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[DunDunDunpachi]

I don't think it will necessarily be finances that cause problems. MS' reserves are absurd. I think it will be personnel. Whatever one's opinion of Spencer, I do honestly believe he wants to make Gamepass the most attractive platform with the best games. What will be difficult is when MS wins back market share and he moves on. Under the wrong management, a service like Gamepass really could serve up crap.

And yes, fully agree on their wanting to put it on as many devices as possible. Wouldn't bet against gamepass ending up on the Switch in some capacity.

Yeah, keeping the service on the rails will be the hardest part. Unlike re-releases or sales, how do you stir up interest in your 3-year-old Game Pass game? Once you go Game Pass, you never go back.

Nintendo should go all the way and let Microsoft handle Switch's online infrastructure but that's another conversation for another day.

 

[apocaliptic]

Will Howard stay at Bethesda now that Microsoft bought them?

 

[CagedChicken]

All silly fanboy stuff aside, this is an astonishing change in the videogame market.

It's not actually the games that will challenge Sony. They will continue to make fantastic first party titles. It's the price of those games. Within a few years, MS is going to have so many good games on their subscription service that the idea of paying a high price for a single title will seem old hat. Sony will become too expensive.

Clever bastard that Phil Spencer. I think he's backed the right horse.

Going all in on GamePass like this seems like a real "high risk, high reward" move for MS. If it works, MS has the Netflix of gaming and drowns in riches. If it doesn't work, it will be one of the biggest business mistakes in gaming history.

 

[NullZ3r0]

Potentially all of them. Or timed up to 12 month. Elder Scrolls 6 launching 12 month before PS? That would be damaging. Not so much about Doom going exclusive or another Evil Within.

All of these will also be on PC. And since the common fanboy refrain on here is always "I'll get it on PC", it doesn't count as an exclusive.

 

[Mmnow]

Until MS reveals the average revenue per subscriber for GP I don't buy its long term viability for a second. A constant stream of big budget games hitting the service is going to require a significant ARPS increase.

Let's not kid ourselves about the vast percentage of their subscriber base still averaging insanely low costs per month on the backs of all those insane deals they always have going.

Why would average revenue per subscriber ever matter with a subscription service? The whole point is to take away reliance on individual sources of income.

The upgrade trick involved people bulk buying years of gold. Do you think MS didn't see a huge mountain of money from that to at least partly offset its losses? Whether you had three years of gold lined up or had to go out and buy it, you had to give Microsoft money somehow. Average revenue per subscriber wouldn't take that into account for a start.

It doesn't take into account people who had never bought a digital game or a game that wasn't used, who now put that money into Gamepass. It wouldn't take into account marketing potential, leading to increased sales elsewhere (see success on Steam) or entry into the ecosystem.

Its viability comes from appealing to a very large number of users across as many platforms as Microsoft can get 100 pet cent revenue from. Unfair increases in price, losing of quality of games would hurt its potential to grow and maintain users.

 

[RokkanStoned]

Wow. Wow WOW.

I don't think everyone gets how big this is. In one purchase MS has basically kicked Sony in the nuts and let them cry in agony in terms of first party titles. TES and Fallout. Those two alone (not considering the other IPs) are bigger than any Sony title. Personally it could only be countered by a Demon's Souls 2 (as in the remake isn't even comparable, just a speck of dust) or Bloodborne 2. Can't think of any Sony title having as much grab for me to be comparable to TES and Fallout.
If Microsoft just went "TESVI is released only for Xbox Series X/S and PC, releasing a month later on PC", I'd have to just say "fuck you Sony" and buy a Series X. That's like PS2 era of IP domination. A new FF in pre-XIII would've had that same pull, but in post-XIII era FF is in shambles in comparison. As much as Skyrim continued the simplification of the systems that have happened since Morrowind, it's leaps above post-XIII FF.
Seriously, Sony. If Microsoft plays hardball you're forced to put out Bloodborne 2 or Demon's Souls 2 or buying a big publisher/studio with comparable IPs. Because one of Microsoft's biggest weaknesses have been RPGs and they've just bought themselves TES, Fallout and Starfield, while also having Avowed from Obsidian coming out. This is like fucking crazy if MS decides to go hardball. It would be generation defining.

Like wtf, this all came so out of nowhere. That said, it all depends on what Microsoft is intending to do with this purchase. Suddenly my console choice for next-gen is open again until further clarifications.

 

[jaysius]

Sony is fighting a war with MS.

MS is playing a totally different game, they're ignoring Sony and playing blanket the market, they're going to smother them out, this is just the start of it.

MS's game doesn't benefit even it's own customers with the inferior Series S, which is just there to have a bigger install base, to deter households from having a PS5. Series S for the outsider soccer mom makes the PS5's price seem ridiculous, this is the goal, they don't understand the performance issues or downfalls of the Series S, all they understand is it's the NEW BOX that makes the BOOPS AND BEEPS.

Sony has never been pro consumer either though, with their lack of R&D on the PS4 and PS4 Pro, causing them to behave like fucking vacuums, and so many other aspects, sticks on the DS4 first batches disintegrating from use with no support of the sure, terrible battery life for the DS4.... Who knows if MS has a console exclusive deal with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X for the Headphone tech, OR if Sony is being stubborn and rejecting those 2 solid established codecs in lieu of pushing their own.

This will be an interesting generation, having Sony in the lead last gen didn't feel great, I played my PS4 Pro, but suffered from the constant racket from the fucking fans and other issues that they put in there(HDCP handshake issues that are hardware deep).

 

[PaintTinJr]

It literally feels like Microsoft owns 1/4 of the AAA game industry

Really? I think this is a good acquisition by Microsoft for Xbox, but none of those games are more than 2.5A IMHO, regardless of their popularity. The last game I played from their IPs, was the original Rage on PS3 - I loved it - but compared to Playstation exclusives it wasn't polished enough to be AAA, even with some brilliant technology from Carmack's Id swan song.

Good luck to Xbox and the developers they've acquired - even if they make the games PC/Series exclusive. I think the other big 3rd party publishers will take a bit of a dim view of this acquisition and be partnering closer to Playstation to avoid their game advertising getting lost on Xbox where Bethesda games will be in competition and maybe get unfair exposure.

 

[GriffinCorp]

Wow... I just still can't believe they were able to pull this off. Next-gen is going to be an all out war. Now I'm thinking twice about getting the PS5 first because these games are my jam.

 

[dyergram]

I imagine you felt the same way about Sony buying Insomniac after Zipper, Evolution, Incognito, Lightbox, Superbot, SCE Studio Liverpool, etc, right?

And Bungie is on your list?? Lol. Did you happen to notice how Bungie’s games turned to shit right after they left MS?

I don’t really like any of those Sony studios either but it proves my point that independent studios go to shit when they get bought as a general rule.

 

[Jigsaah]

Wow. Wow WOW.

I don't think everyone gets how big this is. In one purchase MS has basically kicked Sony in the nuts and let them cry in agony in terms of first party titles. TES and Fallout. Those two alone (not considering the other IPs) are bigger than any Sony title. Personally it could only be countered by a Demon's Souls 2 (as in the remake isn't even comparable, just a speck of dust) or Bloodborne 2. Can't think of any Sony title having as much grab for me to be comparable to TES and Fallout.
If Microsoft just went "TESVI is released only for Xbox Series X/S and PC, releasing a month later on PC", I'd have to just say "fuck you Sony" and buy a Series X. That's like PS2 era of IP domination. A new FF in pre-XIII would've had that same pull, but in post-XIII era FF is in shambles in comparison. As much as Skyrim continued the simplification of the systems that have happened since Morrowind, it's leaps above post-XIII FF.
Seriously, Sony. If Microsoft plays hardball you're forced to put out Bloodborne 2 or Demon's Souls 2 or buying a big publisher/studio with comparable IPs. Because one of Microsoft's biggest weaknesses have been RPGs and they've just bought themselves TES, Fallout and Starfield, while also having Avowed from Obsidian coming out. This is like fucking crazy if MS decides to go hardball. It would be generation defining.

Like wtf, this all came so out of nowhere. That said, it all depends on what Microsoft is intending to do with this purchase. Suddenly my console choice for next-gen is open again until further clarifications.

I was following your logic til you said Demon's Souls 2. You just said before that TES and Fallout are bigger than any Sony title. Then you say Sony could counter with a Sony Title.

Please stop digging in your butt and licking your fingers before you speak.

 

[GrayChild]

Bethesda just shot themselves in the foot.

I don't know how much the rest of you know about the gameing industry (I'm an expert), but honor and shame are huge parts of it. It's not like it is in other branches where you can become successful by being an asshole. If you screw someone over in the gaming industry, you bring shame to yourself, and the only way to get rid of that shame is repentance.

What this means is the gamer public, after hearing about this, is not going to want to purchase Bethesda games for either system, nor will they purchase any of Microsoft's games. This is HUGE. You can laugh all you want, but Bethesda has alienated an entire market with this move.

Bethesda, publicly apologize and cancel the deal with Microsoft or you can kiss your business goodbye.

 

[Setzer]

Good for Microsoft but it doesn't change anything for me. Still getting a PS5 and I'll still be able to play any Bethesda/Zenimax game on PC like I always have.

 

[Codswallop_]

Well that 100% confirms my Series X purchase.

 

[RokkanStoned]

I was following your logic til you said Demon's Souls 2. You just said before that TES and Fallout are bigger than any Sony title. Then you say Sony could counter with a Sony Title.

I said "PERSONALLY" in that sentence. Learn to read. That means that as far as Sony IPs, to me personally, only Demon's Souls 2 or Bloodborne 2 would have a similar pull and be able to counter the weight of those two IPs. Outside of my personal tastes, TES and Fallout easily crushes Demon's Souls and Bloodborne.

 

[ZZZZ]

Bethesda just shot themselves in the foot.

I don't know how much the rest of you know about the gameing industry (I'm an expert), but honor and shame are huge parts of it. It's not like it is in other branches where you can become successful by being an asshole. If you screw someone over in the gaming industry, you bring shame to yourself, and the only way to get rid of that shame is repentance.

What this means is the gamer public, after hearing about this, is not going to want to purchase Bethesda games for either system, nor will they purchase any of Microsoft's games. This is HUGE. You can laugh all you want, but Bethesda has alienated an entire market with this move.

Bethesda, publicly apologize and cancel the deal with Microsoft or you can kiss your business goodbye.

 

[HE1NZ]

Bethesda just shot themselves in the foot.

I don't know how much the rest of you know about the gameing industry (I'm an expert), but honor and shame are huge parts of it. It's not like it is in other branches where you can become successful by being an asshole. If you screw someone over in the gaming industry, you bring shame to yourself, and the only way to get rid of that shame is repentance.

What this means is the gamer public, after hearing about this, is not going to want to purchase Bethesda games for either system, nor will they purchase any of Microsoft's games. This is HUGE. You can laugh all you want, but Bethesda has alienated an entire market with this move.

Bethesda, publicly apologize and cancel the deal with Microsoft or you can kiss your business goodbye.

They already kissed their business goodbye.

For $7.5 billion.

 

[Senua]

Bethesda just shot themselves in the foot.

I don't know how much the rest of you know about the gameing industry (I'm an expert), but honor and shame are huge parts of it. It's not like it is in other branches where you can become successful by being an asshole. If you screw someone over in the gaming industry, you bring shame to yourself, and the only way to get rid of that shame is repentance.

What this means is the gamer public, after hearing about this, is not going to want to purchase Bethesda games for either system, nor will they purchase any of Microsoft's games. This is HUGE. You can laugh all you want, but Bethesda has alienated an entire market with this move.

Bethesda, publicly apologize and cancel the deal with Microsoft or you can kiss your business goodbye.

 

[Kittehkraken]

Wow. Wow WOW.

I don't think everyone gets how big this is. In one purchase MS has basically kicked Sony in the nuts and let them cry in agony in terms of first party titles. TES and Fallout. Those two alone (not considering the other IPs) are bigger than any Sony title.

Fallout 4 - 23 million
Fallout 76 - 1.5 Million
Skyrim - 30+ million
Elder Scrolls Online - 15 Million

Both multi-platform. Skyrim was rereleased repeatedly across all platforms. I doubt Bethesda could ever recapture what they did with Skyrim.

God of War - 12 million
Spiderman - 13 million
Uncharted 4 - 16 million
Last of Us Remastered - 10 Million
Gran Turismo Sport - 8 Million

PS4.

The hyperbole surrounding this acquisition is hilarious.

 

[Itachi87]

Then why would MS, A company beholden to share holders, continue to double down on it? Ya gotta think long

B/c they're desperate for market share in the gaming market. Sometimes you invest heavily up front and take the L in profits to improve your userbase, console sales, and long term profits. There's no question this is a potentially great deal for Microsoft, but it shouldn't come as a surprise if game sales from Zenimax studios will be down in the future with its console exclusivity. You release your games on less platforms, you sell less copies. That's common sense.

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

Sony: hey we paid for a couple of Bethesda games to be timed exclusive
Phil "The Xboss" Spencer: hold my beer

 

[Starfield]

Fallout 4 - 13 million
Skyrim - 30 million

Both multi-platform. Skyrim was rereleased repeatedly across all platforms.

God of War - 12 million
Spiderman - 13 million
Uncharted 4 - 16 million
Last of Us Remastered - 10 Million
Gran Turismo Sport - 8 Million

PS4.

The hyperbole surrounding this acquisition is hilarious.

Well 13 and 30 million is still bigger than some of these individual numbers

 

[SEGA_2012]

Shinji Mikami now with infinite money ! Yes!

 

[LOLCats]

im just glad it wasn't EA buying.

i dont know which thread would have been longer, this one or an "EA purchases Zenimax" thread.

 

[Red Crayon Aristocrat]

Task InXile with making a Fallout game.

Also give Tango Gameworks a bunch of money.

I don't think this is inherently a bad thing so long as their games keep coming to PC, which I assume they will.

 

[Silent Viper]

what a time to be a gamer

 

[Maxwell Jacob Friedman]

Don't bring Nintendo into this as they are in their own isolated and completely separate eco-system, since the Xbox and Playstation started dueling it out. They didn't even try to compete and went their won way, which doesn't apply to Sony at all.

You are the only one moving goalposts as it doesn't suit your narrative anymore. As I said Xbox is taking gaming into the future like it or not and Sony just isn't.

Sony is sounding very much like Blockbuster now when Netflix started to rise. They were too proud and arrogant to acknowledge and accept where the industry is heading, because they have always done it the traditional way and expect it to stay that way.

Im sorry who won last generation in terms of sales? Thats right nintendo, they are as much as a contender as sony and ms and they EMBRASSED MS by lapping them in half the time with the switch

sony has brought more high quality games this entire generaation as well as higher meta scores as well, you're the one moving goal posts thinking this wont be history repeating itself again and thinking sony doesnt have a chance. Like I said lets start a bet then if you're that confident in MS

 

[Birgitte2004-2]

Going all in on GamePass like this seems like a real "high risk, high reward" move for MS. If it works, MS has the Netflix of gaming and drowns in riches. If it doesn't work, it will be one of the biggest business mistakes in gaming history.

Netflix isn't drowning in riches, their debt is still growing faster than their profits. They aren't expected to make a "real" profit this year either, in spite of COVID. The best you can say is Netflix's profits are higher than the interest on their debts, but I still am not sure how this is viewed as a sustainable long-term, one would think when they stop spending so much on content they'll start losing subscribers.

Microsoft has more money, but I'm still confused why anyone would want to be the "Netflix" of some other industry.

 

[BattleScar]

Well 13 and 30 million is still bigger than some of these individual numbers

30 million after it was released on literally every platform under the fucking sun.
Now the potential install base for a Bethesda game is effectively halved.

 

[Kittehkraken]

Well 13 and 30 million is still bigger than some of these individual numbers

Bethesda games benefit from multiple platforms. With Skyrim benefiting from multiple generations on multiple platforms.

Sony is putting up those numbers on a single console.

Again, the hyperbole that Sony is in some kind of trouble is hilarious.

 

[TheGreatWhiteShark]

Wow. Wow WOW.

I don't think everyone gets how big this is. In one purchase MS has basically kicked Sony in the nuts and let them cry in agony in terms of first party titles. TES and Fallout. Those two alone (not considering the other IPs) are bigger than any Sony title. Personally it could only be countered by a Demon's Souls 2 (as in the remake isn't even comparable, just a speck of dust) or Bloodborne 2. Can't think of any Sony title having as much grab for me to be comparable to TES and Fallout.
If Microsoft just went "TESVI is released only for Xbox Series X/S and PC, releasing a month later on PC", I'd have to just say "fuck you Sony" and buy a Series X. That's like PS2 era of IP domination. A new FF in pre-XIII would've had that same pull, but in post-XIII era FF is in shambles in comparison. As much as Skyrim continued the simplification of the systems that have happened since Morrowind, it's leaps above post-XIII FF.
Seriously, Sony. If Microsoft plays hardball you're forced to put out Bloodborne 2 or Demon's Souls 2 or buying a big publisher/studio with comparable IPs. Because one of Microsoft's biggest weaknesses have been RPGs and they've just bought themselves TES, Fallout and Starfield, while also having Avowed from Obsidian coming out. This is like fucking crazy if MS decides to go hardball. It would be generation defining.

Like wtf, this all came so out of nowhere. That said, it all depends on what Microsoft is intending to do with this purchase. Suddenly my console choice for next-gen is open again until further clarifications.

 

[ToxicPhantom]

Bethesda just shot themselves in the foot.

I don't know how much the rest of you know about the gameing industry (I'm an expert), but honor and shame are huge parts of it. It's not like it is in other branches where you can become successful by being an asshole. If you screw someone over in the gaming industry, you bring shame to yourself, and the only way to get rid of that shame is repentance.

What this means is the gamer public, after hearing about this, is not going to want to purchase Bethesda games for either system, nor will they purchase any of Microsoft's games. This is HUGE. You can laugh all you want, but Bethesda has alienated an entire market with this move.

Bethesda, publicly apologize and cancel the deal with Microsoft or you can kiss your business goodbye.

I hope this was a joke of the day.

 

[Stuart360]

Fallout 4 - 13 million
Fallout 76 - 1.5 Million
Skyrim - 30 million
Elder Scrolls Online - 8 Million

Both multi-platform. Skyrim was rereleased repeatedly across all platforms. I doubt Bethesda could ever recapture what they did with Skyrim.

God of War - 12 million
Spiderman - 13 million
Uncharted 4 - 16 million
Last of Us Remastered - 10 Million
Gran Turismo Sport - 8 Million

PS4.

The hyperbole surrounding this acquisition is hilarious.

Dont know where you are getting your numbers from but Skyrim was at 35mil nearly a year ago (October 2019, Google it). And Fallout 4 was over 20mil a while ago as well.

 

[Komatsu]

And that’s how a trillion dollar company plays.

I am just here to read all the usual Sony cheerleaders suddenly pretending that the company that developed and published one of the top 20 bestselling games of all time is not a major, game-changing acquisition.

Game Pass is about to get a whole lot better.

 

[Stuart360]

30 million after it was released on literally every platform under the fucking sun.
Now the potential install base for a Bethesda game is effectively halved.

PC as well dont forget.

 

[tryDEATH]

Im sorry who won last generation in terms of sales? Thats right nintendo, they are as much as a contender as sony and ms and they EMBRASSED MS by lapping them in half the time with the switch

sony has brought more high quality games this entire generaation as well as higher meta scores as well, you're the one moving goal posts thinking this wont be history repeating itself again and thinking sony doesnt have a chance. Like I said lets start a bet then if you're that confident in MS

You keep talking in past tense, this is actually the losing mindset you and Sony are both stuck in, just because it was a successful strategy last generation doesn't mean that a traditional approach is a given, especially when you consider how much the industry has changed.

I would go as far and say Sony's traditional strategy isn't even viable anymore let alone a winning one. The price of games is already a humongous issue for the European and South American market, it is exactly where MS is positioning themselves to hit gold.

Playing ignorant and being in denial hoping that with out proper innovation Sony will succeed is nothing more than childish imagination. Sony didn't innovate jack sh*t they are stagnant, and MS just blew by them.

 

[Compsiox]

Really? I think this is a good acquisition by Microsoft for Xbox, but none of those games are more than 2.5A IMHO, regardless of their popularity. The last game I played from their IPs, was the original Rage on PS3 - I loved it - but compared to Playstation exclusives it wasn't polished enough to be AAA, even with some brilliant technology from Carmack's Id swan song.

Good luck to Xbox and the developers they've acquired - even if they make the games PC/Series exclusive. I think the other big 3rd party publishers will take a bit of a dim view of this acquisition and be partnering closer to Playstation to avoid their game advertising getting lost on Xbox where Bethesda games will be in competition and maybe get unfair exposure.

I was just saying that's how it feels in my mind. There aren't as many major publishers as it seems. This is a pretty big deal.

 

[LittleBusters]

I wonder if a Halo/Doom crossover is possible now?

 

[KiNeMz]

This doesn't mean Exclusive. Its just not MS' MO now. But definitely having Bethesda games on Gamepass day dot is the play here.

 

[LittleBusters]

Netflix isn't drowning in riches, their debt is still growing faster than their profits. They aren't expected to make a "real" profit this year either, in spite of COVID. The best you can say is Netflix's profits are higher than the interest on their debts, but I still am not sure how this is viewed as a sustainable long-term, one would think when they stop spending so much on content they'll start losing subscribers.

Microsoft has more money, but I'm still confused why anyone would want to be the "Netflix" of some other industry.

Netflix is a Silicon Valley darling, so profits don't matter. Neither does having an overall positive balance sheet. As long as you're a Silicon Valley dah-ling.

 

[lefty1117]

i mean shit I was a bit miffed about spiderman DLC for Avengers being PS exclusive, but was not expecting a $7.5b response. that's hardcore, Phil

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

You keep talking in past tense, this is actually the losing mindset you and Sony are both stuck in, just because it was a successful strategy last generation doesn't mean that a traditional approach is a given, especially when you consider how much the industry has changed.

I would go as far and say Sony's traditional strategy isn't even viable anymore let alone a winning one. The price of games is already a humongous issue for the European and South American market, it is exactly where MS is positioning themselves to hit gold.

Playing ignorant and being in denial hoping that with out proper innovation Sony will succeed is nothing more than childish imagination. Sony didn't innovate jack sh*t they are stagnant, and MS just blew by them.

The fuck is with this dicksucking lol?

Sony is in the position to hit on all fonts as the situation demands. Comparing them to fucking blockbuster is also laughable. Not only is Sony's traditional strategy still viable, it is also still the winning one.

 

[Wunray]

Bethesda just shot themselves in the foot.

I don't know how much the rest of you know about the gameing industry (I'm an expert), but honor and shame are huge parts of it. It's not like it is in other branches where you can become successful by being an asshole. If you screw someone over in the gaming industry, you bring shame to yourself, and the only way to get rid of that shame is repentance.

What this means is the gamer public, after hearing about this, is not going to want to purchase Bethesda games for either system, nor will they purchase any of Microsoft's games. This is HUGE. You can laugh all you want, but Bethesda has alienated an entire market with this move.

Bethesda, publicly apologize and cancel the deal with Microsoft or you can kiss your business goodbye.

I'm trying to remember which copypasta this is. I'm drawing a blank.......

 

[HeresJohnny]

Well shit, now I kinda have to buy an Xbox. I meN, assuming Bethesda ever makes a single player game again

 

[Komatsu]

This doesn't mean Exclusive. Its just not MS' MO now. But definitely having Bethesda games on Gamepass day dot is the play here.

Yes, they will still publish for the PS5 and Switch, most likely. That said, I expect MS might make some of their big tentpole games timed exclusives.

 

[Kittehkraken]

Dont know where you are getting your numbers from but Skyrim was at 35mil nearly a year ago (October 2019, Google it). And Fallout 4 was over 20mil a while ago as well.

My mistake, fixed. It was sloppy google search on my part.

My point being that Sony's first party lineup is by no means dwarfed by Bethesda who has enjoyed the fruits of being on multiple platforms. Microsoft has given themselves a big boost, but Sony is by no means hurting.

Imagine how many copies Spiderman would have sold if it was released on PS4, Xbox One, PC and maybe even the Switch. No way Bethesda isn't taking a big numbers hit on things like Elder Scrolls if they skip Playstation.

 

[lastmessiah]

The fuck is with this dicksucking lol?

Sony is in the position to hit on all fonts as the situation demands.

No they aren't. If they were, then they would have. What is the point of deluding yourself, it's not like Sony execs are going to give you a reacharound.

 

[Gavon West]

lol it's a fantasy.

honestly it cracks me up that people think they aren't going to do a Skyrim and continue to whore out these games to every console made.

I'll take that bet!

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

No they aren't. If they were, then they would have. What is the point of deluding yourself, it's not like Sony execs are going to give you a reacharound.

The fuck are you talking about "they would have"?

They've future-proofed themselves via cloud gaming and sub-services. But as it stands, it's still not more profitable nor more popular than the traditional market.

 

[Xaero Gravity]

Yes, they will still publish for the PS5 and Switch, most likely. That said, I expect MS might make some of their big tentpole games timed exclusives.

I very much doubt Microsoft paid 7.5 billion just to release them on PS5. Sure some games like Deathloop, Ghostwire, and more than likely Starfield will still come out on PS5, but I think anything after that is very unlikely.

I'm not the biggest fan of massive acquisitions like this as I'd rather see the investment go towards the dormant IPs they already own, but I do have to admit it's hilarious to see people go from "MS has no games " to "MS better put these games on PS5 "