"It's Hard To Say" - Xbox Boss Isn't Sure The Activision Blizzard Deal Has Paid Off

Interesting statement. What is the potential if the deal works? Do they potentially spin off the org and write it off... or do they eventually see a downsizing and reorganization, with them selling some parts off?

I think it's going to work out long term, too many huge IPs to fail, but it's not something that's suddenly synonymous with the Xbox brand or anything.

Did far more damage then good.

What she says and this article have little in common. She gives a positive answer. ABK makes a fortune in revenue every year. It's true that console sales have not been great, but there are other factors that explain that: marketing (This is an Xbox), PS5 ports, stock shortages...

It's sad that some studios have been shut down across every big and not that big publisher, I agree with that. I wanted to list them all but I'd still missing a dozen. Still, for the huge size of Xbox now, they have closed fewer than other publishers:

1) The Initiative, a new studio that didn't do anything until Crystal Dynamics joined the development of their first project that was eventually cancelled, Perfect Dark.

2) Tango Gameworks, that was not shut down, but they kept until it found a new parent company, and who kept the Hi-Fi Rush IP.

There were ABK studios whose workers moved to other ABK studios: Alpha Dog, Roundhouse Studios. Vicarious Visions became Blizzard Albany. They also created a new studio, Elsewhere Entertainment.

I would like to see how hardware sales improve from now on. They have improved already in UK thanks to Forza Horizon 6 that is a exclusive to Xbox and PC until its PS6 launch.

"It was bought at a time when our strategy was predominantly on the core consoles"

I admit I don’t really understand that statement because it seems wrong to me. Back at the time of the ABK acquisition, Xbox’s strategy was already becoming less and less console‑centric, and the deal accelerated that shift — especially with the obligation to keep Call of Duty multiplatform, a decision they later extended to other franchises.

That said, we can’t deny it’s a golden goose in terms of revenue. But of course, it had no impact on console sales — how could it, when the game remained multiplatform?

What’s certain today is that ABK is far from being just about Call of Duty. Xbox holds a goldmine of franchises they haven’t fully tapped into yet (From ABK, bethesda, xbox studios) , and that’s very good news. Xbox has a huge reservoir of games and the potential to launch exclusives and true system sellers.

As always, it’s a matter of balance: multiplatform games and exclusives.

Unfortunately its been a tale as old as time with squandered potential. Nothing meaningful or positive has come out of the deal for gamers, only the execs at Microsoft.

Or.....how about when is world of warcraft coming to Xbox? There must be sizeable untapped audience there? I'd play it. But in no way shape or form will I pay subscription for it. That's one main reasons I play Elder Scrolls Online. Buy expansions and never need pay monthly subscription.

But elder scrolls online is running itself in ground with its recent changes. My enthusiasm is really dropping.

They bought Activision thinking it would help them kill Sony. Look how that turned out. Maybe manage your studios a bit better eh Microsoft?

Activision ended up swallowing Xbox rather than the other way around…