Up to 15 development teams work on the annual release of the “Call of Duty” series, which means that Activision mainly limits itself to one franchise. Will Microsoft Gaming break up this structure?
The Acquisition of Activision by Microsoft has sparked speculation about the future of the “Call of Duty” series. Speculations about an exclusive console release on Xbox hardware have long been off the table.
But development is also the focus of the debate: In recent years, Activision has released new versions of “Call of Duty” every year, which were achieved through the collaboration of numerous studios in a fixed rhythm. Up to 15 different studios are working on the series. Becomes Microsoft Gaming change anything about it?
Call of Duty will continue to be the focus in the future
Matt Cox, senior vice president and general manager of “Call of Duty” at Activision, clarified this week that Microsoft’s acquisition will not impact the work structure of the “Call of Duty” studios.
“If you look at Treyarch and Raven, you'll see that they've been working together on the Black Ops series since 2010,” Cox explained Conversation with the Washington Post supplementary. “You have this history with the people you work with. And that ultimately shows up in the finished product from a release and launch perspective.”
Activision's studio structure ultimately ensures that new “Call of Duty” games can be released regularly without having to be developed by the same main team every year. Activision referred to this, among other things, in 2021 when it was announced that all of the company's core studios were involved in the shooter series.
Microsoft hopes for long-term revenue
“Call of Duty: Black Ops 6”the latest title in the series, was released on October 25, 2024 and was directed for the first time available via Game Pass on launch day made, which is a new situation for monetization.
Amy Hood, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, emphasized that the new Game Pass subscribers will lead to recurring, growing revenue. But this also applies to players, who buy the shooter without a subscription.
“The game requires an online connection to play, so even for players who have purchased the standalone game, revenue recognition will occur over time,” Hood explained in the latest annual report, pointing out that all Xbox Users have to pay monthly to play online games.
Acquisition affects Microsoft Gaming sales
The takeover of Activision Blizzard had financial effects even before the launch of “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6”. According to Microsoft's latest announcement, the company saw a 43 percent increase in gaming revenue last quarter, largely due to Activision. We reported:
Activision is planning it for November 14, 2024 first major content expansion for “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6” and “Warzone”. In the new season, players can expect “a huge amount of free content,” including multiplayer, zombie and “Warzone” innovations.
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