Over the past few years, Microsoft has bought up a handful of high-profile game studios which has made them owners of some of the most beloved franchises in gaming. Here are all the IPs that Microsoft now own.
With the seismic announcement that Microsoft would be acquiring Activision Blizzard in a nearly $70 billion deal, the company’s list of first-party studios has never been larger.
The Activision Blizzard deal is the highest price they’ve paid amid their spending spree. The buyout follows a long list of moves Microsoft has made to bolster its first-party lineup, following on from the recent acquisition of Bethesda.
Here is an updated list of every franchise Microsoft owns.
Contents
Bethesda
Bethesda was acquired by Microsoft in a $7.5 billion deal in September 2020, a move that, at the time, rocked the gaming world.
Microsoft became owners of the two franchises which defined the Xbox 360 and PS3 console generations: Fallout and The Elder Scrolls, as well as iconic shooters like DOOM, Wolfenstein, and Quake.
Since the move, the company delivered on its promise and put tons of Bethesda titles onto Xbox Game Pass. Deathloop and Ghostwire Tokyo, though, remain timed PS5 exclusives.
- Fallout
- DOOM
- Wolfenstein
- The Evil Within
- The Elder Scrolls
- Dishonored
- Quake
- Starfield
- Rage
- Prey
Activision
Microsoft’s deal with Activision won’t be finalized until sometime in 2023, but when it does the company will have tons of questions from Call of Duty fans on how the franchise will be handled moving forward.
Xbox boss Phil Spencer has already confirmed CoD will continue to be published on PlayStation platforms. Beyond that, it remains to be seen how Microsoft will handle the rest of Activision’s franchises.
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- Call of Duty
- Crash Bandicoot
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
- Spyro
- Tony Hawk
- Prototype
- Guitar Hero, Band Hero and DJ Hero
- Candy Crush
- Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater
Blizzard
Blizzard did not have a stellar year in 2021, with workplace scandals plaguing the popular game developer.
World of Warcraft fans have already made demands of Microsoft after the news broke of the buyout. Twitch star Asmongold even called on Microsoft to help modernize WoW by adding console integration or even adding the game to PC Game Pass.
The possibilities for Blizzard under Microsoft’s wing are wild to imagine, and time will tell how they decide to incorporate and handle their IP.
One thing is certain: Blizzard fans are riding on Microsoft to be able to bring stability to their beloved franchises.
- World of Warcraft (and Warcraft as a whole)
- Diablo
- Overwatch
- Starcraft
- Hearthstone
Xbox Game Studios
Xbox Game Studios is responsible for putting out franchises that have helped define the Xbox as a formidable console for over 20 years.
2021 was a big year for Xbox Game Studios as they put out exclusive titles like Forza Horizon 5, Halo Infinite, and Age of Empires IV.
With a new Fable also in the works, OG Xbox players have a lot to play now and look forward to.
- Halo
- Forza
- Gears of War
- Fable
- Age of Empires
- Hellblade
- Minecraft
- Psychonauts
- Wasteland
- Perfect Dark
- The Outer Worlds
- Grounded
- Sea of Thieves
- State of Decay
There you have it, a full list of all franchises soon to be owned by Microsoft.
