Microsoft Buys Activision: Will Call of Duty be Xbox exclusive?

In a shocking move today, Microsoft buys Activision Blizzard for a massive $68.7 billion USD in a motion that echoes the Xbox publisher's purchase of Bethesda back in 2020. However, that deal was but worth around $seven.5 billion, which was more Disney paid for the Star Wars franchise. Microsoft'due south buyout of Activision Blizzard gives Xbox control of the publisher'south IP, then volition Call of Duty exist an Xbox exclusive at present?

Microsoft buys Activision for $68.7 billion USD

Microsoft Buys Activision

As Microsoft announced in a blog mail service today, the publisher is buying Activision Blizzard. Forbes reports this deal is for a whopping $68.7 billion, virtually ten times what Microsoft paid for Bethesda and all its studios, and it'll brand Microsoft "the third-largest gaming company by revenue" in the world in one case it's consummate.

In terms of what this gets Microsoft, it will larn all of Activision Blizzard's IP such as Call of Duty, Overwatch, Warcraft, Starcraft, Diablo, and Candy Crush, not to mention developers such as Treyarch, High Moon, Raven Software, Infinity Ward, and Blizzard itself. Whatsoever or all of these could and probably will go Xbox exclusive on consoles every bit of next twelvemonth, and Microsoft promises to put "as many Activision Blizzard games equally nosotros tin can within Xbox Game Laissez passer and PC Game Laissez passer" once the deal goes through — all of which will be a massive blow for Sony and PlayStation.

Will Call of Duty be an Xbox exclusive?

Information technology is very probable that the annual Call of Duty games will become Xbox exclusives but Telephone call of Duty: Warzone could possibly remain on PS4/PS5, as information technology is already out. As the deal doesn't become through until 2023 this yr'south Call of Duty — rumored to exist another Modern Warfare game — will exist multiplatform, and Call of Duty 2023 could nevertheless exist too. Yet, much similar Starfield with the Bethesda purchase, Call of Duty 2024 onward will virtually certainly be an Xbox and PC exclusive.