Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Microsoft Blizzard purchase getting approved by the EU
- Thread starter maflynn
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Thank you regulator for "protection" me. If I now what to play Activision-Blizzard games on Mac or iOS, I need to buy an other cloud service from UBISOFT* while I already have GamePass.
This is a huge downgrade for the consumer.
Funny thing is, Sony can buy Ubisoft and buy all streaming rights from Activision - Blizzard as Ubisoft is looking for a buyer.
This is a huge downgrade for the consumer.
Funny thing is, Sony can buy Ubisoft and buy all streaming rights from Activision - Blizzard as Ubisoft is looking for a buyer.
My understanding is that the agreements with Boosteroid and GeForce Now for 10 years are still valid. As far as I know MS never promised that AKBs games would be available on GamePass.
MS can pay Ubisoft for the ability to put ABK games on GamePass/xCloud
Yeah they have to honor their existing agreements.
Xbox isn’t really in good shape right now. Phill is still trying to recover the damage done with the Xbox One initial launch issues. It’s going to be interesting if there is a PS5 Pro but no new Xbox. I expect Microsoft to become more of a game distributor than a console maker.
That’s what I was referring to. The idea that people will have to log on to a Microsoft(tm) account(tm) to access Microsoft services(tm) to play games published by Microsoft(tm), developed by Microsoft studios(tm) or its affiliated companies(tm) after paying my monthly Microsoft Gaming+ subscription(tm) (only available for Windows, naturally).
Not that I have the free time to play games right now.
I am not sure MS will try to force the Windows Store down folks throats again, outside of GamePass all the PC games they offer I believe also are on Steam where you don't need a MS account to buy/play them.
If you own an Xbox, nothing changes, as far as I can tell.
I know, I was being hyperbolic, trying to make fun of the situation. And considering the last time I checked Microsoft recommends installing PowerToys from github over the Microsoft Store, you’re probably right.
I only own a Switch. I hardly have free time for games anymore.
This is par for the course when it comes to mergers. I'm not defending the action, or the impact but rather the fact that some corporations are required to divest, assets, business or open up businesses to competitors.
You already had to already. ActiBlizz stopped supporting macOS a long time ago, with the only games they're actively supporting on Mac being WoW and Hearthstone. Microsoft buying them doesn't change that
But hey, just because Microsoft buying ActiBlizz doesn't mean they're gonna drop all Apple device support. Microsoft has games on Mac and iOS. Microsoft Solitaire Collection is on iOS. Microsoft made several mobile games for iOS. Microsoft also has a partnership with Nintendo for some of their games to be published on Nintendo Switch like the Ori games, allowing Rare's old games to be on Switch, and even planning Call of Duty to return to Nintendo platforms.
How? With the merger they're bringing Call of Duty back to Nintendo platforms, and every ActiBlizz game would come to Game Pass.
You primarily play on PlayStation don't you?
Microsoft ain't anywhere close to a monopoly lmao. You want a real monopoly, look at Tencent. If you want to sell a game in China, you have to go through them no matter what and give them publishing rights of said game. That's a real monopoly.
I was being purposely hyperbolic. Microsoft is buying up a lot of game studios right now.
Everyone is. It's the nature of the industry right now. Buy studios to bolster support for existing studios and also build your catalog. Sony in the last 4 years bought several studios, such as:
- Insomniac Games
- Bluepoint Games
- Housemarque
- Nixxes Software
- Bungie
- Firesprite
- Haven Studios
The PS5 is dominating the Xbox X|S and so far the studios they have been purchased including Bethesda hasn't born the sort of fruit that MS was hoping for. I mean just look at RedFall, that was supposed to be a big hit for them and its not
Halo Infinite doesn't seem to be the game that MS has promised and didn't they gut that studio with layoffs?
There doesn't seem to be any other exclusive that is catching anyone's attention. Except for Starfield and that's why a lot of people are saying Bethesda/MS needs to hit this one out of the park. I too am excited for this game and can't wait, I'm a Bethesda fan, as most of the games have been incredibly fun to play.
The bottom line imo is that right now Sony has dominated the consoles and the studio acquisitions hasn't paid the dividends yet - at least that's my opinion
It ain't gonna be overnight. These things take time. Remember when the PS3 was a mitigated disaster and the entire gen was Xbox 360 dominated but after years of acquisitions and work Sony turned the generation around and by the end of it PS3 came out on top. While Redfall was a disaster, the rest of the fruits of their acquisitions are about to emerge. As you said we got Starfield in early access next week and from impressions from critics with review copies it's gonna be a good one. Age of Empires 4 just arrived on Xbox. We have a new Microsoft Flight Simulator next year that is introducing commercial pilot careers in the game. We have a big new Steampunk immersive sim by InXile called Clockwork Revolution. Next year is Avowed, the new fantasy RPG by Obsidian. Sea of Thieves is still going strong and just launched their new crossover expansion with LucasArts' Monkey Island series. We also have Hellblade 2 that is proceeding along great.
Time will tell, but this definitely looks like history repeating itself, i.e., Sony eating Microsoft's lunch
They both started at square at one, with the release of the latest gen consoles. In fact I would say that MS had the edge thanks to the gamepass. Yet, with that said Sony had PS5 games queued up at the time of launch, MS did not and in fact what was even more embarrassing was their major franchise Halo wasn't going to be ready for the Xbox.
Microsoft's Gamepass and purchase of Bethesda motivated me to get the Xbox over the PS5, however I switched back to the Playstation platform simply because I feel the PS5 and the games available are so much better. I find that I use my PS5 daily, where as the xbox was barely used.
I'm a doubting Thomas as to Microsoft's ability to parley their acquisitions to be a dominant force in the gaming industry and specifically over take Sony on console marketshare.
Microsoft is finally on the verge of closing its Activision deal
I will say that I question the value of the merger for MS given what they gave away and promised, not to mention the mismanagement of other studios. I'm not really a blizzard/activision customer anyways so it has less impact on me directly - other then seeing less competition in the gaming world.
I will say that I question the value of the merger for MS given what they gave away and promised, not to mention the mismanagement of other studios. I'm not really a blizzard/activision customer anyways so it has less impact on me directly - other then seeing less competition in the gaming world.
We're already seeing fruit being beared with the merger. Call of Duty is getting Doom themed cosmetics next month. Blizzard games' are beginning their transition to Steam.