Xbox Owns 13 Franchises Worth $1 Billion After Activision Merger

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Obaid Ur Rehman

At HI Digital I test and write about different hardware configurations to show other PC users what they can expect from their build. My end goal is to educate the masses to make the right decision when they are looking for new PC parts to buy

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After facing difficult situations for over a year, Microsoft finally owns Activision Blizzard. The $68.7 billion deal took a lot of effort for regulatory approval, but Xbox is now in a better position than before.

Thanks to the deal, Microsoft owns a large number of franchises, and many of these are blockbuster releases that bring in billions of dollars. After the merger, Xbox is home to over 15 franchises worth at least $1 billion.

Why it matters: Rivals like PlayStation and Nintendo have thrived through legacy IPs that have stayed relevant for many decades. With Xbox buying Activision Blizzard, it has many such franchises.

During the recent Q1 FY24 earnings call, CEO Satya Nadella pointed out that this deal has expanded the first-party portfolio of Xbox. He then referred to specific numbers and said:

“We will have 13 billion dollar-plus franchises – from Candy Crush, Diablo, and Halo, to Warcraft, Elder Scrolls, and Gears of War.”

However, previous documents revealed during the recent court case suggest that the number of franchises worth this amount is even higher. Adding the likes of Minecraft and Fallout, the number of franchises comes out to about 17.

Activision alone has brought around eight such franchises, with Call of Duty and Candy Crush being the two most important IPs. Diablo 4 has also reached lifetime sales of over 10 million, marking another major IP from the publisher.

The latest Xbox first-party release, Starfield, is expected to become another $1 billion franchise eventually. Having amassed over 11 million players already, the game is steadily moving toward this goal.

Moving forward, Microsoft will look toward creating more IPs that can reach this incredible milestone. Starfield is only the beginning for Xbox first-party titles, as the company is determined to deliver more releases like this.

We think Microsoft’s position in the gaming industry is more promising than ever. It appears to be on the right path, focusing on games and IPs to maintain this position. 

Following the merger, the company hopes to double down on games. These $1 billion IPs will play a crucial role in this ambition, with Xbox already reporting promising revenue results last quarter.

Obaid Ur Rehman

[How-To Guides Expert]

Laiba, our tech guru at HI Digital, simplifies and crafts How-To Guides with a Google IT Support Certificate. Beyond tech, she captures the city’s aesthetics through her lens. Join her journey where tech meets creativity!

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