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Will Activision/Blizzard games be available in PlayStation or be Xbox exclusives?

Will Activision/Blizzard games be exclusive to Xbox?

  • Yes, all games will be exclusives (minus already exclusive deals with PS made before acquisition)

  • No, they will also be available in PlayStation

  • They will only be timed exclusive

  • Some franchises will be exclusives, some will still come out on PlayStation


Results are only viewable after voting.

Fredrik

Member
You never know. Maybe MS does the Sony PC port strategy.

Announce out of the blue ports are coming to PS systems 3 or 4 years later to scoop up sales from ecosystem gamers who will never budge from PS.
Yup that could happen. But Minecraft is constantly there to remind them that keeping things multiplat isn’t a bad strategy if money is the goal.
 

Bramble

Member
I expect CoD to remain multiplat. PS community is absolutely massive. It’s a gold mine for MS. If not, I don’t see CoD staying as big as it is today. Sales already declining. Best selling one is at 30 million as a multiplat. Major chunk on PS. You don’t just cut that away and put it in a subscription. That’s just me.
 

VAVA Mk2

Member
It is gonna be the same as the Zenimax acquisition folks. They used the same response with this. Existing contracts for new games in development and games currently released on completing platforms will still be released for them or supported. All new titles going forward will be exclusive to platforms that have Game Pass.
 

yurinka

Member
Yup that could happen. But Minecraft is constantly there to remind them that keeping things multiplat isn’t a bad strategy if money is the goal.
It isn't only Minecraft. MS also released Minecraft Dungeons, Psychonauts 2, Deathloop or will release Ghostwire Tokyo, plus kept releasing their updates for Elder Scrolls Online, Fallout 76 or Doom Eternal on PS.

They also said -both for Zenimax and Activision- won't keep the players from other platforms behind and that they will continue supporting these communities or that the acquisition isn't about keeping games away from the other platforms.

So they can continue supporting the existing games, releasing some games (some maybe after a timed Xbox console exclusive, some other ones being multi since day one) and keeping other ones console (or PC) exclusives.

Microsoft desperately trying to become a monopoly. That 110 million to 60 million beat down Sony put on them last generation has definitely affected them.
MS can't be a monopoly when even after acquiring Activision Blizzard won't even be the market leader on console, mobile, PC or even money made by their gaming division. They're far from that.
 
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Minecraft is not a good analogy. It has more in common with King games then Call of Duty in terms of player base. I don't think Microsoft cares much about selling COD skins on Playstation in the short term. This is more about just plain taking over core gaming. The profits will figure themselves out down the line.
 

THE DUCK

voted poster of the decade by bots
I’d love to know what products you think they’ve dished out over the last few years you would consider quality……
Blizzard of old is no more.

Regardless of what I think, they are a huge company with many popular IP's, I just think it's funny to see people running in here to say they are ready for the toilet bad, don't remember seeing that on every activision thread before MS bought them.....
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
Yup that could happen. But Minecraft is constantly there to remind them that keeping things multiplat isn’t a bad strategy if money is the goal.
Agreed.

I think some of the risk people are feeling is that they think because a platform holder buys a third party company everything comes to a grinding halt. Maybe with studios Sony buys they do (which some do multiplat games).

But so far, MS has shown (until proven otherwise cutting game access off at the knees for PS) their Minecraft and Bethesda games are still selling. Servers still up. If they wanted to they could had just canned them 30 days later and get gamers to switch to Xbox, but they didnt.

Maybe for future games like Starfield and COD coming out this fall they will start to walled garden new games behind Xbox and PC. But so far they havent.

Even Minecraft Dungeons came out for PS4. And that was a new game.
 
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if you think Microsoft will make everything exclusive, you have no concept of money.

In the end we are only really talking about Call of Duty. Thats the only one that matters.
 

fart town usa

Gold Member
There's also the possibility that in 3-5 years time, the Bethesda/Activision acquisition doesn't pan out like they thought it would and MS then allows these games to be released onto Playstation, or at least some of the games.

Not saying it'll happen, but who knows what the long-term impact these purchases will have as a whole.
 
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quest

Not Banned from OT
Microsoft desperately trying to become a monopoly. That 110 million to 60 million beat down Sony put on them last generation has definitely affected them.
And sony wasn't with its money hat world tour with a goal to content starve Microsoft in the first few years of the generation. Build a huge lead and see Microsoft leave leaving only sony in the home console market.
 

Swift_Star

Banned
MS can't be a monopoly when even after acquiring Activision Blizzard won't even be the market leader on console, mobile, PC or even money made by their gaming division. They're far from that.
you really are shortsighted if you can’t see Microsoft endgame IS buying every single publisher they can (including Sony and Nintendo) to become the sole player in the HD gaming segment. Anything is game. They strive this because they’ll have to face facebook and the likes in the long run. The industry landscape will be worst than ever in the next 10 years or so.
 
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StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
And sony wasn't with its money hat world tour with a goal to content starve Microsoft in the first few years of the generation. Build a huge lead and see Microsoft leave leaving only sony in the home console market.
No doubt.

During the 360/PS3 gen, timed deals were like COD doing one month DLC deals.

The Xbox One/PS4 generation starts, and since then SOny has been on the warhorse doing endless deals including two year exclusivity deals. And were not talking about a one month COD Map Pack deal like the 360 gen, 2 year lock ups for an entire game (that Square game coming out soon).
 
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yurinka

Member
you really are shortsighted if you can’t see Microsoft endgame IS buying every single publisher they can (including Sony and Nintendo) to become the sole player in the HD gaming segment. Anything is game. They strive this because they’ll have to face facebook and the likes in the long run. The industry landscape will be worst than ever in the next 10 years or so.
Japanese government don't allow foreign people and companies to buy big strategical Japanese companies including Sony and Nintendo. Chinese government wouldn't allow them to buy top Chinese companies like Tencent and Netease.

But yes, we'll see people like Tencent, MS, Sony, Embracer, EA, Take 2 or Epic will continue making acquisitions. Plus maybe Amazon too. And probably publishers like EA, Take 2, Epic, Ubisoft, Embracer and Valve plus some Japanese ones will end acquired.

Before facing FB and the likes they should face Sony or Nintendo. Sony sells the double of consoles than MS. Sony game's division makes more money than the MS one plus Activision (without removing the money they make from PS) combined. Sony sells a shit ton of games for their console, way more than any other console ever had. Sony's game subscriptions has 2x the amount of subs than MS has. And Sony games also win a ton GOTYs/award more.

Each CoD sold 20-30M in all platforms, meaning that 90-95% of PS4 users probably didn't buy CoD. Zenimax sales on PS4 pretty likely didn't reach 50M units, while PS sold over 1700M games, so Zenimax sales were under 3% of PS4 game sales. And both Zenimax and CoD achieved it with exclusive and marketing deals with Sony that now will be spent elsewhere. PC only and mobile only games won't affect Sony.

MS will need to buy more but not to compete with FB or Amazon, but to compete with Sony.
 
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Dream-Knife

Banned
My bet is exclusivity, it makes far too much sense, also consider if for example your World of Warcraft subscription is now a part of Gamepass, and that Call of Duty is now gamepass etc. The value of this cannot he understated, and if all of that is available exclusively on Xbox... that's a huge play.
Until they raise rates because they're a monopoly.

I've said as much earlier.
 
And sony wasn't with its money hat world tour with a goal to content starve Microsoft in the first few years of the generation. Build a huge lead and see Microsoft leave leaving only sony in the home console market.
Im sorry. Which large 3rd party developer thats been making multiplatform games for years did Sony buy?? Absolutely Microsoft is trying to become a monopoly.
 

ZehDon

Member
Made one for Bethesda, I think we're gonna need an updated one for Activision Blizzard:
DP6PPRe.png
 
No doubt.

During the 360/PS3 gen, timed deals were like COD doing one month DLC deals.

The Xbox One/PS4 generation starts, and since then SOny has been on the warhorse doing endless deals including two year exclusivity deals. And were not talking about a one month COD Map Pack deal like the 360 gen, 2 year lock ups for an entire game (that Square game coming out soon).
Thats a ridiculous argument. That doesn't even begin to compare with buying large multi billion dollar 3rd party developers thats been making multiplatform games for decades.
 

quest

Not Banned from OT
Thats a ridiculous argument. That doesn't even begin to compare with buying large multi billion dollar 3rd party developers thats been making multiplatform games for decades.
It does content is vital at the beginning of a generation. Sony knows this so went on a money hat world tour. The only problem is Microsoft finally fought back. Sony was clearly intent to lock up every zenimax game as a timed exclusive. So we'll it was more cost effective to buy the company than to wage a money hat war. Microsoft is the last competitor in the home console space. Ryan had a plan content starve them via money hats get out to a 30-40 million console lead in the first 2 years and watch Microsoft exit and be the last company standing.
 
The reason games like COD, Minecraft and Overwatch sell as much as they do is because they are on more than one popular console. They wont lose out on sales by taking it all for themselves. People arent just going to sell all their PS games so they can continue to play COD on xbox. Like back in PS3 days, MS will prob have early map/dlc deals etc. I also dont think games such as Tony Hawks will ever be MS exclusive BUT thast for this generation. If they get enough traction, then the next xbox could shut all those doors to SONY and make it a primer reason why you should go with xbox instead of playstation in 2026.
 

quest

Not Banned from OT
The reason games like COD, Minecraft and Overwatch sell as much as they do is because they are on more than one popular console. They wont lose out on sales by taking it all for themselves. People arent just going to sell all their PS games so they can continue to play COD on xbox. Like back in PS3 days, MS will prob have early map/dlc deals etc. I also dont think games such as Tony Hawks will ever be MS exclusive BUT thast for this generation. If they get enough traction, then the next xbox could shut all those doors to SONY and make it a primer reason why you should go with xbox instead of playstation in 2026.
Map packs won't work they want cross play. It be exclusive game modes like Sony did.

You know only 20 something million ps5 have sold there is plenty of time to win some of the other 100 million who have no switched yet. Putting COD on the PS5 just helps Sony keep expanding its player base. Last I checked Microsoft isn't a charity and isn't in the business of helping Sony grow from 20 something million to 150 million consoles.
 
Map packs won't work they want cross play. It be exclusive game modes like Sony did.

You know only 20 something million ps5 have sold there is plenty of time to win some of the other 100 million who have no switched yet. Putting COD on the PS5 just helps Sony keep expanding its player base. Last I checked Microsoft isn't a charity and isn't in the business of helping Sony grow from 20 something million to 150 million consoles.

True, but also those 20-30 mil people on Playstation wont just jump ship. Some will, but people dont just go to another market especially due to one game. But as I said, for the next gen launch of a new MS console...that could be a beefy announcement to take over. This generation they cant make that move. There would be more hate and complaints than agreement.
 

PaNaMa

Banned
Microsoft will make them all available via GamePass, and Sony can choose to allow or not allow GamePass on their platform. That way if COD isn’t ultimately on PlayStation it’s because Sony decided to not let it be, and fans can direct their anger accordingly.
(No way this happens but would be hilarious)
*edit* looks like lots of people already suggested this scenario. Nothing to see here.
 
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clarky

Gold Member
True, but also those 20-30 mil people on Playstation wont just jump ship. Some will, but people dont just go to another market especially due to one game. But as I said, for the next gen launch of a new MS console...that could be a beefy announcement to take over. This generation they cant make that move. There would be more hate and complaints than agreement.
The only hate and complaints you'll get are from Sony die hards everybody else will just buy the console that has the games they want to play.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
The only hate and complaints you'll get are from Sony die hards everybody else will just buy the console that has the games they want to play.
Or simply play those Activision games on PC if at some point MS does wall it off from PS. All we know so far is with Minecraft and Bethesda games so far, nothing has been walled off. Maybe every new game going forward is. Maybe some. Maybe none. It's not like anything is changing anytime soon.

MS even released Minecraft Dungeons on PS4 in 2020.
 
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clarky

Gold Member
Or simply play those Activision games on PC if at some point MS does wall it off from PS. All we know so far is with Minecraft and Bethesda games so far, nothing has been walled off. Maybe every new game going forward is. Maybe some. Maybe none. It's not like anything is changing anytime soon.

MS even released Minecraft Dungeons on PS4 in 2020.
Or PC, its still xbox as far as MS concerned, they don't give a shit as long as your in their eco system. The wall is already going up theres no maybe about it, give it 2 years, 3 max theres no way anything other than legacy stuff will be on Playstation from current (if you include Activision) studios.
 
I feel for you bud, I don’t see it at all. Skyrim sold over 30m copies and MS are keeping it for Xbox and PC only. There’s no chance of the annual CoD’s coming to PS when Xbox have already proved the can leverage a huge user base through Xbox and Steam.

COD is a yearly franchise with a majority of the userbase on PS platforms. I dont believe regulators will allow MS to make it exclusive which would significantly harm a competitor and consumers.
 

Sinthor

Gold Member
At this point that seems very possible lol.
But why not just outright by PlayStation if that is what they were trying to do? I think Microsoft really is focusing on Amazon/Google/Apple. But who knows. I don't know.

In my eyes, getting Activision + Blizzard is bigger than getting Bethesda was. Insane but hoping this means good things are coming from Blizzard!
With how poorly their hardware tends to sell I've thought for a while that MS was just going to go with GamePass and offer it on EVERYTHING. Still think so. This last generation I'm still convinced they were about to do that but suddenly decided to do another generation of hardware while they continue to build their acquisitions. We'll see. But I can totally see getting GamePass on Playstation to be able to play the MS stable of games. My bet is MS would make MUCH more money off subscription services like that then they ever will in the hardware space. Plus, software is MS core competency, NOT hardware. It fits.
 
It does content is vital at the beginning of a generation. Sony knows this so went on a money hat world tour. The only problem is Microsoft finally fought back. Sony was clearly intent to lock up every zenimax game as a timed exclusive. So we'll it was more cost effective to buy the company than to wage a money hat war. Microsoft is the last competitor in the home console space. Ryan had a plan content starve them via money hats get out to a 30-40 million console lead in the first 2 years and watch Microsoft exit and be the last company standing.
The 30 to 40 million console lead in favor of the PS5 is inevitable. That's basically the difference between the Playstation and Xbox fanbase. But anyway. Where do you think Sony even got the idea of buying timed exclusivity? They got it from Microsoft. Microsoft exploited time exclusivity deals big time during the PS3/360 generation. Sony obviously got on the bandwagon with that with the PS4.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
The 30 to 40 million console lead in favor of the PS5 is inevitable. That's basically the difference between the Playstation and Xbox fanbase. But anyway. Where do you think Sony even got the idea of buying timed exclusivity? They got it from Microsoft. Microsoft exploited time exclusivity deals big time during the PS3/360 generation. Sony obviously got on the bandwagon with that with the PS4.
And where did MS get those timed deal ideas from? Who knows, but it's not a new tactic.

Sony moneyhatted Tomb Raider sequels so they wouldnt show up on Saturn and N64 for 3 years.


The first entry in the series Tomb Raider was released in 1996 for personal computers (PC), PlayStation and Sega Saturn consoles.[8][9] The Saturn and PlayStation versions were released in Japan in 1997.[10][11] Its sequel, Tomb Raider II, launched in 1997, again for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation. A month before release, Eidos finalised a deal with Sony Computer Entertainment to keep the console version of Tomb Raider II and future games exclusive to PlayStation until the year 2000.[8][9] The PlayStation version was released in Japan in 1998.[12] Tomb Raider III launched in 1998.[9] As with Tomb Raider II, the PlayStation version released in Japan the following year.[13] The fourth consecutive title in the series, Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, released in 1999. In 2000, with the end of the PlayStation exclusivity deal, the game also released on the Dreamcast.[8][14] In Japan, both console versions released the following year.[15][16] Tomb Raider Chronicles released in 2000 on the same platforms as The Last Revelation, with the PlayStation version's Japanese release as before coming the following year.[8][14][17]
 

MonarchJT

Banned
Yeah the "Activision sucks" comments just started today. Everyone loved them yesterday. People were wanting Bobby Kotick to run for President of the United States.
one thing is certainly sure Cod was the biggest seller of PlayStation..(not even talking about crash and Spyro). probably ppl disliked the top manager but clearly liked the games
 

MonarchJT

Banned
I expect CoD to remain multiplat. PS community is absolutely massive. It’s a gold mine for MS. If not, I don’t see CoD staying as big as it is today. Sales already declining. Best selling one is at 30 million as a multiplat. Major chunk on PS. You don’t just cut that away and put it in a subscription. That’s just me.
Cod is a game that move console sales and move the barometer. Most gamers buy a console because of fifa cod and gta. Microsoft want that this player go or choose Ms ecosystem you spent 70b to move the needle not to recoup the money in 20 years leaving things in the status quo. If it is not clear that but Ms is not afraid of losing the mythical "playstation money on the table" after the acquisition of Bethesda and the exclusivity of its new games and especially after the expenditure of 70b in this acquisition, I do not know. what will make certain people understand
 
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quest

Not Banned from OT
Or PC, its still xbox as far as MS concerned, they don't give a shit as long as your in their eco system. The wall is already going up theres no maybe about it, give it 2 years, 3 max theres no way anything other than legacy stuff will be on Playstation from current (if you include Activision) studios.

I can see some gaas being on ps5 like a war zone sequel
With how poorly their hardware tends to sell I've thought for a while that MS was just going to go with GamePass and offer it on EVERYTHING. Still think so. This last generation I'm still convinced they were about to do that but suddenly decided to do another generation of hardware while they continue to build their acquisitions. We'll see. But I can totally see getting GamePass on Playstation to be able to play the MS stable of games. My bet is MS would make MUCH more money off subscription services like that then they ever will in the hardware space. Plus, software is MS core competency, NOT hardware. It fits.

Putting gamepass on the playstation and basically folding the xbox is asking for Sony to double the cut of any subscription service on playstation the second there is no xbox hardware lol. It be playing into Sony’s hands it be laughably stupid. Gamepass on playstation ends any reason to get a xbox and soon after gives sony a monopoly and leverage to end gamepass.
 

Sinthor

Gold Member
I can see some gaas being on ps5 like a war zone sequel

Putting gamepass on the playstation and basically folding the xbox is asking for Sony to double the cut of any subscription service on playstation the second there is no xbox hardware lol. It be playing into Sony’s hands it be laughably stupid. Gamepass on playstation ends any reason to get a xbox and soon after gives sony a monopoly and leverage to end gamepass.
I don't know. Hardware keeps going like it has in the past for Microsoft, they really won't have much of a choice to keep Xbox going. Bottom line, we'll see what happens. I'm not gonna freak out about it, especially until we actually have some hard facts.
 

MonarchJT

Banned
The 30 to 40 million console lead in favor of the PS5 is inevitable. That's basically the difference between the Playstation and Xbox fanbase. But anyway. Where do you think Sony even got the idea of buying timed exclusivity? They got it from Microsoft. Microsoft exploited time exclusivity deals big time during the PS3/360 generation. Sony obviously got on the bandwagon with that with the PS4.
no been Sony well before Xbox ever existed. in mid '90
 
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StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
For the big games coming down the road from Activision, I'm seriously thinking they might come. MS will release them on PS systems 3 or 4 years later like how Sony does to their PC ports.
 

Rest

All these years later I still chuckle at what a fucking moron that guy is.
This is the same question that people asked when they bought Zenimax. Why would they buy a company and let those games be multiplatform?
 

NinjaBoiX

Member
There’s no way they paid so much money without the intention of having CoD exclusive, that’ll have been a big ol’ football sized bullet point in the presentation.
 
And where did MS get those timed deal ideas from? Who knows, but it's not a new tactic.

Sony moneyhatted Tomb Raider sequels so they wouldnt show up on Saturn and N64 for 3 years.


The first entry in the series Tomb Raider was released in 1996 for personal computers (PC), PlayStation and Sega Saturn consoles.[8][9] The Saturn and PlayStation versions were released in Japan in 1997.[10][11] Its sequel, Tomb Raider II, launched in 1997, again for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation. A month before release, Eidos finalised a deal with Sony Computer Entertainment to keep the console version of Tomb Raider II and future games exclusive to PlayStation until the year 2000.[8][9] The PlayStation version was released in Japan in 1998.[12] Tomb Raider III launched in 1998.[9] As with Tomb Raider II, the PlayStation version released in Japan the following year.[13] The fourth consecutive title in the series, Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, released in 1999. In 2000, with the end of the PlayStation exclusivity deal, the game also released on the Dreamcast.[8][14] In Japan, both console versions released the following year.[15][16] Tomb Raider Chronicles released in 2000 on the same platforms as The Last Revelation, with the PlayStation version's Japanese release as before coming the following year.[8][14][17]
Whats your point? There is not a game company around that doesnt do timed exclusivity thats nothing new. Still doesnt compare to buying up large multi platform developers and trying to keep franchises off your competitors platform forever.
 
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