Microsoft buy Activision/Blizzard for $68.7B

[d-dave]

https://news.microsoft.com/2022/01/18/microsoft-to-acquire-activision-blizzard-to-bring-the-joy-and-community-of-gaming-to-everyone-across-every-device/

So this is kind of a major development.  I've heard a lot of people talking about this, and some people think that Microsoft is going to make all of new games from Activision only on game pass.  No future Call of Duty after 2023 on Playstation.  I think that's a little short sighted.

I think that MS is going to, at a minimum, still sell games to PS - but they will all have a Microsoft Games Studio logo and adds for Game Pass.  I think the real thing that MS wants is to put game pass on the Playstation.  I know MS wants a gaming future where you play their content wherever, and I think they are still going to move toward that.  Also, how funny would it be for Sony to have to pay royalties to MS on games from their store?  

It's like MS could never really get a game identity.  Like Nintendo has games that are authentically Nintendo.  Sony has the market on 3rd person, epic and cinematic games.  MS just wants to be the place for games.  I really don't think they care about where you play because Game Pass is the end game for them.

[kelvinblunt]

8 hours ago, d-dave said:

https://news.microsoft.com/2022/01/18/microsoft-to-acquire-activision-blizzard-to-bring-the-joy-and-community-of-gaming-to-everyone-across-every-device/

So this is kind of a major development.  I've heard a lot of people talking about this, and some people think that Microsoft is going to make all of new games from Activision only on game pass.  No future Call of Duty after 2023 on Playstation.  I think that's a little short sighted.

I think that MS is going to, at a minimum, still sell games to PS - but they will all have a Microsoft Games Studio logo and adds for Game Pass.  I think the real thing that MS wants is to put game pass on the Playstation.  I know MS wants a gaming future where you play their content wherever, and I think they are still going to move toward that.  Also, how funny would it be for Sony to have to pay royalties to MS on games from their store?  

It's like MS could never really get a game identity.  Like Nintendo has games that are authentically Nintendo.  Sony has the market on 3rd person, epic and cinematic games.  MS just wants to be the place for games.  I really don't think they care about where you play because Game Pass is the end game for them.

such an overvalued buy from MS.....................

[d-dave]

13 hours ago, kelvinblunt said:

such an overvalued buy from MS.....................

Well, as we say about Tepper "not my billions." lol

It remains to be seen.  Can MS clean up the culture and improve morale the greater Activision environment?  Can they take a franchise like COD, which sells millions of units each year and tons of microtransactions no matter the quality of the game, and keep it profitable on game pass without sales to Sony?

That's why I think that MS is going to continue to push for Game Pass on Sony, while still allowing the sales of CoD and other activision/blizzard games on Sony products.  Just add a Microsoft Game Studio in front of each loading screen.

I'm very curious to see how it all works out.  I've been an Xbox guy since the 360 (even though I had the PS1, PS2, and eventually the PS3 for the blu ray drive) so putting my not very rabid fanboi-ness aside, I really do want gaming to get better for everyone.  The world sucks enough as is, I think we should all be able to escape into some gaming, regardless of platform.

[PanthersATL]

I'm curious (as are others) about what Activision will do with their Infocom license.  Zork, etc.

[Zaximus]

I could see Gamepass+ with like WoW subscription and other stuff.  This isn't a bad thing with how Blizzard has been going about lately.  Also Microsoft has been handling gaming stuff a lot better than Activision.

Gamepass is actually a really good deal so I've been impressed with that.  Now they could own all those games, they already got Bethesda now too.   

[Ja Rhule]

I just purchased gaming PC after this news.  I think this will cause resurgence of gaming pc more than Xbox.

[d-dave]

On 2/1/2022 at 8:26 AM, Ja Rhule said:

I just purchased gaming PC after this news.  I think this will cause resurgence of gaming pc more than Xbox.

How many millions did you spend?  LOL, just kidding!  I know the PC market is very expensive right now!

Game Pass for PC is great, and MS doesn't care what box you play from.  To them, it doesn't matter what platform you buy from, because you'll still need windows to run that PC.

Also, seeing how Sony is starting to understand just how lucrative the PC marketplace can be is fantastic news for those of us who just want to play games.

I hope there's some kind of re-alignment where there are fewer exclusives and instead things are more inclusive.  Halo on PS, Spider-Man on Xbox?  Why not?  All of them on a PC...oh baby!

[Ja Rhule]

30 minutes ago, d-dave said:

How many millions did you spend?  LOL, just kidding!  I know the PC market is very expensive right now!

Game Pass for PC is great, and MS doesn't care what box you play from.  To them, it doesn't matter what platform you buy from, because you'll still need windows to run that PC.

Also, seeing how Sony is starting to understand just how lucrative the PC marketplace can be is fantastic news for those of us who just want to play games.

I hope there's some kind of re-alignment where there are fewer exclusives and instead things are more inclusive.  Halo on PS, Spider-Man on Xbox?  Why not?  All of them on a PC...oh baby!

I spent too much but I always wanted a real gaming pc, even as a kid so I said f it… I’ll treat myself.  Got me an Alienware, pc I wanted for 20 years.  I cannot tell you have many times I added it to cart, customized it and just exit the website without the purchase.

[Zaximus]

I want to get a new rig too.  I've always built them but I guess nowadays buying pre-built is about the only way to get a video card.  I'm not opposed to that it just sucks it feels kind of forced.  I've already had the experience of putting that stuff together.

[d-dave]

17 hours ago, Zaximus said:

I want to get a new rig too.  I've always built them but I guess nowadays buying pre-built is about the only way to get a video card.  I'm not opposed to that it just sucks it feels kind of forced.  I've already had the experience of putting that stuff together.

Man, there's nothing like getting that right wire/cable management!  You spend all that time routing, zip-tying, and making it perfect!  Until you realized you left out a fan cable!  Then you say screw it, and haphazardly put it out of the way, but in your mind, you know it's messed up...

Nope, not ever happened to me....Nope, didn't turn around and tear it down to fix it three days later...  That happened to me years ago.

My current rig (on el cheapo) is an old i7-4790 based workstation.  the first thing I did when I got it was took the whole thing apart, cleaned parts and contacts and replaced all the thermal compound.  Then I put it back together, and I was like - yep, still a cheap box.  

But at least I can let it run Renders for days on end without worrying too much about it.  I want to build a new, modern PC for gaming, 3D, and video editing.  But I'm in a debt repayment free for all.  And I want a new camera...

God, I'm expensive!

[carpanfan96]

So major popular titles won't be exclusive to Xbox, but new ips and ones from abk list of dead franchises probably will be. 

 

On another note, I just moved back to NC in October and I'm selling my 5k gaming rig for 3k if anyone's interested. I got into warhammer age of sigmar and don't have time to play with that and work. Lol

Specs:

5800x cpu

6900xt rog stix lc

1000w evga g3 psu

32gb ballistix cl16 3600 ram

2tb firecuda 530

500gb gen 4 boot 

Gigabyte vision d motherboard 

6 Lian Li AL 120 fans with controller 

240 corsair capellix AIO

Lian li dynamic 011 case

Dell 32inch wqhd monitor 

Alienware 610 and 510 keyboard and mouse 

Astro A50 with base

 

Edited February 13, 2022 by carpanfan96

[Ja Rhule]

My gosh my Alienware is super fast.  I need to get used to it.