Microsoft to Acquire Game Studio Activision Blizzard for $68.7 Billion

[maflynn]

Not sure I care for the whole gaming market to be consolidated under one company…

Consolidation is rarely a good thing, more competition is better for the consumer, take-two is merging with Zynga, so the consolidation will accelerate with this blizzard business happening. I can see EA (which is known for buying up studios) to go on a buying binge or Tencent or even Sony. They're in danger of getting left behind and so we could very well see them go all in on buying up one/some AAA publishers.

 

[Ethosik]

What on earth are you on about?
God of War? Better on PC in every way.
Horizon Zero Dawn? Better on PC in every way.
Days Gone? Better on PC in every way.

You're not even talking about a Sony IP?

I’m not talking about Hod of War (which BTW WAS running better on my PS4 vs my 3080 system). I’m not talking about Horizon. Did you even read my post? I explicitly called out FF7R. I have consoles for that reason because there are times PC ports are horrible.

 

[diamond.g]

Hey maybe Sony will bring back SOCOM, Resistance, and Killzone now...

 

[CASMAS]

Again, Apple isn't a game publisher or developer, so while they are making the most money from mobile games, they are not really dominating them. As a matter of fact, Apple doesn't really have any skin in the game, so to speak, with respects to gaming mobile or otherwise.

Doesn't really change the fact that Apple is providing iOS itself for mobile gaming platform. Walmart is in the cell phone industry is a total joke since Apple is heavily focused on iOS platforms and made their own gaming service called Apple Arcade. It doesn't really matter whether they make games by themselves or not.

 

[MICHAELSD]

I’m glad Apple doesn’t use its cash reserve to make purchases like this.

 

[MICHAELSD]

Again, Apple isn't a game publisher or developer, so while they are making the most money from mobile games, they are not really dominating them. As a matter of fact, Apple doesn't really have any skin in the game, so to speak, with respects to gaming mobile or otherwise.

I don’t foresee Apple becoming a competitor to Microsoft or Sony in the console gaming space any time soon.

It doesn’t seem like that’s where their ambitions lie, and past gaming efforts from Apple fell flat. While they could easily create a formidable competitor there’s no true way to differentiate it with Microsoft already offering a subscription service and Sony having an innovative controller with motion and capacitive touch controls, unless they invested heavily in high-end consumer VR experiences and placed all their chips there before the competition attempts to do so.

 

[Bodhitree]

I saw some interesting comments by Phil Spencer on how these kind of purchases were going to tie in with the metaverse. We will have to see how that turns out, but it’s not impossible.

As to whether Apple will become a player in VR/AR game experiences, I think that’s quite likely. If anything is going to drive sales on 3D glasses, it will be that, but I think there is going to have to be some thinking about launch titles and the studios that are going to make them.

 

[MICHAELSD]

I saw some interesting comments by Phil Spencer on how these kind of purchases were going to tie in with the metaverse. We will have to see how that turns out, but it’s not impossible.

As to whether Apple will become a player in VR/AR game experiences, I think that’s quite likely. If anything is going to drive sales on 3D glasses, it will be that, but I think there is going to have to be some thinking about launch titles and the studios that are going to make them.

Honestly Apple’s VR will probably end up being limited to casual games and maybe a few cool story-driven experiences at launch.

 

[Bodhitree]

Honestly Apple’s VR will probably end up being limited to casual games and maybe a few cool story-driven experiences at launch.

They need a ”killer app”, an experience that will draw people to buy the glasses. Consider the latest rumours that say that the glasses will contain M1-level computing power and two high-res displays, with cabled power. That means in total cost it will be similar to an iPhone, and limited to one user in the living room. That’s not casual spending, compared to 350 euros for an Oculus Quest or PlayStation VR.

Whatever experience you try to create for such a device it’s going to center on content. There just aren’t that many possibilities to add content to a VR device. You can’t just add an App Store to it and wait for people to come, there has to be a big enough draw to get the early adopter crowd to enter.

That could be gaming, since gaming has driven a lot of technical innovation in the PC space. It could be the metaverse, if Apple want to one-up Facebook. It could be something uniquely Apple.

 

[diamond.g]

Doesn't really change the fact that Apple is providing iOS itself for mobile gaming platform. Walmart is in the cell phone industry is a total joke since Apple is heavily focused on iOS platforms and made their own gaming service called Apple Arcade. It doesn't really matter whether they make games by themselves or not.

In that context I guess it doesn’t matter to iOS users what Microsoft does with King (candy crush) then. Apple won’t care cause they make money no matter who owns what ip or game then. They don’t have to expend any effort.

MacOS users are just afterthoughts. (Or not thought of at all)

 

[Ethosik]

I saw some interesting comments by Phil Spencer on how these kind of purchases were going to tie in with the metaverse. We will have to see how that turns out, but it’s not impossible.

As to whether Apple will become a player in VR/AR game experiences, I think that’s quite likely. If anything is going to drive sales on 3D glasses, it will be that, but I think there is going to have to be some thinking about launch titles and the studios that are going to make them.

I know I’m probably in the minority, but I’m so sick of metaverse, blockchain, NFTs and all that talk for gaming. It definitely makes me lose interest in my favorite hobby.

 

[LeeW]

Honestly Apple’s VR will probably end up being limited to casual games and maybe a few cool story-driven experiences at launch.

At launch and way beyond. Apple want you bursting bubbles, catching stars and being a nice person. Not killing people or playing war games.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

At launch and way beyond. Apple want you bursting bubbles, catching stars and being a nice person. Not killing people or playing war games.

I doubt Apple releases any first party games. And, I’d bet developers prefer that Apple doesn’t compete against them in game creation.

 

[MICHAELSD]

At launch and way beyond. Apple want you bursting bubbles, catching stars and being a nice person. Not killing people or playing war games.

I thought the same until I saw how bold Apple TV+ can be. The on-brand image led me not to expect an HBO level of content. That being said, I’m not sure there are any shows that are gratuitously violent.

 

[diamond.g]

In that context I guess it doesn’t matter to iOS users what Microsoft does with King (candy crush) then. Apple won’t care cause they make money no matter who owns what ip or game then. They don’t have to expend any effort.

MacOS users are just afterthoughts. (Or not thought of at all)

@CASMAS either Apple cares or they don’t. Pick one.

 

[4743913]

There are many customers not interested at all in AAA gaming and Apple is doing fine and only morons will buy high end MacBooks or macs for gaming.

only morons think that is has to be either/or... the best computers do everything.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

only morons think that is has to be either/or... the best computers do everything.

What's the best computers? Do they run macOS? Because, if they're not running macOS they are, by default, not doing "everything".

 

[4743913]

What's the best computers? Do they run macOS? Because, if they're not running macOS they are, by default, not doing "everything".

my computer runs macOS and Windows.. thats why I tote it. its the best.

 

[Romain_H]

What's the best computers? Do they run macOS? Because, if they're not running macOS they are, by default, not doing "everything".

But they can - technically there's nothing that holds Macs back

 

[Macalicious2011]

An excellent theory on why MS bought Activision: To beat Tencent, Amazon, Meta or other big tech to the punch.

 

[Jeff_IT]

What's left for PlayStation at this stage?

Are you seriously asking what’s left for PlayStation? Remember PlayStation is owned by Sony which has Games, Movies and Music studios with substantially more Game/entertainment intellectual property than Microsoft.
This acquisition may look like Microsoft is getting ahead but on the contrary they are still playing catch up with Sony (2nd) and Tencent (1st) in term of owning Game Studios.
Microsoft is just now stepping on the big three Podium as the 3rd largest publisher.

 

[PC_tech]

I could see Apple being a MVNO as a net plus for Apple users. Something something privacy...

Maybe but we shall see what the future holds

 

[Scoob Redux]

yet for apple, gaming is the biggest money maker for them on the app store.

yes, apps are a completely different market segment from console/PC.

 

[NotTooLate]

Are you seriously asking what’s left for PlayStation? Remember PlayStation is owned by Sony which has Games, Movies and Music studios with substantially more Game/entertainment intellectual property than Microsoft.
This acquisition may look like Microsoft is getting ahead but on the contrary they are still playing catch up with Sony (2nd) and Tencent (1st) in term of owning Game Studios.
Microsoft is just now stepping on the big three Podium as the 3rd largest publisher.

The problem Sony will have is how they are going to handle being undercut for a long time , game pass is still cheap for what it is , and MS doesn't seem to be bothered by using its Azure and Enterprise warchest to play at a loss , same as Facebook does not care to do the same on their Oculus HW , those titans are using money to breakdown the competition , Sony might seem like a big deal in gaming which they are , but they are 20x smaller then MS , with a MUCH worse money flow overall , MS are printing money in the tens of billions each quarter.

The interesting question is , can MS show a profit out of using all the cash on gaming , they spent over 80BB this year on studios , that's a LOT of money that wont be recouped easily just by selling games , so the logical thing to assume is that they know they are going to lose money but also weaken the competition , in the end of the day , if Sony is hurting , Xbox is winning.

I wont be surprised to see MS going after TakeTwo to get GTA , it has a mega buying power (ppl will buy Xbox just for this game) and it has a big online footprint , which MS loves and its part of this disgusting new trend buzz of "Metaverse".

One thing to note about big studios being bought out , they almost always breakdown and the employees spin off to do their own thing , if the developers notice this trend , as they did in SW and HW , where big companies buy startups/smaller companies on a regular bases , you will see the top talent leave , start their own , and then sell for a profit , interesting to see where the industry goes from here.

 

[skaertus]

Are you seriously asking what’s left for PlayStation? Remember PlayStation is owned by Sony which has Games, Movies and Music studios with substantially more Game/entertainment intellectual property than Microsoft.
This acquisition may look like Microsoft is getting ahead but on the contrary they are still playing catch up with Sony (2nd) and Tencent (1st) in term of owning Game Studios.
Microsoft is just now stepping on the big three Podium as the 3rd largest publisher.

I am not sure about it.

Sony is #2, but I suppose these revenue figures consider console sales.

Tencent is #1, but I cannot name one game they make. Perhaps I am too old. It seems to me that Tencent is just some vampire ripping off people after making them addicted to pay-to-win games.