by Stormtrooper on Jul 18, 2023
Following five days of intense testimony, Microsoft has officially been given a pass by a California judge to close its acquisition of Activision Blizzard. While the software giant still requires a ruling on an antitrust investigation by the FTC before moving on to the next step, success appears increasingly likely. Considers some of the largest software acquisitions in tech history, the implications for the coming years are profound and could be troubling should the battleground become a bitter one.\
According to the official statement from Microsoft, purchasing Activision Blizzard serves as a means to “bring the joy and community of gaming to everyone, across every device". In real terms, the strength of the move comes from Microsoft now claiming ownership of some of the biggest and most profitable series, game developers, and publishers in the world.
Under the Activision Blizzard banner, Microsoft now owns IPs like Call of Duty, Diablo, Warcraft, and Candy Crush. Combined with Microsoft’s similarly recent acquisition of Bethesda and its IPs like Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, and the upcoming Starfield, Microsoft now controls a significant part of the gaming development market.
For PC gamers, Microsoft's move could be a positive one. Microsoft releases all of its games on PC these days, and its improved porting efforts have resulted in higher-quality results. In theory, this could mean that notoriously buggy releases like Bethesda and Blizzard are notorious for could be reduced.
The concern with Microsoft's acquisitions comes from the console space and what Microsoft's move could mean for the future of PlayStation players. Though Microsoft started the latest generation by touting an avoidance of exclusives (likely to appear a strong choice compared to an exclusive-focused Sony), their rapid changing of tack has revealed their long-term plans.
Microsoft has never matched Sony in the console gaming space in terms of popularity. If they own game development companies, however, they can ensure that big hits only release on their system. This means players invested in Sony’s ecosystem will miss out, especially if they don’t game on PC. Monopolistic concerns aren’t new in interactive entertainment, where diversity of access options almost always proves superior.
To illustrate this fact, games that focus on accessibility as a core of their identity find audience favor and acclaim for their open approach. Web games are some of the famous in this regard, as illustrated by the types of online Slingo games available in digital casinos. These titles like Slingo Berserk and Slingo Starburst aren't tied to any one platform, and they succeed for this fact. Over desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and many other HTML-compatible systems, player choice is paramount, and this could be stripped away from the video game space if Microsoft and Sony don't play ball.
While Microsoft has announced that it intends to release at least some of its properties on Sony's consoles, there have already been issues with this relationship. Concerns over Call of Duty have already resulted in finger-pointing from both sides, and these issues could become worse over time.
Of course, it’s not all doom and gloom. The console gaming market has become much more open to communication in the last few years with developments like increasing focus on cross-play and third-party app support. We can only hope that fan voices make a difference, as we stand up not just for our consoles of choice, but for the better health of the competitive gaming market as a whole.