The news of that huge $70 billion deal for Microsoft to acquire Activision Blizzard rocked the industry. There was an obvious storm of questions following the news. Gamers and fans were rightly concerned about what’s going to happen to future and current entries in their various game franchises. The confusing messaging led some to believe that Microsoft would force Activision Blizzard to abandon PlayStation entirely to freeze Sony out of major AAA franchises. Microsoft President and Vice Chair Brad Smith published a post on the Microsoft blog, detailing what’s to come.
The post says that Microsoft is committed to working with Sony going forward. “We have committed to Sony that we will also make them available on PlayStation beyond the existing agreement and into the future.” Smith said that “this is the right thing for the industry, for gamers and for our business.”
The post also goes into detail about plans that Microsoft is making to help creators both big and small get games on their platforms. “The principles we’re adopting today will also ensure we’re providing the best possible experience for creators and customers of all sizes,” said the company. MS also promises to develop frameworks for working with regulatory changes. “These principles are grounded in app store legislation being considered by governments around the world, including by the United States, the European Union, the Republic of Korea, the Netherlands, and elsewhere. While no legislation is perfect, we believe it’s possible to implement these new laws and continue to innovate responsibly and grow a healthy and profitable business.”
It’s this core framework of principles that suggest Microsoft won’t be icing out Sony anytime soon. And given their previous approaches to both Indie and AAA releases targeting all major platforms, that makes a ton of sense.
And it makes sense. Why ice out millions of potential customers by making franchises like Call of Duty exclusive to Xbox and PC. But absent a specific confirmation, questions will undoubtedly remain. Many analysts reacting to this news have called into question the lack of specificity. The general consensus was always was that certain games would make the jump to PlayStation. But without specific games being mentioned as multi-platform, there’s a lot of uncertainty left in the air. Some folks have pointed out that absent specifics, Microsoft can define these items in any way they please, and that could mean more exclusivity if they choose.
Sony and PlayStation are likely working with Microsoft to negotiate deals behind the scenes. And that hasn’t stopped them from making their own acquisition of Bungie to grab Destiny and other iconic IPs.
