Microsoft finally realising it's software sales potential by releasing on playstation. They'll never stop supporting this platform.
That's a bit misleading for a couple of reasons.
Let's start with "finally", Microsoft closed on ABK on October 13th, 2023. Pentiment released on PS5 on February 22nd, 2024. So even prior to closing on ABK, Microsoft was looking at a multiplatform strategy and probably have been since the days and weeks revolving around the failure of Redfall, which had released in May of 2023. This is when Phil famously said they weren't going to out-console Sony.
Next let's talk about their software sales potential, because I find this even more interesting.
ABK was the biggest 3rd party publisher in the industry before the M&A. They were the biggest publisher on PlayStation. Zenimax was also a major publisher on PlayStation.
The amount of people showing "surprise" or pretending like it wasn't a given that Microsoft spending 80 billion dollars buying up publishers would make them a relevant publisher on PlayStation is an interesting one. Or people equating ABK + Zenimax games selling on PlayStation (which they've always done) as some sign that PlayStation consumers should have purchased an Xbox and were "holding out".
I think Zenimax is kind of the litmus test here and shows a clearer understanding of what is going on here. No one was going to buy an Xbox for Starfield for example. Could Starfield have found greater success on PlayStation? Sure, though I don't think it will be all that successful or would have even been had it launched on PS5 back in 2023.
XGS + ABK + Zenimax has a lot of games, particularly catalog titles and these games if ported or remade are going to have a lot of success. What they don't really have is system sellers, which for Microsoft was always their problem and why I felt off the bat that these acquisitions were misguided if the hopes or intentions were to sell more Xbox consoles.
In 2025, there are only a handful of companies in the world who can still really make actual system sellers, particularly with new IP which is especially challenging.
Nintendo
PlayStation Studios
T2
CDPR
Maybe FromSoftware
There's a big difference I feel in making a good selling game and a system seller and it's a matter of quality over quantity.
The only reason they have these numbers is because they bought out two massive 3rd party publishers whose games would be on PS anyway. These are "in house titles" in name only. You'll notice that Avowed and South of Midnight are nowhere to be found in any of this.
And spoiler: This still isn't enough to make them a viable 3rd party in the long run.
ProtoByte with the rare accurate post. This is correct. They bought out two of of the biggest publishers in gaming and there is going to be decline returns here. We're already seeing it.
Skyrim and Fallout remakes will have success and there will be a lot of hype around Elders Scrolls 6, but outside of that I don't see much in Zenimax's future. How far out would a new Fallout game be if the focus is on ES6? These franchises probably are more sustainable as live service games ironically.
When it comes to ABK, all of ABK has largely been in decline. The best thing they have going for them is the lack of quality competition. If the price of their games rise to 80 dollars this fall, it's going to open a huge avenue for competitors with quality products. They better hope EA can't release a competent Battlefield game early next year.
The problems facing them are pretty similar to the problems facing EA and Ubisoft long term.
