Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard will not lead to all of Xbox’s franchises being adapted for mobile gaming, according to Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox. While the $69 billion deal has been seen as Microsoft’s move towards mobile gaming, Spencer has consistently stated that the acquisition was primarily driven by the company’s ambitions in the mobile gaming market. He emphasized that being present on the platform that most people play on is essential for the future of the Xbox business. Microsoft’s ownership of Candy Crush maker King and games like Call of Duty Mobile and Diablo Immortal has given Xbox a significant presence in mobile gaming. Spencer expressed the importance of learning from Activision’s success in the mobile space and reaching a wider audience of players.
Spencer stated that he doesn’t intend to turn all of Xbox’s franchises into mobile games or make everything free-to-play. He believes that maintaining diversity in distribution and business models is a strength of the Xbox platform. However, he emphasized the need to be relevant on the largest platform, which is mobile, in order to remain relevant in gaming on a global scale. Microsoft’s goal with the Activision Blizzard acquisition is to create a new Xbox mobile platform and a next-generation game store to compete with Google Play and the App Store.
Overall, while Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard brings Xbox into the mobile gaming market, Phil Spencer clarified that not all Xbox franchises will be adapted for mobile. The focus is on learning from Activision’s success in the mobile space and expanding Xbox’s reach to a wider audience. Maintaining diversity in distribution and business models is seen as a strength, but being relevant on mobile is crucial for remaining relevant in the gaming industry. Microsoft aims to create a new Xbox mobile platform and game store to compete with established players like Google and Apple.
