Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard led to instant questions on its greatest video games. Will Name of Responsibility develop into an Xbox unique? (It does not appear so.) Will Grasp Chief flip up in Overwatch? Will we get World of Warcraft/Elder Scrolls On-line crossover occasions? (Microsoft purchased Bethesda lower than a yr in the past, remember.)
These are all legitimate questions, however in an interview with the Washington Post, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer touched on one which I feel is much more attention-grabbing: What about all of Activision’s older stuff?
“I used to be trying on the IP checklist, I imply, let’s go!” Spencer stated. “King’s Quest, Guitar Hero… I ought to know this however I feel they obtained Hexen.”
It does certainly have Hexen, which was developed by Raven Software program again within the early ’90s—Activision acquired Raven in 1997. And there is much more than simply that. Activision additionally holds the Sierra model, which provides it all the things from King’s Quest to SWAT (and an debatable finger within the No One Lives Ceaselessly pie), in addition to Star Management and Crash Bandicoot studio Toys for Bob, Prototype developer Radical Leisure, and others—it is a lengthy checklist.
Blizzard has a formidable again catalog all by itself: Microsoft introduced again Age of Empires, so perhaps it’s going to do the identical for StarCraft—perhaps we’ll even get StarCraft: Ghost sometime (however in all probability not). It has been awhile since we have seen a correct new Warcraft recreation, too.
It is not a whole pipe dream: Spencer instructed the WSJ that Microsoft intends to speak to its new studios about engaged on video games which were languishing in Activision Blizzard’s archives—together with these, like Toys for Bob and (hopefully, I’d love one other Singularity) Raven, which were relegated to Name of Responsibility assist studios.
“We’re hoping that we’ll be capable of work with them when the deal closes to verify we’ve got assets to work on franchises that I like from my childhood and that the groups actually wish to get,” Spencer stated. “I’m trying ahead to those conversations. I actually assume it’s about including assets and rising functionality.”
It is an thrilling prospect. Activision Blizzard is an enormous firm, nevertheless it’s centered on the assured money-makers—and when it comes to “including assets and rising functionality,” it is completely dwarfed by Microsoft. It is not only a matter of cash, although. Twitter consumer PeteXN, as an example, reminded everybody that Microsoft also owns Double Fine Productions, headed up by Tim Schafer, one of many central figures behind the famed journey video games developed by Lucasarts—a direct competitor to Sierra again within the Nineties. Is a Schafer-led House Quest reboot possible? No, nevertheless it’s potential, and by God I would pay good cash to play it.
Spencer’s enthusiasm for doing greater than milking the Name of Responsibility cow is heartening, however that is all wishful pondering for now, as Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard continues to be a great distance off: Microsoft at the moment estimates that the deal will move regulatory hurdles and be closed someday in its 2023 fiscal yr, which ends on June 20, 2023.
