Since 2001, “Halo” has been the flagship title for Microsoft’s XBox series of consoles — the direct competitor of Sony’s Playstation series. Both console series launched new iterations in 2020, and both have suffered supply chain difficulties that have made it difficult for shoppers to bring the devices home.
SIE’s purchase comes only a few weeks after Microsoft’s purchase of Activition/Blizzard, another major game developer, for $68.7 Billion — the largest purchase the company had ever made.
Jim Ryan, President and CEO of SIE, said in a blog post that “Bungie will remain an independent and multi-platform studio and publisher,” making it unlikely that any announced titles will vanish from the XBox’s catalog.
However, it’s impossible to ignore that this purchase disrupts the video game industry’s pattern of consolidation. As video games have moved from a niche market to a nearly $80 billion per-year industry, the scattered community of small, scrappy teams responsible for early hits like “Mortal Kombat” and “Super Mario Bros.” has morphed into a small number of massive corporations viciously battling it out for market supremacy. Industry experts have pointed out that these types of consolidations will have a ripple effect that is almost impossible to predict, as it shifts power away from game developers and towards the owner of different platforms.
Xbox Series X Video Game Console, Black
Microsoft
walmart.com
$705.50
What does this mean for you, the consumer? If you, like many, still haven’t been able to get your hands on a new XBox or Playstation console, it’s probably increasingly wise to make your decision based on which franchises you’re most excited about. Players eager to return to the world of “Destiny” — or explore new franchises in the same vein — might be safer purchasing a Playstation 5. Meanwhile, fans of “Diablo,” “Overwatch,” and “Call of Duty” might be smarter making the opposite decision and going with an XBox Series X.
In either case, you’re still going to have to get lucky while waiting for either to appear in stock.
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