Microsoft is attempting to purchase Activision Blizzard for $68 billion and this could be big for gamers at GJHS and around the world. 

Activision Blizzard is a gaming company that makes games such as Call of Duty, Crash Bandicoot, Tony Hawk, and Spyro.

If Microsoft buys Activation Blizzard then these games and others could become exclusive to XBox owners only. Microsoft owns XBox.

Currently, owners of different gaming systems can play against one another from the comfort of their own homes. That would change if Microsoft makes these high-profile games exclusive to XBox owners.

This would be a huge problem for owners of Sony Playstation and Nintendo Switch, because they wouldn’t be able to play with their friends who have a XBox. I own a Switch and a Playstation so it would be unfortunate that I would no longer be able to play with my friends.

I don’t know a lot of people who both own a Xbox and a Playstation. The major consoles cost about $500 each. So this could exclude a majority of Grand Junction High School players. 

I think one of the most frustrating things in life is being excluded, especially when it’s not in your control. I like the Playstation controller more; it fits my hands better. And simply because I like the controller more I could get punished for it if Microsoft is allowed to go through with this.

I understand why Microsoft would want to make games exclusive though. If a consumer is unable to play their favorite game with their current console, then why not just buy the console that has the game.  

Microsoft is attempting to pay $68.7 billion to acquire Activision. The Federal Trade Commission has gotten involved and said that the deal may not go through because the F.T.C states it could harm consumers.

This may sound like a good business practice to cut off the consumers so they consume more of your product. But I don’t think it would be good for Activision, Microsoft or gamers in the long run. No matter how much I like a game there’s no way I would buy a console just to play it. I also don’t know a lot of high schoolers who have the spare change to buy a second console. If you’re a high schooler you can’t spend a lot of time working to get money, especially if you do sports. 

Sony has pointed out that if games are made exclusive to Xbox only it would be the start of a monopoly. In response, Microsoft said that they wouldn’t make it exclusive, they would also let the Switch get some of the games.

The F.T.C stated that if Microsoft attempts to merge with Activision the F.T.C will sue to block Microsoft from merging with Activision.

Microsoft has promised to make Call of Duty and other games not exclusive for 10 years. Personally I think this is a reasonable solution and at least we get some warning instead of it just being an immediate thing.

We should hold Microsoft accountable for this because if we don’t, what good is a promise? If they can afford to buy Activision for $68 billion, that’s just about equal to buying 136 million XBox consoles for people who can’t afford to buy one.