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Increasingly, Microsoft’s deal for Activision Blizzard seems to be in peril.
Here are a few possible scenarios.
More acquisitions?
The first option seems like the most likely one to me.
Xbox Game Passdoesn’t work without a constant and consistent stream of high-quality content across every genre possible.
But this isn’t enough, not by a long shot.
Much like seasons on a Netflix show, updates to existing properties is also critical.
The ongoing servicing of games like Halo Infinite has been relatively slow across the board.
Other titles with long-tail potential like Gears Tactics have been abandoned in their entirety, too.
Sea of Thieves conversely shows that Microsoftcando it, but it’s nowhere near enough.
To achieve the consistency Microsoft needs, clearly they need more studios, more developers, and more teams.
Tencent owns a large chunk of major studios like Fortnite’s Epic Games, among various others.
But we’re in a very different landscape now, with very different times.
The game doesn’t even have a full trailer on the Xbox Store as of writing.
It also has an exclusive quest on PlayStation, essentially making it lower-quality on Xbox as a result.
Does Microsoft have a plan B?
That messaging paints a dark picture for a post-Activision Xbox, in a world where the deal is blocked.
would likely remain unchanged.
But it begs the question, what alternatives are there out there?
Activision-Blizzard is truly perfect for what Microsoft is going for here, with a strong presence across every vertical.
Beyond Minecraft and Solitaire, Microsoft doesn’t really have a presence on phones.
Xbox Cloud Gaming comes with its own problems both at a hardware level and from a business angle.
Indeed, it’s the cultural mainstreaming of Xbox properties that is absolutely paramount here.
Microsoft clearly lacks the expertise to go after this market in earnest.
