They aren’t being forced, but it is a competitive advantage for MS.
Sony could, for example, allow Game Pass, EA+, Ubi+, etc, on their platform for a 15% cut. Or they could structure licensing such that they get a cut of every game played on their hardware, whether sold at retail/digitally or in a subscription plan. There are lots of options.
Excited for Blizzard games coming to Steam! Anything else we should expect?
You misspelled “Microsoft Store”
Well, one of those things will happen.
The pop text on that IGN story isn’t technically correct. This is the quote in the article:
“We expect that Microsoft will abide by contractual agreements and continue to ensure Activision games are multiplatform,” said a Sony spokesperson to The Wall Street Journal.
Which, as we’ve discussed, they’ll all be “multiplatform” just like they are now - Xbox and PC!
I had forgotten about overwatch, as I haven’t played it in a while, but overwatch 2 seems like a significant loss to the PlayStation.
Depends on what Overwatch 2 is, because last I heard it was a completely different game. (PvE instead of PvP)
Halo, Age of Empires 4, and the other Microsoft games are all on Steam as well as their own store.
Looks like it has game modes for both cooperative and pvp.
https://overwatch2.playoverwatch.com/en-us/explore
In terms of consoles I only really care about Nintendo.
Sony PlayStation can go kaput tonight and I wouldn’t even bat an eye. (and I worked there for 15 years)
Microsoft has one foot in the console space but also in PC gaming so I guess it is complicated. Less complicated if they lift the right foot.
Do you really care about their hardware or just their software. Personally I hardly ever use my Switch and get whatever multiplatform stuff I can for other platforms. Nintendo still puts out a great piece of software every so often so would want them around for that but on that same note I’ve actually found Sony first party has made many of my favorite games for the past 10 years so I’d regret them getting out of games even more than Nintendo (who I do like but find somewhat overrated). Prior to the acquisitions Microsoft had been kind of a wasteland for a while software wise.
Nintendo games are magic.
Sony and Microsoft do not have this. I mean most games on their platform are also on PC.
From that article:
It recalled the notorious quote from the late Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi about Sony cornering the market on “depressing games,”
Ha! Yamauchi got it in one. Sony really does have that market cornered. And I would personally miss that a lot. I love The Last of Us, Infamous Second Son, Ico, etc. All depressing games, no doubt, but so well done.
The switch really is a super nice piece of hardware.
I don’t really care about hardware, it sits hidden in the cabinet under my TV, but at the risk of repeating myself I find the XSX design not only functional but elegant.
For a handheld device the hardware matters a great deal, of course.
You must be an old school Micro$oft hater. Try to catch up with modern times.
Sony:
…with Activision and “continue to ensure” that Activision games are released on its platforms
I wonder what their existing studios would have produced with $70bn invested. You’d think there’d be a kickass store app at least.