Microsoft buys Activision/Blizzard for $70B

[laggyteabag]

I must have entered the twilight zone. People online are saying this acquisition could hurt Sony in the line run. Are we now gonna experience Sony doom posts like how Nintendo gets them?

i've already seen a few saying that Sony should just stop selling consoles, and start being software only, like Sega.

Oh how the tables have turned.

To be fair, I don't think they're entirely wrong.

Obviously I don't think that Sony is going to suddenly go belly-up all of a sudden. Its just that deals like this, where the pool of available third-party games is just getting smaller and smaller, makes the whole idea of consoles marketing themselves based on their exclusives games seem increasingly stupid. Sony and Microsoft are already both releasing their first-party games on PC.

Im honestly curious for how much longer consoles as we know then remain, which I know is a bit of a meme at this point. But honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if both companies primarily went software-only in the near future, and just relied on subscription services like Gamepass.

 

[BrawlMan]

A lot of these doomsayers are people that usually never liked Sony or didn't care much for them to begin with. So they can all screw off like usual. Nintendo and Sony ain't going anywhere. Especially Nintendo.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

Buh bye Bobby.

But I doubt this is gonna stop the long entrenched mandates by him I.E. Yearly Call of Duties and doing nothing to with their legacy backlog.

Who knows what's Blizzard's gonna be doing under this.

King games will be fine.

Can they just go ahead and throw him out of the highest window they have into a dumpster full of rusty needles that are on fire and are full of fire ants?

...what? I don't know where you're getting this idea that I don't like Bobby Kotick from. Pssh. You crazy.

A lot of these doomsayers are people that usually never liked Sony or didn't care much for them to begin with. So they can all screw off like usual. Nintendo and Sony ain't going anywhere. Especially Nintendo.

I'd rather they didn't go anywhere. My last serious console was the N64, but for a lot of people, console gaming is the better way to play- and I'd prefer that those people have a strong market with good competition.

 

[BrawlMan]

I'd prefer that those people have a strong market with good competition.

Exactly! Like I said before, the doomsayers are people that like to hear themselves talk constantly, or they hate/didn't care for the other console makers to begin with. Sony still got parternships with plenty of studios and Japanese publishers. Nintendo has been knocking out of the park since 2017, and they got all of the indies in the world. They're all doing great. Each console maker has their own flaws of course, but once again, no one is going anywhere. Plus, Nintendo had enough money to last them 48 years back in 2015. Thanks to the success of the Switch, the number has more than tripled at this point.

 

[Specter Von Baren]

No, Fallen Soldier is right. Activision owns the Crash and Spyro ips. Also, Crash was Naughty Dog, not Insomniac.

Ah right. I'm still living in the 90's with Spyro. I keep forgetting the series was sold off. My bad.

 

[Hawki]

Begun, the memes have...

 

[gorfias]

Nintendo does it by building their consoles out of different parts from the other two, already having a supply of their current console before the shortage, and not selling their consoles at a loss.

I'm also running into a lot of people trying to sell me on Game Pass. Even with a chip shortage, you'd be able to play your Xbox games on phones, laptops, etc. That is interesting.

 

[Worgen]

I'm also running into a lot of people trying to sell me on Game Pass. Even with a chip shortage, you'd be able to play your Xbox games on phones, laptops, etc. That is interesting.

Does gamepass do game streaming or do you download the game?

 

[gorfias]

Does gamepass do game streaming or do you download the game?

I think you can do either. One person told me he is streaming to his smart phone.

Reviewing EDIT: This may be better about streaming

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

Im honestly curious for how much longer consoles as we know then remain, which I know is a bit of a meme at this point. But honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if both companies primarily went software-only in the near future, and just relied on subscription services like Gamepass.

Honestly, I wouldn't be sad if there was just a single console that all of the developers made games for.

No more stupid nintendo gimicks, no more compatibility issues or porting problems, just all games on 1 console + PC, and you get to just choose the price point you want to come in on ($400ish for a console, or $1000+ for a PC). Simplify everything, put out a new console every 8-10 years.

 

[Fallen Soldier]

i've already seen a few saying that Sony should just stop selling consoles, and start being software only, like Sega.

Oh how the tables have turned.

To be fair, I don't think they're entirely wrong.

Obviously I don't think that Sony is going to suddenly go belly-up all of a sudden. Its just that deals like this, where the pool of available third-party games is just getting smaller and smaller, makes the whole idea of consoles marketing themselves based on their exclusives games seem increasingly stupid. Sony and Microsoft are already both releasing their first-party games on PC.

Im honestly curious for how much longer consoles as we know then remain, which I know is a bit of a meme at this point. But honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if both companies primarily went software-only in the near future, and just relied on subscription services like Gamepass.

If we ever entered a subscription based world with no chance to own a game, then I’m out of this hobby for good. The idea of a Netflix for gaming sounds nice, but once you take away ownership of a game then I think it takes away personal choice.

 

[BrawlMan]

Honestly, I wouldn't be sad if there was just a single console that all of the developers made games for.

No more stupid nintendo gimicks, no more compatibility issues or porting problems, just all games on 1 console + PC, and you get to just choose the price point you want to come in on ($400ish for a console, or $1000+ for a PC). Simplify everything, put out a new console every 8-10 years.

A boring and uninteresting world. No thank you.

 

[Worgen]

A boring and uninteresting world. No thank you.

I would be more worried about that single maker exploiting the fact that there was no competition with more monetization schemes then we are already seeing. Not to mention that graphics would probably be much further behind, which might or might not be good depending on how much you can enjoy games with shiny graphics.

 

[BrawlMan]

I would be more worried about that single maker exploiting the fact that there was no competition with more monetization schemes then we are already seeing. Not to mention that graphics would probably be much further behind, which might or might not be good depending on how much you can enjoy games with shiny graphics.

Like I said before: a boring and uninteresting world.

 

[Trunkage]

I guess it depends on your point of view. If you don’t care enough about games from Activision then it may not bother you much, unless you already prefer Microsoft’s consoles. However, it only increases the monopolization of this industry and we are left with little choices. Massive corporations will start buying already big but small corporations etc.

How about I dont care about any consoles?

The last Activision game I played was Diablo 3. With friends. I convinced them not to play it anymore because it wasn't great

 

[laggyteabag]

Honestly, I wouldn't be sad if there was just a single console that all of the developers made games for.

No more stupid nintendo gimicks, no more compatibility issues or porting problems, just all games on 1 console + PC, and you get to just choose the price point you want to come in on ($400ish for a console, or $1000+ for a PC). Simplify everything, put out a new console every 8-10 years.

To me at least, the two things that justify a console purchase to me, are either A) The exclusive games, or B) It does something that my PC cannot.

The Switch is by far my favourite console of the current generation, solely because of its gimmick.

Its the only console that I actually wanted. I am actively annoyed every time I need to switch on my Xbox One or PS4 to play a game, because I would much rather be on my PC instead. In comparison, I will very happily buy a game again on the Switch, solely because I can play it on the go.

Sure, say what you will about motion controls, or whatever the Wii U was doing, but so long as Nintendo sticks with its 50/50 console/handheld approach, I will probably continue buying their hardware.

Interested to see how the Steam Deck shakes things up, though.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

Can we all just manically laugh altogether for a bit at the absurdity that the asshat company currently at an epicenter of workplace misconduct controversy is apparently worth ten times more than bloody Bethesda? The fact that that many people choose to spend that many dollars, and mostly on one particular asshat franchise year after year is equally if not more absurd. At this point it all belongs in a dumpster fire AFAIC.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

Can we all just manically laugh altogether for a bit at the absurdity that the asshat company currently at an epicenter of workplace misconduct controversy is apparently worth ten times more than bloody Bethesda? The fact that that many people choose to spend that many dollars, and mostly on one particular asshat franchise year after year is equally if not more absurd.

I'd say CoD (or pretty much any major Activision IP these days) is less a game series now and more of a subscription service ala Netflix. There really is just that many people who buy a single game each year every year, and play only that. In a way it's nice that gaming has become accessible enough for this to be possible, but also blegh. The industry would lose almost nothing if CoD disappeared overnight.

 

[laggyteabag]

Can we all just manically laugh altogether for a bit at the absurdity that the asshat company currently at an epicenter of workplace misconduct controversy is apparently worth ten times more than bloody Bethesda? The fact that that many people choose to spend that many dollars, and mostly on one particular asshat franchise year after year is equally if not more absurd. At this point it all belongs in a dumpster fire AFAIC.

I'd say CoD (or pretty much any major Activision IP these days) is less a game series now and more of a subscription service ala Netflix. There really is just that many people who buy a single game each year every year, and play only that. In a way it's nice that gaming has become accessible enough for this to be possible, but also blegh. The industry would lose almost nothing if CoD disappeared overnight.

Pretty much what Bob said.

CoD is a yearly franchise, with a massively popular F2P BR game stitched onto it.

World of Warcraft isn't anywhere near the heights it used to be, but its monthly subscription must still rake in a pretty penny.

Hearthstone releases another expansion seemingly every other week, which surely results in a surge of new premium card pack purchases.

Overwatch skins and events are still insanely popular, even if the game is on content life-support until the sequel comes out.

But I think what everyone is sleeping on, is King and their mobile games. My mother in law, and my mum both never play games, but both of them actively play Candy Crush. Mobile games attract the whole other half of the population who would never even consider sitting in front of an Xbox. According to wikipedia, as of 2018, Candy Crush had earned $3.8B by itself.

The power of monetisation.

 

[BrawlMan]

Sure, say what you will about motion controls, or whatever the Wii U was doing, but so long as Nintendo sticks with its 50/50 console/handheld approach, I will probably continue buying their hardware.

The best part about the Switch is that it does not shove the motion controls in your face, nor has big ass tablet that is just sitting there. I admit to not caring about portability much, as I rarely use it. What keeps me coming back to the Switch are the 2nd party and 3rd party games. There is a diverse selection and I would not have this situation any other way. Any person that claims Nintendo should got 3rd party/software only are either stupid, taking out their ass, arrogant and egotistically foolish, is a hater of the company, its consoles, and it fans, or never cared to begin with. If you got a gaming PC, and don't like Nintendo's products that is fine. But don't be saying all of this shit trying to sound like you know everything. People who claim shit like that, love smelling their own farts 24/7.

Also, The Switch and Pokemon make too much money. There is a little franchise that is very dear and is a flagship for over 30 years. Care to guess....

It's Mario, you slimy selfish sychophants!