Xbox has an embarrassing Square Enix problem

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Xbox, to hear Microsoft tell it, is losing. This has been the crux of its argument to persuade the world’s regulatory bodies to approve its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, something which would bring the likes of Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and perhaps most pointedly King’s suite of mobile games, including Candy Crush, under the Xbox banner. It’s a huge acquisition, which is why it’s garnered so much attention. But Xbox’s argument is clear: we’re just a widdle guy. We need this. Sony is miles ahead.

And so it is in most territories, honestly. It’s not a mischaracterization of the situation. But one element of the Activision Blizzard acquisition that has always baffled me is the optics of what Xbox gains. Which of Xbox’s problems does it solve?

Yeah, Call of Duty is massive, and would be a huge gain. But it’s not like Xbox doesn’t have access to IPs and have games in development that could shake up the shooter world. Warcraft is likewise a huge tentpole, but Microsoft already has both an MMO and an RTS in Elder Scrolls Online and Age of Empires. These don’t fill a gap.

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