Anyone who has ever used a console to play games knows that the only thing bigger than the Xbox vs PlayStation conflict is that between PC vs console. Will the console battle ever end? Microsoft seems to think, or rather be pushing, that it has. This is less pushed by the companies than they are by the users of each platform, each insisting that their console or games are better, but it’s all a matter of opinion.
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Age Old Console Battle
There has always been a PlayStation vs Xbox battle between the two massive console moguls, Microsoft and Sony. They aren’t exactly the best friends that they seem to be either, constantly staying in competition with one another. Their updated consoles constantly come out at almost the exact same time, they have similar consoles with different benefits, usually selling the normal version of their console and a slip or performance model, and each company has exclusive games that are released on their consoles only (both of which will sometimes extend licensing to PC).
Former Xbox executive Peter Moore revealed that Microsoft actually used to stoke the fire of the console conflict to drive competition between the two companies. Microsoft is usually the side that brings up the battle, and they have done it yet again.
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Activision Acquisition
There has been nothing but chaos since Microsoft began the process of attempting to acquire Activision. There has been constant conflict between Xbox and PlayStation since the process began, mainly debating the future of Call of Duty because of the acquisition. If they were to acquire the game studio, they would be acquiring many game franchises, including StarCraft, Call of Duty, Overwatch, Diablo, Crash Bandicoot, Guitar Hero, Tony Hawk’s and many more, including future titles.
The CEOs at Microsoft were confident that the acquisition will eventually go through, with the deal set to be finalized sometime in 2023, but weren’t expecting the amount of comments they have received from Sony and the European Commission, even admitting that they didn’t expect the deal to face so much scrutiny and to take as long as it has. The EU European Commission has made it very clear that they are wary of the acquisition deal, for the same reasons that PlayStation is.
The European Commission mentioned in a press release, “The Commission’s preliminary investigation shows that the transaction may significantly reduce competition on the markets for the distribution of console and PC video games.” They have also said that they are particularly worried that Microsoft will “foreclose access” to certain games, which means making them Xbox exclusives.
Microsoft is adamant to remind both The Verge and the EU’s European Commission that PlayStation is still “the industry leader”, seemingly conceding in the Xbox vs PlayStation situation, but they could just be saying that to convince the Commission to let their deal go through.
Has the situation truly ended? I wouldn’t say that, and I’m not sure that it ever will, as fans remain fiercely loyal to their respective companies. But we will see how far Microsoft is willing to push this narrative in the name of wanting to finally win this deal.
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