Microsoft Blizzard purchase getting approved by the EU

[Juicy Box]

I wonder how the purchase would impact Mac support, specifically for Blizzard games.

Blizzard used to be great when it can to Mac support, but over the pass decade, most new Blizzard games don’t have Mac support.

With the exception of WoW (just retail, not classic), I don’t think any Blizzard games have native Apple Silicon support.

If you read some of the Blue and Green responses on the WoW Mac Tech Support forums, there is only one guy that does Mac coding for WoW.

The Green posts claim that this is due to ABK not caring about Mac support at all.

I could be totally wrong, as I don’t know much about the industry anymore, but I wonder if MS ends up completing the purchase, maybe Mac support could improve.

 

[diamond.g]

I wonder how the purchase would impact Mac support, specifically for Blizzard games.

Blizzard used to be great when it can to Mac support, but over the pass decade, most new Blizzard games don’t have Mac support.

With the exception of WoW (just retail, not classic), I don’t think any Blizzard games have native Apple Silicon support.

If you read some of the Blue and Green responses on the WoW Mac Tech Support forums, there is only one guy that does Mac coding for WoW.

The Green posts claim that this is due to ABK not caring about Mac support at all.

I could be totally wrong, as I don’t know much about the industry anymore, but I wonder if MS ends up completing the purchase, maybe Mac support could improve.

I doubt it, MS will go into a "Support Cycle" for macOS games, but probably won't do new titles on the platform stating users can just stream the game via GamePass.

Minecraft is a current example where the newer entrants in the series (Legends and Dungeon) do not seem to have a macOS version (neither does iOS).

 

[Juicy Box]

I doubt it, MS will go into a "Support Cycle" for macOS games

Since WoW-Retail is cross-platform, and regularly updated with new content, I wonder how MS would continue support specifically for WoW.

For WoW, it can't go into a "Support Cycle" for Mac, as there is new content added all the time, unless you are including the new content from expansions and patches as a part of the support cycle MS will offer.

I doubt it, MS will go into a "Support Cycle" for macOS games, but probably won't do new titles on the platform stating users can just stream the game via GamePass.

Is there MS Game Pass support for Mac? If so, this still seems more than what Blizzard is doing now.

Considering the last new Blizzard game that had Mac support was Hero's of the Storm, and that was 8 years ago, if MS just continued supporting the Blizzard games for Mac, I guess it wouldn't be any different than what is going on now.

If anything, maybe MS might improve the Mac support for existing Blizzard games, maybe even adding native AS version.

 

[salamanderjuice]

They could end support for MacOS in WoW like how FFXI and FFXIV cut off support for older consoles. You want to play, you move to a supported platform. They probably woudn't but it's not unheard of.

There's no MS Gamepass support for MacOS beyond cloud streaming which isn't really support.

 

[diamond.g]

Since WoW-Retail is cross-platform, and regularly updated with new content, I wonder how MS would continue support specifically for WoW.

For WoW, it can't go into a "Support Cycle" for Mac, as there is new content added all the time, unless you are including the new content from expansions and patches as a part of the support cycle MS will offer.



Is there MS Game Pass support for Mac? If so, this still seems more than what Blizzard is doing now.

Considering the last new Blizzard game that had Mac support was Hero's of the Storm, and that was 8 years ago, if MS just continued supporting the Blizzard games for Mac, I guess it wouldn't be any different than what is going on now.

If anything, maybe MS might improve the Mac support for existing Blizzard games, maybe even adding native AS version.

I am not sure MS will go out of their way to add Apple Silicon support on macOS games that don't already have it, but I am willing to be wrong.

They could end support for MacOS in WoW like how FFXI and FFXIV cut off support for older consoles. You want to play, you move to a supported platform. They probably woudn't but it's not unheard of.

There's no MS Gamepass support for MacOS beyond cloud streaming which isn't really support.

Yes cloud gaming is what I meant.

 

[Zest28]

One word - Starfield - MS already stated that's not going on the PS4/PS5. Its an exclusive. There's others to be sure. Both platforms have exclusives.

Starfield is coming to PC also, so it's not even a Xbox exclusive. And it's available to be played on Mac, iPad and iPhone with GeForce Now or Xcloud.

You are not forced to buy a Xbox to play Starfield.

 

[Zest28]

Where does this MS doesn't do exclusives BS come from? They absolutely do exclusives. There's no Forza or Flight Simulator on Playstation and they've done timed exclusives too like Rise of the Tomb Raider. Sure, they might also release games on Microsoft Windows, but they benefit from that too! You don't even see Mac ports of Microsoft games anymore like you used to. Microsoft controls like 95% of the PC gaming landscape.

Activision Blizzard is one of the hugest 3rd publishers with some of the biggest IPs. It would be ridiculous if Sony bought modern Square Enix, Activision Blizzard is bigger. I don't think it will help the industry even with a 10 year deal.

Flight Simulator and Forza Motorsport are available on other platforms. Since when are they Xbox exclusives?

You can even play it on your Mac, iPhone and iPad. It's even coming to the Nintendo Switch also.

 

[salamanderjuice]

Can I play Forza Horizon 5 on Mac? No. iOS? No. iPadOS? No. PlayStation? No. Switch? No. Flight Simulator same story. Only Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Xbox. No cloud streaming doesn't count.

There's what that terrible Forza mobile game nobody cares about and shutdown? Is that enough to make it not exclusive to Microsoft platforms? Sony released a Ratchet and Clank game for mobile phones back in 2005, is Ratchet and Clank not a PlayStation exclusive because of it?

 

[Zest28]

Can I play Forza Horizon 5 on Mac? No. iOS? No. iPadOS? No. PlayStation? No. Switch? No. Flight Simulator same story. Only Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Xbox. No cloud streaming doesn't count.

There's what that terrible Forza mobile game nobody cares about and shutdown? Is that enough to make it not exclusive to Microsoft platforms? Sony released a Ratchet and Clank game for mobile phones back in 2005, is Ratchet and Clank not a PlayStation exclusive because of it?

Yes you can. You can play it on Mac and iOS with GeForce Now soon and Xcloud is already possible. And Xbox games are available on PC too.

And Xbox games are coming to Nintendo Switch soon too.

Microsoft doesn’t force people to buy a Xbox.

 

[opeter]

You don't even see Mac ports of Microsoft games anymore like you used to. Microsoft controls like 95% of the PC gaming landscape.

Ask Embracer Group (like Aspyr Media) why they don't make many Mac ports of Microsoft games anymore?
Is it because of licensing?

Feral Interactive does ports constantly for Mac, like Codemasters GRID: Legends is in works and should be released this year.

 

[maflynn]

Starfield is coming to PC also, so it's not even a Xbox exclusive

Dude. you're splitting hairs, its exclusive to the MS platform.

 

[salamanderjuice]

Yes you can. You can play it on Mac and iOS with GeForce Now soon and Xcloud is already possible. And Xbox games are available on PC too.

And Xbox games are coming to Nintendo Switch soon too.

Microsoft doesn’t force people to buy a Xbox.

Geforce Now is a cloud streaming service. You've been able to cloud stream PlayStation games for years to PC/mobile/smart TVs so if that's good enough for you then Sony also doesn't force anyone to buy a PlayStation.

 

[diamond.g]

Yes you can. You can play it on Mac and iOS with GeForce Now soon and Xcloud is already possible. And Xbox games are available on PC too.

And Xbox games are coming to Nintendo Switch soon too.

Microsoft doesn’t force people to buy a Xbox.

To be clear MS has only said Call of Duty is coming to Nintendo platforms if the AB deal goes through. Leaving room for the game to come to the hardware after the Switch and not the Switch itself...

 

[maflynn]

UK reversed their stance regarding the merger

Microsoft wins battle with Sony as UK reverses finding on Activision merger

If I was a betting man, I'd say given the dominos that already fell in MS' favor, the US may very well reverse course as well.

 

[GoldfishRT]

As someone who primarily uses an Xbox as their console of choice, the consolidation of so many studios and talent into just a couple major players in the industry is a disappointing trend overall.

 

[Zest28]

As someone who primarily uses an Xbox as their console of choice, the consolidation of so many studios and talent into just a couple major players in the industry is a disappointing trend overall.

Why you call it a disappointment? You want all AAA developers to start focussing on mobile games instead, because that is where the money is nowadays. Apple even makes more money than Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo even, due to how big mobile gaming is.

Despite Diablo Immortal being banned in China and various European countries, Blizzard still makes most of their money from their mobile games too. So you have to wonder how long Blizzard is going to stay as a "PC gaming company" if Microsoft doesn't acquire them.

So I'd say, be happy that Microsoft is supporting the AAA game developers as it doesn't make much sense for a big gaming studio to make AAA games anymore. Now AAA game developers have the financial security from Microsoft to focus on producing high quality games.

 

[diamond.g]

Why you call it a disappointment? You want all AAA developers to start focussing on mobile games instead, because that is where the money is nowadays. Apple even makes more money than Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo even, due to how big mobile gaming is.

Despite Diablo Immortal being banned in China and various European countries, Blizzard still makes most of their money from their mobile games too. So you have to wonder how long Blizzard is going to stay as a "PC gaming company" if Microsoft doesn't acquire them.

So I'd say, be happy that Microsoft is supporting the AAA game developers as it doesn't make much sense for a big gaming studio to make AAA games anymore. Now AAA game developers have the financial security from Microsoft to focus on producing high quality games.

To be fair Activision really only makes CoD every year and not much else. Blizzard basically has been existing on WoW and Overwatch (at least until Diablo Immortal came out and D4).

Once this deal goes through, I wonder how long until Sony acquires SquareEnix. (because lets be real we all know that is happening)

 

[Zest28]

To be fair Activision really only makes CoD every year and not much else. Blizzard basically has been existing on WoW and Overwatch (at least until Diablo Immortal came out and D4).

Once this deal goes through, I wonder how long until Sony acquires SquareEnix. (because lets be real we all know that is happening)

I know Sony will do it. And they will probably make their games Playstation exclusive, so people will be forced to buy a Playstation.

That is why it is very funny that Sony is complaining about the Microsoft - Blizzard deal, while Sony is the market leader and Sony is the one that forces studios to make playstation exclusive titles.

 

[diamond.g]

I know Sony will do it. But Microsoft doesn't make Xbox exclusive games, unlike Sony.

That is why it is very funny that Sony is complaining about the Microsoft - Blizzard deal, while Sony is the market leader and Sony is the one that forces studios to make playstation exclusives.

Ehhhhhh, outside of Minecraft Legends, Microsoft hasn't made any new PS5 games that were not already contractually required (like Deathloop as an example) or were already on sale (like Doom Eternal). Or to put it more bluntly MS hasn't introduced any new IP onto the Playstation platform.

IMO, Sony buying SquareEnix wouldn't change the market much as Xbox folks don't buy Square games in an amount to make a material difference (or at least I've not seen anything that would indicate otherwise).

 

[Zest28]

Ehhhhhh, outside of Minecraft Legends, Microsoft hasn't made any new PS5 games that were not already contractually required (like Deathloop as an example) or were already on sale (like Doom Eternal). Or to put it more bluntly MS hasn't introduced any new IP onto the Playstation platform.

IMO, Sony buying SquareEnix wouldn't change the market much as Xbox folks don't buy Square games in an amount to make a material difference (or at least I've not seen anything that would indicate otherwise).

Xbox games can be played on PC, iPhone and iPad too. So they are not Xbox exclusive, like what Sony is doing.

In fact, the strategy of Microsoft is not the Xbox anymore, they want to bring gaming to the masses.

 

[Realityck]

I think that's a good point, but I also believe them leap frogging and buying up some of the biggest publishers in the past few years is not in the best interest of the consumer. I wasn't against them buying Bethesda, but if I was still on Sony hardware, I'd be very disappointed once Starfield comes out.

Overall, MS can use their entire size to their advantage and also affect the gaming market.

I don't know how this will play out, but I do wonder if the EU's acceptance will make the US's objections harder to stick

I was thinking of the Diablo 4 example and how if MS does purchase Blizzard then they might soon work towards Windows 11 for ARM64 vs Intel based PCs that could allow more ARM ports for AS Macs under VM as well as their ARM64 devices.

 

[diamond.g]

Xbox games can be played on PC, iPhone and iPad too. So they are not Xbox exclusive, like what Sony is doing.

In fact, the strategy of Microsoft is not the Xbox anymore, they want to bring gaming to the masses.

Yeah I'm not including the PC or Mobile in what has traditionally been a "console war". But I do agree outside of Consoles it is easier to play MS Studio game on other platforms (well at least PC, mobile is still hit or miss mostly because I don't think streamed games should count). As Sony sees good sales of their IP on PC we will see more of the games come to PC.

 

[diamond.g]

I was thinking of the Diablo 4 example and how if MS does purchase Blizzard then they might soon work towards Windows 11 for ARM vs Intel based PCs that could allow more ARM ports for AS Macs under VM as well as their ARM devices.

Microsoft hasn't made any Windows 11 ARM native games with all the other studios they own, not sure why that would change with the Activision/Blizzard acquisition.

Heck there are more AS Macs than there are Windows 11 ARM machines and we don't really see Microsoft Games Studios jumping up to make AS native Mac games either.

 

[Realityck]

Microsoft hasn't made any Windows 11 ARM native games with all the other studios they own, not sure why that would change with the Activision/Blizzard acquisition.

Heck there are more AS Macs than there are Windows 11 ARM machines and we don't really see Microsoft Games Studios jumping up to make AS native Mac games either.

Because of an obvious expanding use against 64bit ARM processors running a 64 bit version of windows 11. Besides AS Macs running in a VM, you have Windows 11 Arm-based PCs with a Microsoft SQ1, Microsoft SQ2, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx, or Qualcomm Snapdragon 850 processor.

Best Windows on Arm laptops in 2024

Looking to buy an Arm laptop but you're not sure what your options are? We rounded up the best Windows on ARM laptops you can buy right now.

www.xda-developers.com

Because it represents an expanded base of blizzard customers that could play games under 64 bit windows as an alternative. That means increase some revenue besides Intel PC and xbox/Sony consoles. I realize it’s small potatoes now, but there plenty of AS Mac users that could add considerable growth to that segment besides the PC ARM community.

 

[GoldfishRT]

Despite Diablo Immortal being banned in China and various European countries, Blizzard still makes most of their money from their mobile games too. So you have to wonder how long Blizzard is going to stay as a "PC gaming company" if Microsoft doesn't acquire them.

I'm not sure how you think Microsoft acquiring these companies is going to change the trajectory of anything besides excluding platforms rather than including them (Sony's in particular). They're a giant corporation and they have on goal in mind and it's really got nothing to do with supporting AAA games out of their love of gaming and these studios.