How Can Sony Compete With Xbox's Activision Blizzard Buyout?
Microsoft’s seismic deal to place Activision Blizzard King under its sole control shakes up the entire industry like an earthquake, and Sony would be right to worry. It even caused a big tumble in Sony’s share price, although that has since recovered somewhat.
For those invested in the so-called console wars, the duel between rival console platforms can be akin to Sith vs Jedi, Liverpool vs Man United, Nike vs Adidas, only more online and less dignified. These wars have always been overheated ever since Sega battled Nintendo for hearts and minds. But I kinda get it – a lot of emotion can be invested in these platforms, even if the skirmishes can amount to silly insults hurled across the Web.
Related: Microsoft’s Acquisition Of Activision Blizzard Is Seismic, But The Crown In The Deal Might Be King
Sony has a loyal fan base, especially in Europe. In its native Japan, meanwhile, Sony enjoys a devotion that leaves Microsoft far in the distance. In this generation, however, this might be changing. For Christmas, the Xbox Series was the second-most popular console in terms of sales in the UK, ahead of the PS5 (the all-conquering Nintendo Switch took top spot). And even in Sony and Nintendo-dominant Japan, things appear to be changing, with Xbox selling better than previous Xbox consoles. News of Microsoft’s megaton acquisition even shook up Japanese commentators, drawing astonishment and even fear for their beloved PlayStation.
“Sony is now under huge pressure to respond. Sony doesn’t have deep pockets like Microsoft, so its options are more limited,” says George Jijiashvili, principal games analyst at Omdia. These options might be limited, but with this enormous change in the gaming landscape, Sony could be forced into
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