The Microsoft-Activision Blizzard deal could be finalized by October 13, 2023. It will give Microsoft the chance to make Call of Duty exclusive to the Xbox and deal a massive blow to Sony’s PlayStation. For months the deal between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard has been going on. It was due to the interference of several complaints that it took so long.
The Competition and Markets Authority granted access to the $69 billion deal, but they, too, criticized Microsoft’s conduct. But it does not concern Microsoft since they have their hands on one of the most iconic gaming studios in the world. It could mean that they can take over Sony’s PlayStation in sales terms. But fans speculate another massive blow is incoming for PlayStation.
Call of Duty May Become An Xbox Exclusive
The Call of Duty franchise is one of the best FPS video gaming franchises in the world. Their first game was released in 2003. Since the very beginning, all the Call of Duty games have been produced by Activision. But now Microsoft has bought them for a whopping $69 billion. It has given rise to speculation that Microsoft might make Call of Duty an Xbox-exclusive game.
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For the moment, they handed the distribution rights of all the Activision games to Ubisoft. The Xbox Game Pass will also have tonnes of premium games in the coming year. Microsoft also bought Bethesda Game Studios and made Starfield an Xbox exclusive. With the Activision deal done, Call of Duty may also follow the same path.
PlayStation has more Call of Duty sales than Xbox, so making it an exclusive will see a massive sales drop for PlayStation. They had already suffered a similar blow with Starfield. They will also be getting their hands on Candy Crush. For the time being, it is just speculation; nothing has been confirmed as such.
Also Read: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Facing a Nightmare Plague That Has Infected the Franchise Since Years
How Profitable Will The Merger Be For Microsoft?
Microsoft buying Activision Blizzard will be remembered forever. The titles under the banner of Activision are all top-tier. Microsoft can earn direct revenue with these title sales. For 15 years, Ubisoft has been granted the rights to distribute Activision titles outside the European Economic Area. It is a good strategy considering that they will earn revenue while Ubisoft does the hard work.
Buying Bethesda has been fruitful for Microsoft. So, people think that it will be the same for Activision, too. To be fair $69 billion is a huge amount, so it will take some time to see how well the deal performs. But if Microsoft lands the ‘making Call of Duty an Xbox exclusive’ blow on PlayStation, the sales will see a sharp rise.
With Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 just around the corner, there is no better time to do it. There has been no official confirmation thus far. Still, there is a ‘may do it’ between them.
