Xbox fans are in for a big treat. As reported, Xbox has officially acquired Activision/Blizzard/King. The company now joins Bethesda and Rare, among others, as first-party studios. So what does that mean for gamers? Well, Xbox now holds the rights to several different franchises, from fan favorites to money-makers. Let’s go over some of those and maybe get a glimpse into the future of the company.
Call of Duty
Probably the biggest of the bunch, Xbox now has the legendary series Call of Duty under its belt. This FPS series is among the highest-earning franchises of all time, making millions with each new entry. All of the studios (Sledgehammer, Raven, Infinity Ward, Treyarch) were a part of Activision, so future titles will be under Xbox. While the series won’t be going exclusive anytime soon, it does mean titles can go to Xbox Game Pass. Call of Duty started in 2003 and is now on its 23rd title with Modern Warfare 3.
Candy Crush Saga
While it may just be a mobile game to some, Candy Crush Saga is a multi-million dollar property due to its popularity on the App Store. This candy-matching game launched King as a premier mobile game studio, prompting Activision to purchase it in 2015 for $5.9 billion. Now, under Microsoft/Xbox, the game could come to consoles and make them some fast cash.
Sypro the Dragon
The lovable purple dragon from the 90s now has a new castle to roam. Spyro the Dragon is one of Activision’s most nostalgic franchises, as it played a huge part in many people’s childhoods. While the series has laid dormant in terms of new titles, a remastering of the first three titles was released in 2018. Xbox may find success with Spyro and reach a demographic they’ve had some trouble with: kids. Funnily enough, the series was an Insomniac Games-owned property. Now that Xbox owns it, it marks one of two series formerly exclusive to PlayStation.
Crash Bandicoot
This one’ll sting PlayStation a bit. Once Naughty Dog’s, our favorite maniac marsupial now belongs to Xbox. Crash Bandicoot, like Spyro, was a hit in the 90s and achieved mass success. And, just like Spyro, the later titles didn’t live up to fan expectations. Fortunately, a return to form for the series, Crash Bandicoot: It’s About Time, was loved by audiences (and Destructoid). Now, Crash can make an even bigger splash as an Xbox first-party title.
Guitar Hero
The legend may rock on again. Guitar Hero was a hugely successful series back in the 2000s, as it let players jam out to classic rock music and live out their guitar-playing dreams. Unfortunately, the staying factor didn’t last, as the most recent entry, Guitar Hero Live, didn’t live up to expectations. However, a recent (and weird) town hall meeting with now-retiring CEO Bobby Kotick mentioned a potential revival of the series. We may just be a few years away from hopelessly trying to do Through the Fire and Flame, now in 4K.
Overwatch
Another huge shooter Xbox owns now is Blizzard’s Overwatch. While not as popular as it was back in 2016, the series had global success with its fun multiplayer gameplay and charming characters. A sequel, Overwatch 2, came out for free last year but failed due to the game seemingly not changing enough to be considered new (and the loot box fiascos, of course). With the success Xbox has had in the multiplayer market, Overwatch may become a fan favorite yet again.
Diablo
Hell has a new home. The beloved dungeon crawler Diablo, fresh off its latest game, is now an Xbox franchise. Created by Blizzard in 1997, this RPG series is one of the company’s most popular. Loved for its gameplay and title character, Diablo just had its fourth mainline game, Diablo VI, come out this year to much praise. Time will tell if Xbox takes advantage of the series, especially if it can go to Game Pass.
Warcraft
Known as the biggest MMORPG series in history, Warcraft answers to Xbox now. Starting in 1994, the series had some success as a real-time strategy but rose to stardom when it went open-world multiplayer ten years later. Since then, multiple expansions have been released, including a successful card game called Hearthstone, and even received a film adaptation (the less said, the better). Now with Xbox on its side, Warcraft may see a resurgence or, perhaps, a new title.
While there are more, I believe Xbox may utilize these franchises more than others, given the company’s track record. Still, it would be nice to see some old IPs like Prototype, Tenchu, and King’s Quest return or be given new life. Xbox Game Pass has been a beacon for several franchises, so stay tuned to see if old favorites may enter its library soon.
