Many people were worried about Call of Duty possibly becoming an exclusive Xbox title, but according to Phil Spencer, the first-person shooter was just a bonus in the acquisition. As Xbox has acquired several major publishers and developers in the last few years, there is a fear that the company is slowly becoming the equiavent of Disney in the gaming industry, amassing a remarkably large collection of intellectual properties.
In a recent interview on Activision games would all become Xbox Exclusive, but it seems that the company's priorities lie elsewhere. The Xbox CEO states that mobile gaming is "... a place where if we don't gain relevancy as a gaming brand, the business will become untenable," prompting the acquisition of King and its lucrative IP. Decoder's interviewer pointed out that King's Candy Crush makes more than Activision and Blizzard combined, so it makes sense that the mobile gaming company would be such a priority for Microsoft.
Acquiring Candy Crush Is Microsoft's First Jump Into Mobile Gaming
The Xbox CEO stated that he would look into how this deal will impact the many players of Activision Blizzard games. He also noted that the company is committed to making the deal benefit players most of all, which might reassure fans of Candy Crush and the many other Activision Blizzard games that are owned by Microsoft. By getting its hands on Activision Blizzard and, by extension, Candy Crush, Xbox may be able to give itself a better chance at staying active in every facet of the ever-changing gaming industry. One of the all-time powerhouses of mobile gaming, Candy Crush is played by millions daily, giving Microsoft a valuable foothold in the mobile space. By buying King several years ago in 2016, Activision began its expansion into mobile devices; time will tell if the same trick works well for Xbox.
Of course, Candy Crush isn't the only lucrative property Activision has in the world of mobile gaming. Though the initial response to Diablo Immortal wasn't positive or glowing, that game has still seen success on mobile and received a port to PC. Between it and Call of Duty Mobile, Activision has clearly already established a substantial presence in mobile gaming, even aside from Candy Crush. Call of Duty Mobile nearly matches the player count of its PC and console counterparts, but neither CoD nor Diablo are as financially successful as Candy Crush.
This deal has left Xbox with several profitable video games in its portfolio, allowing for the possibility of more experimentation with games like World of Warcraft and Overwatch in the future. Of course, things aren't all positive for the company. With Activision's ongoing lawsuit and related controversies, the immediate future of Xbox's newest property is murky, but the company has some very valuable properties under its belt nonetheless. Candy Crush will be Xbox's biggest mobile title as soon as the deal is approved, and it remains to be seen how else the company will expand in the mobile gaming space.
Source: The Verge
Editor’s Note: A lawsuit has been filed against Activision Blizzard by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, which alleges the company has engaged in abuse, discrimination, and retaliation against its female employees. Activision Blizzard has denied the allegations. The full details of the Activision Blizzard lawsuit (content warning: rape, suicide, abuse, harassment) are being updated as new information becomes available.
