Despite so much criticism, Microsoft has officially acquired Activision Blizzard for $69 billion. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) had concerns over the deal, stating that it would hinder competition, particularly in the cloud gaming sector, however, it now seems like the deal is done and Microsoft has now rights to all the games made by Activision Blizzard.
There were concerns that Microsoft would make franchises like Call of Duty Xbox exclusive, however, Sony and Microsoft have made a separate deal where Call of Duty will be released on PlayStation for at least ten more years. It is to be noted that only the Call of Duty franchise was mentioned in this contract, so naturally, Microsoft still has the power to make some of Activision Blizzard’s titles Xbox exclusive. Here is a list of 10 video game franchises made by Activision Blizzard that might become Xbox exclusive:
1) Overwatch
Developed by Blizzard Entertainment, Overwatch and Overwatch 2 are popular titles in the first-person shooter genre. With the deal officially done, fans suspect that Microsoft will make this franchise exclusive for Xbox owners.
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2) Tony Hawk’s
Tony Hawk’s skateboarding video game series has been a fan favorite for quite some time now. Published by Activision, all games in the franchise are now officially owned by Microsoft, which can be bad news for PlayStation users.
3) Diablo
Blizzard Entertainment’s franchise Diablo was first popularised among fans in the late 1990s. The latest game in the franchise, Diablo IV, was released in 2023. It was officially released for PS4 and PS5, however, fans now wonder if Microsoft will block Sony from releasing this for their consoles.
4) Crash Bandicoot
In 2008, Activision merged with Vivendi Games, giving them access to iconic video game franchises like Crash Bandicoot, Geometry War, and King’s Quest. With Crash Bandicoot under Microsoft’s belt, it will convince many veteran players to purchase an Xbox if it becomes an exclusive.
5) World of Warcraft
Released in 2004 by Blizzard Entertainment, World of Warcraft quickly gained popularity in the late 2000s. With Warcraft being one of Blizzard Entertainment’s oldest franchises, there might be some changes after Microsoft’s acquisition.
6) Activision’s Prototype
Despite the success of Prototype (2009) and Prototype 2 (2012), fans never got a third installment in the franchise. The chances of a third game are low, but Microsoft might re-release these games exclusively on Xbox.
7) Starcraft
Blizzard Entertainment’s iconic video game, Starcraft, was first released in 1998. Being a classic, it was re-released in 2017. Given the franchise’s popularity, Microsoft would definitely plan something out in order to satisfy Starcraft‘s hardcore fans.
8) True Crime
Activision’s True Crime franchise consisted of True Crime: Streets of LA and True Crime: New York City. Activision Blizzard canceled the series in 2011, however, Microsoft can easily revive this franchise as it still has the potential of being one of the best gaming franchises in the world.
Related: The CMA Has Provisionally Approved Microsoft’s Acquisition of Activision Blizzard
