The executive, head of the Xbox division, and CEO of Microsoft’s gaming division, Phil Spencer, shed light on what the future of Activision could be after the great merger that shook the gaming world. A large acquisition like this is very important for the industry scenario, but Spencer guaranteed that the creative vision will be a priority in this new journey that begins now.
Many are excited about the potential of this collaboration and what it can bring to the franchises so beloved by gamers. Executive promises should never be taken too seriously, but now that gamers’ passion is under new management, it’s important to keep an eye on how well (or poorly) Microsoft’s support resources will be utilized.
After the Juncture, Activision Is in Microsoft’s Hands, and Xbox’s Boss, Phil Spencer, Spoke About the News to Come
Recently, the community took notice of the merger of the Activision Blizzard King group with Xbox, Microsoft’s gaming division. Now, Phil Spencer, the well-known fan and leader of this growing group, has given more details about what this, until now, nebulous future will be like. Among these statements, the first to be highlighted is the confirmation that new games from the absorbed developers will not be released until 2024.
This means that the teams have a certain amount of time to adapt and further develop the following projects that may arrive better finished, which is certainly good because we have already seen (unfortunately many times) what happens with games developed in a hurry. Another topic addressed by Phil was parity with the Call of Duty franchise, saying that the goal is for it to be 100% without having any exclusive skins or DLCs.
Adding on to the treatment of Call of Duty titles, Spencer said “We have no goals of somehow trying to use COD to get you to buy an Xbox console.” In a way, neutralizing claims of exclusivity is a market strategy that strengthens certain platforms but also excludes some consumers at the same time. Even if the boss’s stance is combative towards exclusivity, it is not completely averse, as these practices generate profit, and that is what these large corporations always seek.
Reinforcing this “non-financial-focused” positioning, Phil Spencer also states that he and the team want to make sure that any iconic properties that are revisited in new projects are accompanied by a team of passionate employees who want to make a creative difference, not just money. Whether it’s just a facade or sincerely honest, the sayings themselves are on the right spot, but now the attitudes need to match.
Phil Spencer’s statements were made in a chat on the official Xbox YouTube channel, that is, made to be published as an official statement in response to questions that arose from the fan community after the merger.
It is important to mention this because it was not something said directly to the public as it would be at an event but in material carefully produced by a marketing team that knows very well what to say to encourage players even if they are walking on eggshells.
It may seem like a lot of doubts, but as they say “once burned, twice shy,” and video game fans have already suffered a lot from disappointments directly related to what Phil Spencer says he is against: greed over creativity. Now we just have to wait and see what the future holds for this new group, bigger than ever.
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