The world is well into the “9th generation of gaming” with console giants like Sony and Xbox leading the charge towards enriching players’ experiences.
However, the transition has had its disappointments as the consoles are in limited supply globally.
The prized gadgets are still out of reach for many Kenyans as the prices are as high as Ksh. 100,000 from retailers.
Getting the consoles from official stores at retail price is is still impossible, a year from their launch its ($499 or approx. Ksh. 57,000).
The technology industry has welcomed new strategies, with acquisitions drawing attention across the gaming community.
Xbox is in a good position after their parent company, Microsoft, purchased two holding companies. ZeniMax Media was their first purchase, and one would expect that it would have been enough. Shockingly, Xbox recently got their hands on another powerhouse, Activision Blizzard.
The gaming community was thrown into a frenzy. Fan-favorite multiplayer titles such as “Call of Duty” and “World of Warcraft”, could now be published exclusively under Microsoft’s name. Gamers in the PlayStation ecosystem felt threatened by the move.
Fortunately, PlayStation recently made headlines, paying a sum of $3.6 billion (Ksh. 408,960,000,000) to acquire Bungie Inc.
The name Bungie carries a lot of weight, with iconic games such as Halo and Destiny. Interestingly, Halo is Xbox’s biggest seller. I mean, Halo put me through the strain that was high school, with its epic multilayer and story campaign.
PlayStation’s acquisition seem like a return blow in this “bout”. Although the $3.6 billion tag might seem meager at a glance, since Xbox paid nearly $70 billion (7,952,000,000,000) for Activision, it is a strategic move from PlayStation.
“we are incredibly excited about the opportunities for synergies and collaboration between these two world-class groups” – Jim Ryan, President & CEO, Sony Interactive Studios
Single-player games have been the staple for PlayStation, since the PS4. Successful titles such as God of War and Horizon Zero Dawn will be receiving sequels in 2022.
Fans already expect to have a blast playing both titles. Bringing in a developer that is successful in multiplayer/online games is a big step for PlayStation. The move provides them with a revenue source outside of single-player hits. Could these acquisitions be a gamechanger for the industry? Time will tell. Lets also hope the console shortage situation is solved, to allow more eager gamers into both the Sony and Xbox ecosystems.
