stage I think

 

[TheGodfather07]

Remember how mad people would get everytime call of duty would show up on a stage or show? Cod has been a running joke to the hardcore for years now. Doesn't change the fact that's its loved and played by many casual players.

 

[Wildebeest]

I don't really see the value in bringing Blizzard games to steam. People who play WoW and Starcraft 2 have their own guilds and friends lists on Battle.net if they need them. Microsoft might find more value in adding some of their multiplayer game pass games to Battle.net.

 

[Inviusx]

Think not what they have now but what they may have in 10 years. Microsoft is playing the long game here.

 

[skit_data]

I’ll miss Toys for Bob and Vicarious Visions stuff. Ironically, the chance of seeing new stuff from them have probably increased because of the acquisition so if anything its a net positive in that respect.

 

[Shits_McGiggles]

The salt is strong with this one

Salt over what?

 

[Shits_McGiggles]

I’ll miss Toys for Bob and Vicarious Visions stuff. Ironically, the chance of seeing new stuff from them have probably increased because of the acquisition so if anything its a net positive in that respect.

Toys for Bob was recently made into a Call if Duty support studio, so like you said, it’s really only a net positive as they would have no longer made anything other than Call of Duty. Vicarious Visions is now a blizzard support studio, so similar logic applies to them as well. At least now there is a chance for a greater variety of games with Microsoft in charge.

 

[Markio128]

It was a massive shock, particularly with COD in mind, but if I was a PS only gamer, I wouldn’t really feel any effect from losing Activision/Blizzard games; I can live without any of their IPs. The Zenimax acquisition, well, that’s a different story. Bear in mind that I am almost 100% single player gamer.

 

[Deerock71]

I'm pretty sure hardcore types love them some Tony Hawk's.

 

[DavidGzz]

Diablo 4 is huge for me. They're bringing back the dark art and gore. The latest update showed off some awesome animation systems for dismemberment as well. I hope the Vicarious Visions team is working on a Diablo 1 remake. Otherwise, there isn't too much for me that I can think of right now.


If I were PS only, yes I'd be concerned. This means A LOT less money for Sony overall. Less money for Sony equals less money to moneyhat exclusives or to fund their own projects. This is a very bad thing any way you look at it. You don't have to like any of thiese franchises to know that.

 

[MrTentakel]

I don`t care for the Activision IPs but just imagine MS rescues Raven from the COD dungeon and allows them to build a new shooter IP.

 

[Markio128]

I'm pretty sure hardcore types love them some Tony Hawk's.

I loved Tony Hawk’s back in the day, and I enjoyed the remake, to a point. I just think we have already seen the best from that IP. In fact, I honestly believe that we have seen the best from all their IPs. MS may surprise me in how they nurture the IPs, however, for me and my tastes, they have done nothing with any of their older acquisitions to suggest that this will be the case.

 

[DenchDeckard]

Yeah, “hardcore gamers“ don’t care about Diablo or StarCraft at all.

 

[Leyasu]

What is a hardcore gamer?

What games do they play to be considered hardcore?

 

[Shmunter]

Was the fish ai ever patented? Look no further

 

[Markio128]

Yeah, hardcore gamers don’t care about Diablo or StarCraft at all.

We’re talking about PS gamers here. Those games are only big in the eyes of PC gamers. And PC gamers will still get to play them, so…..

 

[phil_t98]

We’re talking about PS gamers here. Those games are only big in the eyes of PC gamers. And PC gamers will still get to play them, so…..

Skyrim? Call of duty?

 

[JLB]

I have to asume that OP thinks that Starcraft, WOW, COD and Diablo players are all casuals.
BTW, theres plenty of hardcore players that play FIFA as well.

 

[Markio128]

Skyrim? Call of duty?

I can currently play both of those games on PS5, so not sure why you brought those up - not to mention the thread is about Act/Bliz games, so only COD is relevant to the discussion.

 

[Rudius]

The biggest loss is what Microsoft could have done with 70 billion for the creation of new studios and games. They could make some 150 AAA titles.

 

[DenchDeckard]

We’re talking about PS gamers here. Those games are only big in the eyes of PC gamers. And PC gamers will still get to play them, so…..

So you’re telling me no PlayStation ”Hardcore Gamers” bought Diablo 3or Diablo 2 remastered?

 

[phil_t98]

I can currently play both of those games on PS5, so not sure why you brought those up - not to mention the thread is about Act/Bliz games, so only COD is relevant to the discussion.

The next version of the elder scrolls then and call of duty.

 

[Markio128]

So you’re telling me no PlayStation ”Hardcore Gamers” bought Diablo 3or Diablo 2 remastered?

I’m not saying that, but their loss will have such a small effect on the PS community. And lets be honest, it isn’t like the launch left a great taste in the mouth of console gamers. It was a fucking joke.

 

[Swift_Star]

Diablo 4 is huge for me. They're bringing back the dark art and gore. The latest update showed off some awesome animation systems for dismemberment as well. I hope the Vicarious Visions team is working on a Diablo 1 remake. Otherwise, there isn't too much for me that I can think of right now.


If I were PS only, yes I'd be concerned. This means A LOT less money for Sony overall. Less money for Sony equals less money to moneyhat exclusives or to fund their own projects. This is a very bad thing any way you look at it. You don't have to like any of thiese franchises to know that.

Someone else will fill that space. That’s nothing to concern about. If anything this might be good in the long run. CoD has been stale forever and I’m betting other f2p games brought more money to Sony than CoD.

 

[Markio128]

The next version of the elder scrolls then and call of duty.

TES is big to me, so that would be a big loss if I didn’t have a Series X, but we aren’t talking about Bethesda games. I’m a single player gamer, so COD is no loss to me.

 

[Topher]

The "hardcore" community, for the most part, will probably have the systems to play these games no matter what.

 

[brian0057]

Playing Call of Duty is the least "hardcore" thing you could possibly do.

 

[phil_t98]

TES is big to me, so that would be a big loss if I didn’t have a Series X, but we aren’t talking about Bethesda games. I’m a single player gamer, so COD is no loss to me.

People buy cod for single player also, there are a ton of franchises Microsoft now own. They could release a top game every 2-3 months with a development cycle of 2-3 years so it seems getting an Xbox could be more and more appealing

 

[Kenpachii]

I don`t care for the Activision IPs but just imagine MS rescues Raven from the COD dungeon and allows them to build a new shooter IP.

Yea so they can maybe get close if they are super super lucky towards current COD sales.

Aint happening.

 

[Holammer]

Was Activision and Blizzard getting acquired and merged by Vivendi ever a cause of concern? A FRENCH company may I add and the same company that later attempted a hostile takeover of Ubisoft.

If no, then this shouldn't bother you either.

 

[//DEVIL//]

The salt is strong with this one

I was about to say ... from the title alone you can feel the bitter . No need to even read anything.

Salt... it’s every where.. I LOVE IT.

I wonder why no threads like this popped up when Sony bought insomniac and killed any chance of their games to be multiplatform or them working with MS again .

Or the same when they bought housemarqus or whatever they are called ? .

Or blue point team ? Now they are all Sony exclusive and MS fans can dream of their games on pc and Xbox.

But when MS does it ? All hell is loose and all their games are useless and no value . And if they are not useless, they expect MS that paid 70B to release these games on their platform . Just like Sony is doing right ?..........


Right .. cry me a river.

 

[PhaseJump]

I choose to believe that Crash Bandicoot and Spyro are now members of Xbox's suicide squad. They will be sent to Japan to capture Sonic the Hedgehog and Hello Kitty.

 

[Gameplaylover]

There is no problem at all, no matter what you mean bei hardcore community.

- Hardcore fanboys will say ALL Zenimax/Activion are shit and that they never played/liked them.
- Hardcore gamers will have a pc or Xbox or get one.

 

[Metnut]

It’s really hard not to notice that many of the same people who (rightfully) ripped on the decline of CoD and Blizzard are now talking them up. I find it hilarious.

 

[WitchHunter]

Based on the direction Activision Blizzard has been taking the past decade, is the buyout really that much of a concern beyond the super casual audience who only buys Madden/FIFA and Call of Duty every single year, and potentially for Sony as a company?

Activision Blizzard is just as bad as EA (if not worse) these days and is the epitome of creative stagnation in the industry. Bobby Kotick has been consolidating every development team Activision has into Call of Duty support studios, and I suspect that Blizzard would have increasingly seen a similar fate in the following years. Activision Blizzard would have continued to devalue itself in the eyes of the more hardcore audience by focusing solely on Call of Duty with no other IPs being used, so outside of the concern of monolithic megacorp expansionism (which is a valid concern), I fail to see how the Microsoft acquisition is a terrifying proposition.

Time will tell how this all turns out, but I’m more optimistic about the future of Activision Blizzard simply because Phil Spencer has an incentive to release a greater variety of games on Game Pass rather than solely developing Call of Duty year after year. This also might lead to Blizzard games potentially coming to Steam in the future.

One can only hope. 95% chance that everything will remain the same.

 

[bad guy]

Calling CoD players casuals makes you sound like a snob.

 

[Markio128]

People buy cod for single player also, there are a ton of franchises Microsoft now own. They could release a top game every 2-3 months with a development cycle of 2-3 years so it seems getting an Xbox could be more and more appealing

I personally think that MS are trying to build a bigger game pass presence on PC. It’s much more difficult to convince console communities to move from PS to Xbox consoles because you need to convince their friends as well. I understand this better than most, because having recently bought a Series X, I only have a handful of friends on the console, so if I was a multiplayer gamer, I’d just play whatever was good on PS5 because that is where all my friends are.

 

[OneShotThrill]

It’s really hard not to notice that many of the same people who (rightfully) ripped on the decline of CoD and Blizzard are now talking them up. I find it hilarious.

This is what i dont get... We just watched this whole forum talk shit about COD for the last few months especially Vanguard and how much it blows. Now all if a sudden COD is relevant again . I hope M$ can change some things up with Activisions lineup. Especially COD.

 

[VAVA Mk2]

No because the hardcore community doesn't fucking console war and is more concerned about games than stupid fucking cock waving contests through choice of people that makes your plastic box to play games on.

 

[SpokkX]

…because Blizzard makes games for casual gamers, right?

….

CoD will cater to the Madden crowd sure.. but Blizzard is pretty much the definition of hardcore

 

[Avner]

What is hardcore? Reminds me of the Wii era marketing by HD consoles.

 

[Umbasaborne]

Duh, everyone knows the REAL hardcore G4m3rz are on playstation

 

[DavidGzz]

Someone else will fill that space. That’s nothing to concern about. If anything this might be good in the long run. CoD has been stale forever and I’m betting other f2p games brought more money to Sony than CoD.

Time will tell but I think many will forgo buying a PS just because of CoD. I know plenty of casuals who only play those big games like Skyrim, Fallout, Assassin's Creed, and CoD. Why would they get a PS now? You all can downplay this all you want but this is what killed the Dreamcast. Sony has a great first-party and a lot more money than Sega, so they will be fine, but this will still hurt them, especially if MS isn't done buying studios.

 

[ManaByte]

Threads like this make me want to see MS swoop in and buy From Software just for the reaction that would get.

 

[MonarchJT]

Based on the direction Activision Blizzard has been taking the past decade, is the buyout really that much of a concern beyond the super casual audience who only buys Madden/FIFA and Call of Duty every single year, and potentially for Sony as a company?

Activision Blizzard is just as bad as EA (if not worse) these days and is the epitome of creative stagnation in the industry. Bobby Kotick has been consolidating every development team Activision has into Call of Duty support studios, and I suspect that Blizzard would have increasingly seen a similar fate in the following years. Activision Blizzard would have continued to devalue itself in the eyes of the more hardcore audience by focusing solely on Call of Duty with no other IPs being used, so outside of the concern of monolithic megacorp expansionism (which is a valid concern), I fail to see how the Microsoft acquisition is a terrifying proposition.

Time will tell how this all turns out, but I’m more optimistic about the future of Activision Blizzard simply because Phil Spencer has an incentive to release a greater variety of games on Game Pass rather than solely developing Call of Duty year after year. This also might lead to Blizzard games potentially coming to Steam in the future.

the reason why this acquisition is important and why Sony in person hopes that Microsoft will not abandon them is that the consoles are sold thanks to casual gamers. It had to be excepted that it is not Bloodborne or some other Japanese niche game that makes the hardware move, nor is it, in our day, a famous game like Final Fantasy that does. We can repeat it every day but the games that "matter" and that can absolutely change the fate of a console compared to another are few and we all know what are: COD, FIFA, GTA, Fortnite, Minecraft all the rest, even if define an identity to the console, is worth very little, in the sense that, imagining a console without the aforementioned games (Cod, fifa etc etc) would have failed in the time of a blink. So you will understand for yourself how the two worlds are linked and how (unfortunately) even that of hardcore gamers who wait years to play the niche RPG who. they love so much, would not have that game if the platform wouldn't be successful first thanks to those casual games. And unfortunately the success on a global scale that these 4 or 5 games have is not easy to replicate even if the best studios try it all the time 99% of the time it reaches the maximum. release a wonderful game that unfortunately is forgotten in a couple of months or at most a few years.

 

[Fredrik]

I’m not sure what’s the definition of hardcore gamers but I guess Diablo, Starcraft, Overwatch will be missed.

 

[RJMacready73]

Bring WOW or better yet announce WOW2 for Xbox and watch the world go mad

 

[OneShotThrill]

Threads like this make me want to see MS swoop in and buy From Software just for the reaction that would get.

Yea I dont really get the "Hardcore" label im pretty sure the majority hardcore are playing Acti/Blizzard or Zenimax titles on PC to begin with. Damn sure aint PS