Microsoft intends to keep distributing many Activision Blizzard games on Sony’s PlayStation consoles even after its pending acquisition of the company, according to reporting by Bloomberg’s Dina Bass. The purchase, which would fold Activision Blizzard into Microsoft Gaming, is valued at nearly $70 billion and remains subject to regulatory approval.
Commercial reasons behind the decision
Microsoft’s stated motivation is commercial: several Activision Blizzard franchises, notably Call of Duty, rank among PlayStation’s top sellers. Withdrawing those titles from Sony’s platform would likely mean a significant loss in revenue, the company concluded, outweighing some potential gains from making all games Xbox exclusives.
Some games will become Xbox exclusives
The company does plan to make a subset of Activision Blizzard titles exclusive to Xbox and related Microsoft platforms as part of its strategy to attract new console buyers. Microsoft has not specified which games will be withheld from PlayStation; those decisions will be made after the acquisition is finalized.
What remains uncertain
Key details remain unresolved pending formal approval of the deal. It is not yet clear which specific games will become exclusive and which will continue to be distributed to PlayStation. Microsoft’s approach appears to balance retaining revenue from established PlayStation buyers while selectively using exclusivity to bolster Xbox’s hardware and ecosystem appeal.
