Microsoft - it ‘simply wouldn’t be profitable’ to make Call of Duty Xbox exclusive

[peter42O]

Doubt it. Everything that becomes an Xbox exclusive dies. It won’t be different with CoD.

Microsoft hasn't released anything from any acquisition since E3 2018 to now that has been exclusive to Xbox so how can you say that everything that becomes Xbox exclusives dies when they haven't released a single exclusive from any acquisition to date?

 

[laynelane]

Just out of curiosity: what consequences do you expect the most overvalued corporation of all time, with lobbyists in every federal US commitee (including the FTC), as well as quite a few institutions overseas, to face?

I did a little searching since I found your question interesting. Under The Sherman Act, the penalties are fines and up to ten years prison time. The FTC also has the ability to prevent mergers and they can undo mergers that have occurred (read the seventh and eight paragraphs for the relevant information). Normally it seems they impose fines, but there are exceptions. It's also not exactly right to say they have the authority to do the above - they litigate if an entity is suspected of wrongdoing. It's a process, not a foregone conclusion.

Note I am not saying any of the above applies to MS specifically. I'm not American so the question of what the FTC can do to those who break laws/agreements intrigued me. MS having the ability to circumvent those conditions based on lobbyists and their value as a corporation - well, I'm not sure about that. Clout hasn't prevented other companies from being regulated, but who knows.

 

[Old Gamer]

Clout hasn't prevented other companies from being regulated, but who knows.

One would like to believe so, but court rulings have already been sidestepped by MS before. Nowadays, like other tech giants, they influence laws which makes it harder to litigate them to begin with.

But I would like to share your optimism.

 

[laynelane]

One would like to believe so, but court rulings have already been sidestepped by MS before. Nowadays, like other tech giants, they influence laws which makes it harder to litigate them to begin with.

But I would like to share your optimism.

Perhaps it's optimism as you say, but the climate around these matters has changed since that case over twenty years ago. It also didn't help that the judge in that ruling was guilty of some pretty serious misconduct. Again, I'm not that knowledgeable about this, but from what I'm seeing Biden is encouraging the FTC to look into a number of different cases. They have his direct support. Of course, none of this rules out corruption, but more eyes on these matters may lead to more transparency. Hard to tell really.

It the end it's really hard to speak in absolutes in these matters, isn't it? I like to consider all the information I can, but there are going to be so many things happening behind the scenes we aren't privy to.

 

[Yurinka]

You'll get remasters on PS5 of old games like Quake or Skyrim when it gets remastered for the millionth time but new games releasing for the first time, Deathloop and Ghostwire Tokyo are basically all that PS5 will ever get. PS5 will never get Starfield or any other new Bethesda game release. Only reason Microsoft even honors contracts is so once they're done, they can keep everything exclusive meaning that they'll play nice by honoring contracts because they know exactly what they will be doing once contracts are legally completed.

MS said in the OP that wouldn't be profitable to release CoD only on Xbox and PC (I assume even more considering that in the future plan to include it day one on GP) and this is why they'll keep it multiplatform.

The only new games they've released has been Deathloop and Tokyo which we've known since 2020 that Sony was getting first. And what other DLC for games that aren't TESO or F76? There aren't any. How could there be? They haven't released anything else. LOL. If you want to count a remaster of a 20 year old game like Quake to where you think that PS5 may get Starfield and other future games, that's up to you.

I added some examples more: Doom Eternal DLC and Quake Remastered. As I mentioned all the games and DLC they released on console after the acquisition until now have been published on PS.

Microsoft doesn't directly say that future games will be exclusive for two reasons - first and foremost is that they don't own ABK yet so legally, they have no authority with them until they actually own them and second, look at your posts and others here. Microsoft PR is basically telling all of you what you want to hear.

In the OP MS is expaining their plans to regulators. Similar to when they mentioned Minecraft as example to the SEC.

In the same way they told them that their plans for them is to include their games on GP asap (existing deals with Sony may delay that for a handful games) and to keep these big franchises multiplatform, they could say told them that their plan instead was to turn all their future games full console exclusive if that would have been their plans.

They can't lie to their investors and regulators, they would get in real trouble by doing so.

You'll get remasters on PS5 of old games like Quake or Skyrim when it gets remastered for the millionth time but new games releasing for the first time, Deathloop and Ghostwire Tokyo are basically all that PS5 will ever get.

Just an observation but one thing that I do find coincidental and funny at the same time is that PS5 got Deathloop and Ghostwire Tokyo post close from Bethesda while PS5 will get Diablo IV and Warzone 2 post close from ABK. I find it funny that it's two games post close for both acquisitions.

CoD MWII, its VR version, Overwatch 2, Diablo IV or Warzone 2 will be released on PS too. In the same way that Bethesda/Zenimax released all their console games and DLC released after the acquisition on PS, all the announced console Activision Blizzard games are also coming to PS.

In the case of the VR support/version, if their deal with Sony is like the one they had with Resident Evil Village, its VR support/version will be PS exclusive.

 

[peter42O]

MS said in the OP that wouldn't be profitable to release CoD only on Xbox and PC (I assume even more considering that in the future plan to include it day one on GP) and this is why they'll keep it multiplatform.

What Microsoft says and what they end up doing could very well be two different things.

I added some examples more: Doom Eternal DLC and Quake Remastered. As I mentioned all the games and DLC they released on console after the acquisition until now have been published on PS.

The Quake remaster is a 20 year old game so it doesn't matter if it's on PlayStation but when a brand new Quake game releases, it will be Xbox exclusive. If anything, releasing the remaster on PlayStation is smart. Get people into it with the old game and lure them to Xbox with the new game. I believe that Id Software's next game is Quake reboot similar to that of Doom 2016.

As for the Doom Eternal DLC, the base game was already on PlayStation before the acquisition as was Part One of The Ancient Gods. Wouldn't make any sense to keep Part Two off PlayStation at that point.

In the OP MS is expaining their plans to regulators. Similar to when they mentioned Minecraft as example to the SEC.

In the same way they told them that their plans for them is to include their games on GP asap (existing deals with Sony may delay that for a handful games) and to keep these big franchises multiplatform, they could say told them that their plan instead was to turn all their future games full console exclusive if that would have been their plans.

They can't lie to their investors and regulators, they would get in real trouble by doing so.

Keeping COD MW 2, Warzone 2 and all previously released COD games IS keeping it multi-platform but if you truly believe that you're going to see COD 2024 on PlayStation 5, then I honestly don't know what to tell you except that you're going to be very disappointed.

As for the whole "can't lie" to investors and regulators, lmao. Sure, they all tell the truth. That's hilarious. Microsoft is telling everyone what they want to hear to ensure the acquisition gets completed and there won't be any concessions or any of that shit either. Microsoft has almost been word for word with ABK like they were with Bethesda.

CoD MWII, its VR version, Overwatch 2, Diablo IV or Warzone 2 will be released on PS too. In the same way that Bethesda/Zenimax released all their console games and DLC released after the acquisition on PS, all the announced console Activision Blizzard games are also coming to PS.

In the case of the VR support/version, if their deal with Sony is like the one they had with Resident Evil Village, its VR support/version will be PS exclusive.

COD MW 2 and Warzone 2 are contracted to be on PlayStation so unless Microsoft wants to break those contracts which they won't, you'll get them on PlayStation but this also falls right into Microsoft's plan. They keep the contracts intact to look like you'll get everything but like with Bethesda, once that shit is done, you'll get nothing from ABK.

Overwatch 2 releases in October which will be before the acquisition closes anyway and Microsoft won't have any say or control (yet you want to believe what they're saying is going to be 100% factual when they actually own ABK) until that happens. As for Diablo IV, it was already announced for PS4 years ago and they announced the PS5 version earlier this year which isn't a surprise at all considering the fact that Microsoft again has no say or control as to what ABK does until Microsoft legally owns them.

Microsoft "letting" all these games go on PlayStation is actually brilliant. PS4/PS5 owners get all the old/current shit while Microsoft will keep all the new shit exclusive because it's about Game Pass. Releasing future games on PlayStation does absolutely nothing for Microsoft or Game Pass which is what it's all about. Releasing the older games and in turn, keeping them on PlayStation for their entire life cycle will accomplish what their main goal is - exclusivity for future new releases on their platform which in turn will increase Game Pass subscriptions which is exactly what Microsoft cares about the most.

Of course, you're believing that just because old remasters or DLC has been released on PlayStation that means you'll somehow get Starfield (lmao) and all the other exclusives. To make it clear and simple - the ONLY way PlayStation is getting any new game releases in the future is if Sony accepts Game Pass on PlayStation. Then, you'll get everything but until that day, I wouldn't hold my breath if I was you.

But to each their own.

 

[Hezekiah]

We've seen Halo Infinite essentially die in record quick time - despite being available on Steam, on GamePass, and having a free multiplayer.

CoD is a bigger franchise, but if it were to go PC + Xbox exclusive, I think the same would happen, just over a longer time period.

 

[Loy310]

I’ll bet you good money people do not move en masse to Xbox for CoD. You greatly overestimate peoples allegiance to these things.

Taking COD off PS would be a pr disaster. They wont have to worry about Sony, its the pissed off cod community (millions of people) that ms will be pretty much telling to go buy a new console and sub to gamepass if you want to keep playing COD.
Folks are gonna lose their shit cause now ms is going out of their way to harm them or taking away choice from them.

 

[Shmunter]

Taking COD off PS would be a pr disaster. They wont have to worry about Sony, its the pissed off cod community (millions of people) that ms will be pretty much telling to go buy a new console and sub to gamepass if you want to keep playing COD.
Folks are gonna lose their shit cause now ms is going out of their way to harm them or taking away choice from them.

Too true

 

[Yurinka]

Taking COD off PS would be a pr disaster. They wont have to worry about Sony, its the pissed off cod community (millions of people) that ms will be pretty much telling to go buy a new console and sub to gamepass if you want to keep playing COD.
Folks are gonna lose their shit cause now ms is going out of their way to harm them or taking away choice from them.

Yes, to make CoD Xbox console wouldn't make any sense in the business side, but in the PR side it would create a shit storm that compared to it, the Tomb Raider meltdown they had years ago would be a small issue. And these pissed off fans would have on PS the fresh new Bungie, Deviation and Firewalk IPs they have now in the works, plus Destiny 2, Apex Legends, Rainbow Six, Rainbow Six, Fortnite, etc.