The Year Microsoft Underwent a Significant Transformation | Opinion

As 2024 began, the gaming industry was bracing for a potentially underwhelming year, with a sparse release calendar compared to the previous year. However, this fear did not entirely materialize, and the year turned out to be quite eventful. The release schedule was unevenly spread across different parts of the industry, with some companies experiencing a rough year, while others found success. Notably, Microsoft underwent a significant transformation, marking a pivotal year in its strategy as a game publisher and platform holder. The company's acquisition of Activision Blizzard was a major factor in this transformation, which seemed inevitable to many observers. Despite initial concerns, Microsoft has become one of the world's largest and most influential publishers, but in the process, it has become something different from a traditional platform holder. Xbox hardware will now play second fiddle to the broader idea of Xbox as a platform service and Microsoft as a third-party games publisher. The year also saw the rise of single-player action games, with titles like Black Myth Wukong and Stellar Blade, and the decline of live service games, with high-profile failures like Sony's Concord disaster. As the industry looks to 2025, it is expected to be defined by the impact of GTA 6 and Nintendo's new console launch, with Microsoft's repositioning and re-explaining of Xbox, Ubisoft's attempts to rebuild its publishing success, and the ongoing implosion of the live service dream all continuing to develop.