In a recent interview with The Washington Post, CEO of Microsoft Gaming Phil Spencer addressed many different aspects of the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, including how Microsoft would develop the IP owned by the mega publisher. In the interview, Spencer highlighted franchises such as HeXen, Spyro the Dragon, King’s Quest, Guitar Hero, and more, and that he’s “looking forward” to the discussions he’ll have with the teams as the deal closes.
“We’re hoping that we’ll be able to work with them when the deal closes to make sure we have resources to work on franchises that I love from my childhood and that the teams really want to get. I’m looking forward to these conversations. I really think it’s about adding resources and increasing capability.”
Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, Interview with The Washington Post
Its great to see Microsoft taking IP other than Call of Duty seriously and allowing the developers get out from under the popular shooter’s umbrella. It would be nice to see Toys for Bob take a stab at a Spyro sequel or even pull Vicarious Visions out of Blizzard and return to Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. High Moon, Beenox, and Raven are all studios that have talents beyond being regulated to Call of Duty support as well.
What I Want
Personally, I Microsoft could go further than just allowing these studios to return to the games they were working before being regulated to Call of Duty maps and asset support. Activision and Blizzard own some great IP with potential that have been dormant for years, decades even, that could challenge Sony’s IP and even the scale. The first thing that came to mind after the initial news was “wow, Microsoft could make Pitfall their Uncharted, or “What if Sledgehammer could make their own version of Dead Space.” They could also fill the “kids game” void with Crash and Spyro, but we all know what we want most: the return of Star Craft: Ghost.
What franchises would you like to see Microsoft and Activision Blizzard take on first? Let us know in our Discord or Facebook group!
Source: The Washington Post
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