New Microsoft deal reportedly locks Sony out of major franchises
Microsoft's deal with Activision Blizzard is a hair's breadth away from being closed up. Thank God for that. It's looking more and more likely the deal will coast through its final barriers, as Xbox has offered a legal olive branch to PlayStation - allowing it to hang onto Call of Duty.
It's presumed that this was to appease the UK's CMA, and though Xbox probably could have done this sooner if it wanted to, at least we're on our way to the finish line. But it might not be as lucrative for PlayStation users as the Call of Duty deal implies.
PlayStation might be locked out of ActiBlizz games
Click to enlargeXbox doesn't seem particularly happy to have had to extend Call of Duty to PlayStation, as it looks as though it'll be locking the rest of Activision Blizzard down for Xbox users.
The Verge has pointed out that Xbox is not actually contractually obligated to put upcoming Activision Blizzard games on Nintendo or Sony consoles, unless they're in the Call of Duty franchise. The recent legal document that allowed PlayStation to keep Call of Duty is very similar to the one given to Nintendo for cloud streaming, obviously sans the cloud streaming bit for PlayStation's sake.
It's thought now that the heaviest hitter of Activision Blizzard has been made available to all gamers, that Xbox could hold onto the rest of the company's franchises like Overwatch and Diablo. Plus, it will likely come to pass that ex-PlayStation mascots like Crash and Spyro simply won't appear on their old home console again.
The Verge's Tom Warren claims Sony was offered a deal in January 2022 that would've allowed "all existing Activision console titles on Sony, including future versions in the Call of Duty franchise or any other current Activision franchise on Sony through December 31st, 2027." The new deal only applies to CoD.
Phil Spencer wants to revive old Activision Blizzard titles
Click to enlargeIt's not just the franchises we know to be still kicking around that could end up scurried away by Xbox, as Phil Spencer has been pretty clear about his hopes to revive some classic titles under the company's banner once it's bagged ownership of them.
He's suggested that he'd like to see Guitar Hero and Hexen make a return, and if they do, it's probably safe to assume the Green Team would hang onto them too. It's a weird time in the gaming industry, and only time will tell how it all pans out. One thing's for sure now - the ball is in PlayStation's court.
