PlayStation Needs a Response For Xbox's Bethesda, Activision Blizzard Acquisitions

gamerant.com:

Today, it was announced that Microsoft has acquired Activision Blizzard for a stunning sum of nearly $70 billion. The ZeniMax acquisition last year was only a fraction of that, and this recent move is showing gamers once again that Microsoft is serious about investing in the Xbox platform. Activision Blizzard owns some of the biggest IPs in the gaming industry, including Call of Duty and World of Warcraft.

With the new console generation, Microsoft has proved itself to be an aggressive competitor. Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, has been clear that his goal is to make Xbox the best and most accessible way for gamers to play. However, the vision is a double-edged sword. Just like the ZeniMax acquisition made Starfield Xbox console exclusive, the Activision Blizzard deal could lock PlayStation fans out of other favorite franchises. In order to keep up, Sony needs to respond in a big way.

RELATED: Microsoft Planning On Making Some Activision Blizzard Games Xbox Exclusive

PlayStation is known for turning out incredible and high-quality exclusives, there’s no doubt about it. However, with Microsoft’s recent acquisitions, that might not be enough anymore. PlayStation’s exclusives, as incredible as they are, might not be able to keep up with the massive established franchises Microsoft now owns. With the Activision Blizzard sale, Microsoft even controls Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon, which are frequently associated with the PlayStation brand.

When the Activision Blizzard deal is finalized, Microsoft will have no less than 32 first-party studios. Some of those studios are responsible for huge IPs in the gaming industry. Microsoft’s ZeniMax acquisition took the gaming industry by storm, resulting in future Bethesda